Book of the Dead (TombQuest Series #1)

by Michael Northrop

Overview

A New York Times bestselling novel, the first in an epic Egyptian adventure series from the team that brought you The 39 Clues and Spirit Animals!

Nothing can save Alex Sennefer's life. That's what all the doctors say, but his mother knows it's not true. She knows that the Lost Spells of the Egyptian Book of the Dead can crack open a door to the afterlife and pull her son back from the brink. But when she uses the spells, five evil ancients—the Death Walkers—are also brought back to life.An ancient evil has been unleashed. Mummies are awakening. New York is overrun with scorpions. And worst of all for Alex, his mom and the Lost Spells have both disappeared. He and his best friend, Ren, will do anything to find his mom and save the world . . . even if that means going head-to-head with a Death Walker who has been plotting his revenge for 3,000 years.Read the New York Times bestselling book, then continue the adventure online! Build an Egyptian tomb of your own, hide treasure and protect it with traps, then challenge your friends to play through!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545723381
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	01/27/2015
Series:	TombQuest Series , #1
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	462,930
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.78(d)
Lexile:	650L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Michael Northrop is the New York Times bestselling author of the middle-grade adventure series TombQuest. He is also the author of On Thin Ice; Trapped, an Indie Next List selection; Plunked, a New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing selection and an NPR Backseat Book Club pick; and other titles. An editor at Sports Illustrated Kids for many years, he now writes full-time from his home in New York City. Learn more at michaelnorthrop.net.

Editorial Reviews

11/24/2014
Northrop (Surrounded by Sharks) lays the groundwork for his five-book multiplatform TombQuest series, in which a 12-year-old boy and his know-it-all best friend fight immortal Egyptian menaces while readers participate via online games. Alex Sennefer suffers from a mysterious debilitating disease, which his Egyptologist mother cures by using a lost spell from the Book of the Dead. While the spell saves Alex’s life, it also brings evil mummies to life and summons a plague of scorpions, among other bizarre events. Using new magical abilities, Alex and his friend Ren attempt to fend off malevolent Death Walkers and the secretive Order, which has abducted Alex’s mother, along with the Lost Spells. Their only ally: scholarly Dr. Todtman, part of a group known as the Keepers. The story begins leisurely, as Northrop devotes attention to setup and worldbuilding, before shifting into high gear once the nature of the threat is revealed. If this installment doesn’t take full advantage of its Egyptian themes, it remains a fun read with solid action sequences and some gruesome imagery. Ages 8–12. Agent: Sara Crowe, Harvey Klinger. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for TombQuest Book 1: Book of the Dead:A New York Times Bestselling novel"Like a preteen Indiana Jones and Lara Croft, Alex and Ren make a compelling duo, and Northrop balances pathos and action effectively to engage readers. Funny and smart, Alex and Ren are excellent companions for this fast-paced and scorpion-filled ride."— Kirkus Reviews"A thrilling adventure rich in Egyptian mythology and magic. . . . Sure to be a blockbuster." — Booklist“Nonstop action . . . reluctant readers will enjoy the fast-paced story and the accompanying interactive computer game, and they will look forward to future installments.” — Voice of Youth Advocates"The plot moves quickly and will appeal to reluctant readers looking for adventure [and] danger." — School Library Journal

From the Publisher

2014-11-04
Scholastic launches its latest multiplatform series, this one steeped in ancient Egyptian magic. Twelve-year-old Alex Sennefer is blessed with a mother who would risk everything for him, a best friend, Ren (short for Renata), who accepts him just as he is, and an insatiable hunger for anything having to do with ancient Egypt. It's a good thing that his second home is the famed Metropolitan Museum of Art, where his Egyptologist mother is preparing to open a groundbreaking new exhibition. If only his body would hang on long enough for him to see it. A lifetime of illness catches up with him, and he is pronounced dead by his doctors—but then Alex is suddenly pulled from the brink and awakens to discover he is not only alive, but also healthier than ever. Unfortunately, Alex isn't the only one being given a second chance at life. Almost immediately, he and Ren find themselves in a battle of ancient Egyptian proportions and embroiled in a quest to find his mysteriously missing mother and save the world. Like a preteen Indiana Jones and Lara Croft, Alex and Ren make a compelling duo, and Northrop balances pathos and action effectively to engage readers. Funny and smart, Alex and Ren are excellent companions for this fast-paced and scorpion-filled ride. (Adventure. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews