|
|
Secret of the Sacred Scarab
Availability: In Stock - Ships within 24 Hours
Book Details
ISBN-13: 9780595457168 (ISBN-10: 0595457169)
Format: Paperback
No of Pages: 272pp
Publisher: Global Authors Publishers
Publication Date: 23 Dec 2008
Country of publication: United States
Customer Reviews
Average Rating
Superb! Fiona has done a remarkable story and everyone who has children will delight in either reading this story to them or letting them read it again and again. It will become a classic soon.
RE Tregaskis
|
The Secret of the Sacred Scarab
by Fiona Ingram
257 pages
Published December 9, 2008
Middle grade fiction
The Secret of the Sacred Scarab by Fiona Ingram is a middle grade fiction book that reminded me why I fell in love with reading in the first place.
When I was young, I read a lot of Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys. Those books feature teenagers (the Hardy boys and Nancy Drew, dur) invariably finding themselves engrossed in something mysterious. There’s pretty clear good guys and bad guys, with a surprise character not being bad or not being good, and usually some plot twists. They were so much fun!
The Secret of the Sacred Scarab has so much fun in it! Justin and Adam, cousins, travel with their archaeologist aunt to Egypt to go site seeing. Trouble follows these boys around on their vacation, starting with when a street peddler surreptitiously slips a scarab into Adam’s pocket. Dr. Khalid, the evil guy who causes most of Adam and Justin’s trouble, knows Adam and Justin must have the scarab and he will stop at nothing to take it from them. The boys use various tricks and slipperiness to avoid Dr. Khalid, sometimes resulting in hilarious situations!
The author has a great writing style, and she has a great sense of humor that shines through her writing. I think it’s a great testament to an author’s writing when the interest can be held of readers outside of the targeted audience. Ms. Ingram held my attention and made me reminisce about books that I read many years ago.
If I had a child around age 9, up until age 13 or 14, I would thrust this book into their hands and encourage them to read it. It’s books like this that spark a love of reading.
Trish
|
This book has been named a Finalist in the Children`s/Juvenile Fiction category of the 2009 Next Generation Indie Book Awards!
This achievement will be published at www.IndieBookAwards.com and as a Finalist in the 2009 Next Generation Indie Book Awards catalog which will be distributed at Book Expo America in New York in May 2009 to thousands of attendees including book buyers, library representatives, media, industry professionals, and others.
|
A throughly enjoyable read! It is very well written & keeps readers on edge with every page. This is defintely a book that young readers will have fun reading & want more! Well done Fiona. Look forward to your next novel.
|
An Excellent Mystery! Fiona Ingram creates very believable boy characters caught up in a scintillating adventure. Her descriptions of the Egyptian landscape are breathtaking. She also imparts a wonderful knowledge of Egyptian culture in a way that young people will understand. Her map and diagrams will help her readers follow the story more easily.
William Robertson
|
This is not my usual type of book to choose to read because first of all I teach little kids (7 and 8 years old) and second I am pretty much a girly type woman. Having said that – I loved this book and found it hard to put down! The writing is superb, the story line is captivating, and the characters are very likable.
I would also have to say this book is a candidate for the saying: “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” The cover did NOT give me any incentive to read this book. I’m so glad I got past the cover!
I really know nothing about ancient Egypt, though I have taught enough years to know that middle grade kids have a great fascination for it – just as younger kids love dinosaurs. The story also fulfills the desires of middle grade children to be heroes and to be involved in something much bigger than themselves.
From the moment I read the first paragraph, I was hooked. The boys are bright and inquisitive, the aunt and grandma are women I would love to know. The book is full of action and mystery. This book in my opinion is a total winner.
www.thefriendlybooknook.com
|
Reviewed by Valerie Storey, USA author.
As a child I couldn't get enough stories, books, or games about Egypt. From museum guidebooks to sets of rubber-stamp hieroglyphs, the very words "Ancient Egypt" sent my imagination off and running. How I would have loved The Secret of the Sacred Scarab!
This book has it all: a great plot; plenty of suspense; eccentric and memorable characters; a strong ending. From the minute I met the two main characters, Justin and Adam, I was hooked, eagerly following the endearing (and enduring!) pair as they got into one scrape after another on their first trip to Egypt.
Extremely well-written, The Secret of the Sacred Scarab reminds me of the great classics I loved as a young reader. Fiona Ingram has performed an excellent job establishing her settings and making Egypt come to life. The dialogue is snappy, the descriptions are full, and the nonstop action easily carried me along for the adventure. Touches of magic, history, exotic foreign locations and background (the boys themselves are from South Africa, a very exotic locale for most American readers), and a true sense of mystery kept me turning the pages. An added feature I especially enjoyed was the first-rate black and white artwork sprinkled throughout the chapters, again reminding me of my favorite childhood books and illustrations.
If I have any comment about recommending the book, I do feel obliged to point out the very high reading level. The author is from South Africa where I can't help but think the vocabulary and comprehension skills are at a stronger level than ours for the age group. However, that said, I also believe advanced readers will find the story a true delight. For children not quite ready to tackle the vocabulary, the book makes a wonderful read-aloud to help acquaint them with more complex and sophisticated storylines than many other books on the current market. I'm giving the book five stars because it deserves them.
To me, Justin and Adam fall into the range of characters I consider "unforgettable" and I was reluctant to part with them. Fortunately, more books are planned to complete Ingram's The Chronicles of Stone series. Can't wait!
|
Author Fiona Ingram mixes history and legends in this fast action adventure that keeps you reading till the very end. The characters are cleverly written. Young readers can easily step into the shoes of these two cousins and experienced this exciting adventure that takes you into the heart of Egypt. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery.
Billy Burgess for Review The Book, USA
|
View All 12 Reviews
Write A Review
|