Treasure Hunters: Danger Down the Nile

The young siblings are in constant peril: Their treasure-hunting rival has "heavily armed thugs" working for him, their hotel room is ransacked and another spy shoots open the door to the room in which they're meeting a friend, and they're chased by pirates with AK-47s. They also are attacked by sharks, a hippo, and warthogs; Bick almost loses a foot to trench foot; and he recalls a historical hanging. But this is all a far-fetched adventure, coupled with comics-like illustrations, so it's hard to take the danger too seriously.

Tommy flirts with a number of girls, including a girl who's often wearing a bikini.

Adults are drawn drinking champagne, and the kids' nemesis, Collier, is shown smoking a cigar.

Parents need to know that Danger Down the Nile is the sequel to Treasure Hunters by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein. Due to the gun content, we recommend this for kids age 9 to 12, rather than the publisher's recommendation of 8 to 12. Even though the tone is lighthearted and hard to take seriously, the young siblings are in constant peril: Their treasure-hunting rival has "heavily armed thugs" working for him, their hotel room is ransacked and another spy shoots open the door to the room in which they're meeting a friend, and they're chased by pirates with AK-47s. They also are attacked by sharks, a hippo, and warthogs; Bick almost loses a foot to trench foot; and he recalls a historical hanging. Adults are drawn drinking champagne, and the kids' nemesis, Collier, is shown smoking a cigar. But this book has sweet messages: These siblings don't always get along, but they're always loyal to one another. Even bickering twins Bick and Beck always make up quickly, and there's a message about their parents being the "real treasures" they're looking for. Juliana Neufeld's comic book-style illustrations and a plot full of peril will keep even reluctant readers turning the pages.