Theodosia and the Serpent of Chaos (Theodosia Throckmorton #1)

  I've been meaning to pick up R.L. Lafevers aka Robin Lafevers middle grade series, Theodosia Throckmorton, quite sometime after learning about it from Small Review. Thank you, Smalls! I know my younger self would have loved Theodosia as much as I love her today. I recently read and enjoyed the first book. I do plan on reading and catching up to this series in the future.

Description: Twelve-year-old Theodosia Throckmorton uses arcane knowledge and her own special talent when she encounters two secret societies, one sworn to protect the world from ancient Egyptian magic and one planning to harness it to bring chaos to the world, both of which want a valuable artifact stolen from the London museum for which her parents work.

Review: Theodosia and the Serpent of Chaos reads like a mash-up between Nancy Drew and Indiana Jones. The book is filled with warmth, laugh out loud humor, and action, but don't expect too much of characterizations or clean, straightforward plot line as there are many plot threads unfolding.
Theodosia is a plucky and precocious heroine, who I loved instantly. She is a very keen observer in her parents run London's Museum of Legends and Antiquities. She constantly laments about how little her parents pay attention to her because of her age, which is the root to her snarkiness. Theodosia is unlike many girls in Edwardian England because she has a sixth sense of detecting dark magic. When she tries to alert her parents, it falls on deaf ears.
  The plot begins rolling when Theodosia's mum, an archaeologist, returns from Egypt with crates of artifacts. Only Theodosia can feel the objects' dark magic, which, after consulting ancient texts, she has learned to remove. Then a sacred amulet disappears, and during her search, Theodosia stumbles into a terrifying battle between international secret societies. She has use to her wits and the advantages of a child who is usually ignored to find out clues about who is behind the stolen object and how to stop the chaos the object is about to bring to England.
  Theodosia and the Serpent of Chaos is a very fun and quick read. I loved the precise, and atmospheric details (nicely extended in Tanaka's few, stylized illustrations) that will capture and hold readers, from the contents of Theodosia's curse-removing kit to descriptions of the museum after hours, when Theodosia sleeps in a sarcophagus to ward off the curses of disgruntled dead things. I think a lot of kids can empathize with Theodosia and her plight or attention. I was also excited to learn more about archaeology and liked how the story brings up questions about the ownership and responsible treatment of ancient artifacts. Though the mystery is wrapped up in the end of this book, there are many other story lines that will continue in later installments. I hope to read more about Theodosia and her adventures and highly recommend them to kids who are interested in learning about Ancient Egypt along with a good dose of humor, action, and magic.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for strong Grade 3 readers and up.

If you like this book try: The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan, Kat, Incorrigible series by Stephanie Burgis, Children of the Lamp by Philip Kerr, The Long-Lost Map by Pierdomenico Baccalario

The Serpent's Shadow (Kane Chronicles #3)

 One of the highly anticipated children/middle grade book of the summer is Rick Riordan's The Serpent's Shadow, the third installment of his Kane Chronicles series. With his trademarks of adventure, mythology, action, and a dash of romance, The Serpent's Shadow is a delightful read and a great conclusion to the series.

Description (from the publisher): He's b-a-a-ack! Despite their best efforts, Carter and Sade Kane can't seem to keep Apophis, the chaos snake, down. Now Apophis is threatening to plunge the world into eternal darkness, and the Kanes are faced with the impossible task of having to destroy him once and for all. Unfortunately, the magicians of the House of Life are on the brink of civil war, the gods are divided, and the young initiates of Brooklyn House stand almost alone against the forces of chaos. The Kanes' only hope is an ancient spell that might turn the serpent's own shadow into a weapon, but the magic has been lost for a millennia. To find the answer they need, the Kanes must rely on the murderous ghost of a powerful magician who might be able to lead them to the serpent's shadow . . . or might lead them to their deaths in the depths of the underworld.

Review: Siblings Carter and Sadie Kane are once again trying to save the world from the forces of Chaos. The giant Chaos snake Apophis and his rebel magician allies are on the rise and hungry for power. Luckily, Carter and Sadie Kane are back, prepared to the best of their abilities, and ready to fight Apophis and restore Ma'at, the order of the universe.
  The Serpent's Shadow has a lot to offer it's readers. Though filled with expected action-pack excitement, there is a lot of character growth for the big cast of characters. The story like the previous two installments are told in alternating and enjoyable voices of Sadie and Carter. The dual narrative allows Riordan to focus on both genders as well as solidify the siblings as individual characters, highlighting her/his strengths, weaknesses, and insecurities. Though we've watched the Kane siblings prove they are more than capable of taking a lead role in restoring Ma'at, there is a bit of a hesitation that each feels. I really felt I got to know each of the characters on a more personal level in this book than I did in the last two books and I think a lot of it has to do with the characters growing up and maturing.
  Riordian deftly executes the theme of duality throughout the series: the battle of order versus chaos, living an ordinary life versus taking the risks to fail and become extraordinary, and perhaps much more touching-being protected and sheltered by parents versus stepping out of their parents shadows and becoming their own person. I thought that the theme was brought to a full circle with this book. We witness first hand the obstacles the Kanes and their allies face with the lots of twists and turns in the story. Although adults are present in the book and hold important roles, they take the backseat and let the kids drive, sort out their own problems. The line between friend and foe are blurry at best, especially when the ghost of an ancient psychotic magician is willing to offer help.
 The Serpent's Shadow is a rousing adventure with plenty of magic and food for thought. There are hints to future stories featuring other gods and I'm curious if Riordan will combine the Percy Jackson's gang with the Kane's, which could be really exciting. 

Rating: 4.5 stars

Curriculum Connection: Social Studies, English

Words of Caution: There is PG rated violence which happens mostly off the page. Recommended for Grades 5 and up.

If you like this book try: The Ank of Isis by Christine Norris, Children of the Lamp series by Philip Kerr or The Secrets of the immortal Nicholas Flamel series by Michael Scott