Wednesday, April 18, 2012

The Red Pyramid

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

This is book 1 in the Kane Chronicle series.

What Rick Riordan has done for Greek Mythology with Percy Jackson and the Olympians, he is also doing for Roman Mythology in the series The Heros of Olympus. Now, he's embarked into Egyptian Mythology with the Kane Chronicles.

Carter and Sophie Kane are siblings who have been raised apart the past 6 years or so. After their mother died, an apparent custody battle ensued. Their maternal grandparents took Sophie to live with them. Their father, Dr Julius Kane, took Carter. Carter was home-schooled by his father while they traveled all over the world. Dr Kane is an Egyptologist. Their mother had been an anthropologist specializing in ancient Egypt.

On a rare 2 hour visit to the British Museum, Dr. Kane promises his children that he will "make things right." Just after that, everything seems to go very wrong. After their father becomes imprisoned in a golden sarcophagus that sinks through the floor, the children are taken in by their fathers brother - the Uncle they didn't remember that they had.

Magic and Mythology combine in this fun story in which children must save the earth from Chaos. This series covers the basics of Egyptian Mythology and explains why the gods and goddesses have differing relationships depending on the story and time. This is a great way for kids to learn the basics of Egyptian Mythology including some of the magic that was used.

I would recommend this book for kids about 12 and up. Sophie is age 12 in the book and Carter is 14. There are some scary situations that could be a little much for younger children even if they are able to read the text.

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