The Curse of the Pharaoh

Gr 2–5—Precocious Agatha, 12, is an international detective. With the help of her cousin-in-training, her butler, her sleuthing cat, and a poisonous cactus, she takes Egypt by storm in pursuit of a stolen artifact. With the smarts of Nancy Drew and the charm of Eloise, Agatha is an exciting addition to the girl-detective canon. Action-packed black-and-white illustrations are scattered throughout and range in size from small insets to full spreads. The story is fast-paced and contains enough surprises to keep readers engaged. The illustrations will entice those transitioning to chapter books, but the sometimes-challenging vocabulary make this a pick for those with a higher reading level. A fun, modern-day detective story with an international flair.—Sarah Townsend, Norfolk Public Library, VA