Middle Grade Non-Fiction Pick: Fearless Felines...

Fearless Felines: 30 True Tales of Courageous Cats
by Kimberlie Hamilton
Illustrated by Allie Runniyan, et al
Scholastic
160 pages
2019
ISBN: 9781338355833

Available November 5, 2019

Thirty true stories of fearless and daring felines who saved their owners, fought in wars, and patrolled buildings make this middle grade book a treasure trove of fun facts about brave cats. Any young cat lover will revel in the clever antics of each character--and what characters they are!

Cats may not have their place in history books, but author Kimberlie Hamilton insures that young readers will know about them. The ancient Egyptians worshipped cats and believed them to be gods. Cats came to Britain around 55BC when the Romans invaded. From that moment on, cats became important in castles, breweries and businesses to chase and kill vermin. By 1995, cats begant to outnumber dogs as America's favorite pet.

Kid readers will love impressive cats like Pyro who flew missions with his pilot owner in WWII and was considered a good luck charm among all the flyers. A cat aptly named Bomber could tell the difference between Royal Air Force planes (British) and enemy (German) planes during the war. When he alerted his family, they ran for the bomb shelter. A stray cat named Hammer appeared at Army headquarters in Iraq. Not only did he keep them mice-free, he was a therapy cat for wounded soldiers, and he came to the United States when the troops came home.

There are stories of other cats saving their family from fires and attacks from other animals. Some cats have even detected cancer in their owners! So, if your cat is behaving badly: pawing at you, bothering you, creating a ruckus, there's probably a good reason he is trying to tell you something very important. Cat behavior is fascinating to watch and to read about. This little collection is full of TALES about TAILS!

Recommended for non-fiction projects and for cat lovers everywhere. Grade 4 and up. With index, glossary, quiz with answers, further reading and recommended websites.

Action Pick: The Serpent's Shadow

The Serpent's Shadow(Kane Chronicles, book 3)
by Rick Riordan
Disney (Hyperion)
2012
401 pages with glossary of Egyptian terms

Exciting, fast-paced, and brilliantly executed, the newest, and last, book in the trilogy wraps up the story of Sadie and Carter Kane, squabbling siblings who have each other's back, no matter what.

Sadie and Carter are once again joined by old friends Walt--who is fighting for his life, Bes--who is in a nursing home for gods--which is pretty funny in and of itself, Ra, the sun god, who is losing his marbles, and tending the home fires--cat goddess Bast--who looks after the kids.

The giant snake Apophis is evil and threatens to end the world but Carter and Sadie have to gather their friends and figure out how to defeat him. Chapters are told by Sadie and Carter with funny digs and satirical comments and asides from each of them. Riordan is at his comic best when describing Ra's behavior as a doddering old man or the gods residing at the nursing home.

Fans of Riordan's earlier books will HAVE to read this one for the ending to the series. What can't Riordan do? He's already tackled the Greek gods and now the Egyptians. Hmmmm... that leaves the Viking gods, I guess.

From one librarian and reader who met Riordan early in his writing career just before the release of The Lightning Thief, I couldn't be happier for his success! He continues to bring entertaining stories, imaginative characters, intriguing plots, and biting wit to nearly forgotten myths.

The entertainment value of The Kane Chronicles is huge--many readers, including me, are not as familiar with the Egyptian gods as we are with the Greek gods. I had a great time reading the novels and learning about the Egyptian myths.

Highly, highly recommended grades 5 and up and for Rick Riordan's fans! You must read books 1 and 2 to have any idea of what is happening in the series. If you're a parent or grandparent and haven't heard of these books, grab the set for your sons, daughters, or grandkids. The books are hugely entertaining and will help develop better and more interested readers.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I purchased this book for my library. I did not received monetary compensation for this review.

YA Pick

The Red Pyramid ( Kane Chronicles, Book One)

by Rick Riordan.

Disney, Hyperion Books, 2010.

516 pages.

Following on the heels of tremendous success with the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, Rick Riordan takes on the Egyptian gods. Not quite as fun or popular as their Greek counterparts, the gods from Egypt are darker and meaner. They may become as popular as the Greeks in the capable hands of storyteller Riordan.

The Red Pyramid is a fun, non-stop adventure with tongue-in-cheek humor and puns. Riordan makes fun of many of the foreign sounding names, like Djehuti, whom the main character, Carter, pronounces "Ja-hooty." Titles of chapters are also part of the joke. Chapter 35, for instance, is titled "Men Ask For Directions (& Other Signs of the Apocalypse). There are funny characters like an baboon who plays basketball and wears a Lakers jersey.

Carter and Sadie Kane are siblings whose parents are Egyptologists and who the kids learn later are descended from the original Pharoh families. The Kane children have special abilities like magic and are protected by a cat named Muffin, who turns out to be the ancient goddess Bast. Other gods help Carter and Sadie along the way, too. Hey, it's not easy saving the world!

The novel itself is dedicated "to all my librarian friends, champions of books..." Riordan remembers all the book talks and reviews fellow librarians have done in the past helping his books become best-sellers. For that, he is commended!

The Red Pyramid will excite those who read the Percy Jackson series. It, too, will be several installments--probably six books--and who knows, maybe a movie???

Recommended for YA collections grades 6-h.s. If you liked The Lightning Thief and its sequels, this book is for you!