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Secrets of the Dragon Tomb: Book 1
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Secrets of the Dragon Tomb is a fast-paced, high-spirited steampunk adventure, set on a fantastical version of the planet Mars. The level of violence is low, limited mostly to fistfights, sword fights without much bloodshed, and tussles with mechanical weapons such as the "hunter tripods."
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What's the story?
Twelve-year-old Edward Sullivan is used to looking after the other members of his eccentric family, so he's particularly distraught when his inventor father, ex-socialite mother, and vain older sister are kidnapped by villainous archaeologist Sir Titus Dane. Dane wants Mr. Sullivan to rebuild his number-crunching "water abacus" and solve the puzzle of a map that will lead to the last treasure-filled dragon tomb. It's up to Edward, two of his sisters, and their mysterious cousin Freddie to race across the Martian desert and stop Sir Titus by any means necessary before he kills his captives.
Is it any good?
Mars has fascinated writers from H.G. Wells and Ray Bradbury to Edgar Rice Burroughs, and this fast, funny, and fantastical steampunk romp finds new life on the Red Planet. Author Peter Samphire uses some of the trappings of old-fashioned science fiction to power his plot, but the narrative is anything but musty, dashing from one hair-raising incident to another with verve and wit.
Jeremy Holmes' black-and-white illustrations add an extra dollop of good-natured wackiness. SECRETS OF THE DRAGON TOMB will capture the imaginations of middle-grade readers eager for a sci-fi series that feels both unique and familiar.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about humankind's fascination with the planet Mars. How has it been depicted in books, movies, and comics?
Why do readers enjoy steampunk stories? What can stories set in Victorian times or earlier tell us about the present day?
Why might someone pretend that he isn't as smart as he truly is? Is it easy to underestimate people based on their behavior?
Book details
- Author: Patrick Samphire
- Illustrator: Jeremy Holmes
- Genre: Science Fiction
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures, Brothers and Sisters, Robots, Space and Aliens
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Henry Holt & Company, Inc.
- Publication date: January 12, 2016
- Number of pages: 336
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, Kindle
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.