Hi everyone, how would you like to go on an adventure in Africa?? What about exploring ancient tombs, trekking through the jungle or getting lost in the Sahara? If you are one of the few who have done this, then please don’t read any further because that’s exactly what our young protagonists of these reads end up doing while having to save the world… oops!! I’ve said too much!! Press the button to find out more…if you dare…
Well, friends, the group of young tweens in these reads are a mixture of African and Europeans but the one thing they have in common is the location of the adventure they end up having: Africa!!
The Phoenix Code (Orion Children’s Books; 2014) by Helen Moss is one of the first few adventure reads I found with archaeologists researching in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. In this read we meet two youngsters, Ryan Flint and Cleo McNeil. The pair begin an amazing adventure after stumbling onto an incredible secret and need to outwit their enemies while trying to solve the Phoenix Code!! If you are after an adventure read with a dash of friendship and action-packed mystery solving then this is the perfect trilogy to start off with!! Our duo bring a good dose of humour into the adventure ahead!!
In The Scorpions of Zahir (Delacorte Press; 2012) by Christine Brodien-Jones we meet an unconventional family as they traipse across the desert towards Morocco. Zagora Pym, her brother Duncan and their father Dr Charles Pym, find themselves embroiled in a heart-stopping quest to keep a secret city from being buried forever in the sands with the help of the Azimuth tribe. Packed with mystery, archaeology, adventure, fast-paced action, this book delivers it all!! The sister-brother dynamics will appeal to all those readers who enjoy family stories.
My last selection is Nadia Knox and the Eye of the Zinnia (Plum Street Press; 2017) by Jessica McDougle. We meet a group of kids in this read. The most important factor for me was that the main characters are an African American family of anthropologists with their children!! I found that fascinating!! Nadia Knox, along with her parents and brother Chris, travel the world with their parents searching for the untold stories of ancient societies. Along with their friends, this team is racing to uncover the Kanju, a civilization hidden deep in the wilds of Uganda. Filled with awesome descriptions and fast-paced adventure, this read is another amazing read set deep in the heart of a wild African landscape with a cast of amazing characters!! It felt as if this could be the start of a series; we’ll just have to wait and see!! I really loved the lesson given here about respecting the way others live and honoring their connections to their culture, despite your responsibilities to your profession.
So there you have my choices for adventure reads. If you have read anything else I’d love to hear about them.
Stay safe and keep reading
Miss Mahee
Miss Mahee's Library of Reads 