TombQuest Book 1: Book of the Dead

Gr 4–6—In this opening book of this new multiplatform series, sickly Alex Sennefer knows much about Ancient Egypt because his mom is an expert who works for New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. She and her colleagues have discovered the Lost Spells from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, which are coveted by a dark society of evil, undead Egyptian souls. When Alex's mother uses one of the spells to save his life, she unknowingly sets in motion a global reaction that finds blood raining down in London, undead things rising all over the world, and a scorpion epidemic in New York City. When she and the Spells disappear, Alex, his best friend Ren, and a mysterious scientist must try to find them while working against black magic and ancient evil. The plot moves quickly and will appeal to reluctant readers looking for adventure, danger, and minimal character development. There is also an online game component.—B. Allison Gray, Goleta Public Library, CA