For a child exploring the complexities of friendship and the impact of jealousy. This time-travel adventure to ancient Egypt offers thrilling escapades and lessons in loyalty.
A parent should reach for this book when their child is struggling with feelings of jealousy or exclusion within a close friendship. This thrilling time-travel adventure whisks four friends to ancient Egypt, but when one of them, Xanthe, feels left out, her jealousy leads to a disastrous decision that puts everyone in peril. The story is a high-stakes exploration of friendship, loyalty, and the very real consequences of our actions. Perfect for readers aged 9 to 12, it uses the excitement of history and science fiction to open conversations about navigating complex social dynamics and learning to forgive.
A main character's jealousy leads her to make a choice that endangers everyone.
Sensitive Topics
The book's central conflict revolves around intense jealousy and betrayal within a friendship. This is handled directly, showing the character's motivation and the severe consequences of her actions. Peril is a constant theme: characters face threats from Roman soldiers, political intrigue, and a life-threatening snakebite. The resolution is hopeful, emphasizing forgiveness and personal growth. The historical depiction of Egyptian religion is secular, presented as the cultural belief system of the time.
Ideal Reader
An ideal reader is a 10 to 12-year-old who loves adventure and history, but is also beginning to navigate the complex, shifting alliances of middle-grade friendships. It is particularly well-suited for a child who is either feeling jealous of a friend's new relationships or is on the receiving end of such feelings and doesn't understand them.
Parent Prep
The book can be read cold. Parents should be prepared for conversations about how powerful emotions like jealousy can make good people do bad things. It's a great opportunity to discuss taking responsibility for one's actions, like Xanthe must, and the importance of forgiveness. A parent has overheard their child saying something like, "She's not my best friend anymore, she likes [new friend] better now." The parent sees their child struggling with possessiveness or lashing out because they feel left behind in a friendship.
Age Experience
A younger reader (9-10) will be captivated by the adventure: the Egyptian setting, the danger from cobras, and the excitement of meeting historical figures. An older reader (11-12) will connect more deeply with the emotional core of the story, understanding the nuances of Xanthe's jealousy, the budding romance, and the complexities of forgiveness among friends.
What Makes It Special
Unlike many friendship stories where the consequences of jealousy are purely social, this book externalizes the emotional conflict into a literal life-or-death, history-altering disaster. This unique approach makes the abstract lesson about the impact of our actions incredibly concrete and memorable. The blend of historical fiction and sci-fi provides a compelling backdrop for this character-driven drama.
Read plot summary
This is the second book in The Time-Travelers Quartet. The four friends (Rowan, Nina, Xanthe, and Xavier) are sent on a mission to ancient Egypt to retrieve a stolen artifact. Tensions arise when Nina develops a crush on an Egyptian boy, making her best friend Xanthe intensely jealous. In a moment of anger, Xanthe misuses their time-travel device, fracturing it and scattering the friends across different moments in Cleopatra's final years. They must reunite, repair the device, and escape the past before they are trapped forever or change history.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Xanthe's jealousy of Nina and Menes causes her to make a terrible decision. Have you ever felt so jealous that you wanted to do something you knew was wrong? What helps you manage that feeling?
2
When Rowan realizes what Xanthe has done, he is furious with her. Do you think his anger was justified? How could the friends have handled the conflict differently before it got so out of hand?
3
The story is set during the time of Cleopatra. What did you learn about ancient Egypt that surprised you? Do you think it would have been a fun or a scary place to be a kid?
4
Each of the four friends has different strengths. What is Xavier's unique contribution to the team, and why is it just as important as Rowan's leadership or Nina's bravery?
