The Red Pyramid: The Kane Chronicles, Book 1
by Rick Riordan
Fantasy, Mythology, Young-Adult, Middle-Grade, Fiction, Adventure
Since his mother’s death six years ago, Carter Kane has been living out of a suitcase, traveling the globe with his father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane. But while Carter’s been homeschooled, his younger sister, Sadie, has been living with their grandparents in London. Sadie has just what Carter wants—school friends and a chance at a “normal” life. But Carter has just what Sadie longs for—time with their father. After six years of living apart, the siblings have almost nothing in common. Until now. On Christmas Eve, Sadie and Carter are reunited when their father brings them to the British Museum, with a promise that he’s going to “make things right.” But all does not go according to plan: Carter and Sadie watch as Julius summons a mysterious figure, who quickly banishes their father and causes a fiery explosion. Soon Carter and Sadie discover that the gods of Ancient Egypt are waking, and the worst of them—Set—has a frightening scheme. To save their father, they must embark on a dangerous journey—a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family and its links to the House of Life, a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.
Recommendations from Common Sense Media
Age Recommendation: 10+
What Parents Need to Know:
Parents need to know that this series is by Rick Riordan, author of the hugely popular Percy Jackson series. While Percy cavorted with Greek gods and half-gods, brother and sister Carter and Sadie come face to face with ancient Egyptian gods, magicians, and god-monsters. There are plenty of battle scenes against gods and monsters that feel very much like fantasy, with a bit of bloodshed, and some scenes in a bleak afterlife. At the beginning of the book Carter and Sadie, who lost their mother a few years before, deal with the disappearance of their father, whom they fear will never return. Carter and Sadie, despite their differences (raised different places, and Carter looks more like his black father while Sadie looks like their white mother), are constantly looking out for each other as they deal with some harsh realities about Egyptian history and their place in it. The audiobook version is read by Kevin R. Free and Katherine Kellgren.
Educational Value: 4/5
A near-constant barage of ancient Egyptian history that can either be glossed over to get to the action or researched further. Stories of numerous gods, of the House of Life, the pyramids, their view of the afterlife (why the Egyptians prefer to live on the East side of the river, for example) — it’s all here. There’s lots of vocab to take in: ba, Duat, Ma’at, etc. (A glossary would have been helpful but wasn’t included.) There are also trips to the British Museum, Cairo, the Washington Monument, and the American Southwest with accurate facts to go with them.
Positive Messages: 3/5
Standing on your own — growing up and into your abilities is a big theme. As is accepting loss. Late in the book characters realize that they don’t want to repeat the cycles of violence that the Egyptian gods have been replaying for centuries; violence and revenge begets more violence and revenge.
Positive Role Models: 4/5
Carter and Sadie are half-black, half-white; Carter looks more like his black father and Sadie like her white mother. Both are raised apart (Sadie in the U.K. with her grandparents, and Carter on the road with his dad). While their differences in appearance and upbringing could come between them they are both very protective of each other, especially in life-threatening situations. Carter and Sadie’s parents’ motivations for their sudden absences are difficult for them to understand, but they made many sacrifies to pave the way for their children’s safety and their futures; eventually Carter and Sadie begin to understand this.
Violence & Scariness: 3/5
Egyptian gods, monsters, and magicians battle fiercely with wands, swords, etc., with some bloodshed. Sad disappearance of a parent and a guardian, with repeated mention of the disappearance of another parent. Grisly descriptions of monsters out for blood and demons with tools for faces or no skin. There are some scenes in a bleak afterlife with a trip to the place where souls are judged.
Sex, Romance & Nudity: 1/5
Mild flirtations.
Language: n/a
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Products & Purchases: 2/5
Plenty of quick mentions of products, some multiple times like Coke, Cheerios, and Friskies (enjoyed by the cat goddess). Plus, Lexus, Doritos, the Lakers, Twix, Skittles, Oreos, and Mountain Dew.
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking: n/a
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