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Secrets of a Sun King
by Emma Carroll
In 1922 a parcel arrives from Egypt for Lil's grandfather, and returning it means unpicking a story hidden for three thousand years.
A story about children and families, adventurous and spooky in tone. We would put it with children of 9–12, and at a reading age of about 10 for reading alone.
Worth knowing before you buy
- Serious illness
- Mild peril
None of this makes it a bad book — often the opposite. It is here so you can decide whether it is right for your child now or in a year or two.
Our take on this book
In 1922, as the world thrills to the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb, a parcel arrives from Egypt for Lilian Kaye's grandfather that seems to make him gravely ill — and returning it to where it belongs means Lil and her friends unravelling a story that has been hidden for three thousand years. Emma Carroll, often called the queen of historical fiction for children, braids a present-day mystery together with an ancient Egyptian tale, so the reader learns the real history through a genuinely gripping adventure. There is a strand of serious illness and some mild peril and a whiff of a curse, giving it just enough of a shiver without ever becoming frightening. For a nine- to twelve-year-old fascinated by ancient Egypt, it is a wonderfully atmospheric read that makes the period live, with a resourceful heroine and a satisfying, cleverly constructed plot that ties its two timelines together beautifully.
If they like this, try these
Chosen by matching age, reading age, tone and subject — not by what is selling.
A Pinch of MagicMichelle Harrison
Frost Hollow HallEmma Carroll
Letters from the LighthouseEmma Carroll
Sky ChasersEmma Carroll
The Wolves of Willoughby ChaseJoan Aiken
Or let them write their own.
Nothing gets a child reading like a story they invented themselves. Your child plans the characters and the plot, and we write, illustrate and print it as a real book with their name on the cover as the author.
Find another book
Tell us the age, the reading age and what they like, and we will suggest a handful.