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Shadows of the Past #4
The Shadow of the Pyramid
Maximus Lancelot the Tonkinese cat is terrified of Egyptian mummies, so he’s a bag of nerves when he travels back in time to ancient Egypt with his owners, twins Jemima and Joe, and their best friend Charlie.
As they continue their search for the twins’ missing parents who are trapped somewhere in the past, the young time-travellers arrive at the court of Tutankhamun where they uncover a plot to assassinate the young Pharaoh. Danger lurks around every corner…
As they continue their search for the twins’ missing parents who are trapped somewhere in the past, the young time-travellers arrive at the court of Tutankhamun where they uncover a plot to assassinate the young Pharaoh. Danger lurks around every corner…
Paperback
First published January 23, 2013
About the author
Wendy Leighton-Porter
24 books469 followersFacebook:www.facebook.com/pages/Wendy-Leighton...
After spending 20 years as a teacher of French, Latin and Classical studies, Wendy's career took a new direction when she turned her hand to writing Middle Grade fiction.
"The Shadow of Atlantis" is the first in a series of time-travel adventures, featuring 3 children and a remarkable feline hero, Maximus Lancelot. She has recently completed the 18th book, "The Shadow of the Sifting Sands".
As she takes her young readers on a magical mystery tour through the past, she's hoping that her love of history, myth and legend will rub off on them too.
After spending 20 years as a teacher of French, Latin and Classical studies, Wendy's career took a new direction when she turned her hand to writing Middle Grade fiction.
"The Shadow of Atlantis" is the first in a series of time-travel adventures, featuring 3 children and a remarkable feline hero, Maximus Lancelot. She has recently completed the 18th book, "The Shadow of the Sifting Sands".
As she takes her young readers on a magical mystery tour through the past, she's hoping that her love of history, myth and legend will rub off on them too.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 10, 2020
What a delight! My favorite ancient world: Egypt and my favorite historical personages: King Tut and Ankhesenamun! Add to that an exciting plot to save King Tut, talking cats (that's right, plural cats), and the intrepid twins Jemima and Joe and their friend Charlie. Once again the author draws her readers in and puts them down in the midst of intrigue and adventure, right in the middle of a plot to murder King Tut! Their determination to try and protect Tut puts them in danger from the start. When informed that their appearance must change in order to fit in, they agree until told what has to happen. I laughed out loud at this! And don't forget Max. His part in helping to save King Tut also introduces him to a (maybe) future love interest?
Author Leighton-Porter also adds a human side to Tut and Ankhesenamun that is often overlooked in history. She portrays the two as they must have been in life: a young couple in love trying to navigate the challenges and dangers of their time. And entwined into the plot is the information that the twins' parents had been here before them.
Once again it is evident that the author has done extensive research on her setting and historical characters. An interesting part of each of her stories is at the end when the kids amaze their uncle with their knowledge of ancient history, being as he is an historian. I love this and can't wait to see when he finds out how the kids have actually learned about each civilization!
Oh, be sure to stay tuned in to the entire story for a stupendous reveal at the end! You will be delighted and amazed by the author's ingenuity.
As always, Leighton-Porter includes a wealth of information on the time period at the end. Great for expanding the minds of young readers.
Author Leighton-Porter also adds a human side to Tut and Ankhesenamun that is often overlooked in history. She portrays the two as they must have been in life: a young couple in love trying to navigate the challenges and dangers of their time. And entwined into the plot is the information that the twins' parents had been here before them.
Once again it is evident that the author has done extensive research on her setting and historical characters. An interesting part of each of her stories is at the end when the kids amaze their uncle with their knowledge of ancient history, being as he is an historian. I love this and can't wait to see when he finds out how the kids have actually learned about each civilization!
Oh, be sure to stay tuned in to the entire story for a stupendous reveal at the end! You will be delighted and amazed by the author's ingenuity.
As always, Leighton-Porter includes a wealth of information on the time period at the end. Great for expanding the minds of young readers.
June 29, 2021
In the 4th book in this series, the time-travelling children set off on another journey, hoping to find James and Isabel Lancelot, Jemima's and Joe's missing parents. The twins’ Uncle Richard Lancelot and everyone else thought they were dead, and only the children knew their parents were trapped somewhere in the past. So, the children again went to the room on the top floor of Uncle Richard's house where he had stored their belongings. They took out the ancient book, Shadows From the Past, James Lancelot's most prized possession, from its wooden box, and the book automatically opened at the beginning of Chapter Four. The children knew they would have to solve a puzzle like they did on the three previous occasions. The title of the chapter was a strange word – RAMPIDY – but this was just an anagram and when they unjumbled the letters, the word PYRAMID glittered. Now they knew they were heading to Egypt. Ancient Egypt, the land of Tutankhamun, was not where Max, their Tonkinese cat wanted to go, but Joe and Jemima hoped they might find their parents there.
'The Shadow of the Pyramid’ (Shadows From The Past, Book 4) by Wendy Leighton-Porter will transport middle-grade readers back in time alongside Jemima, Joe, their friend Charlie, and Max. Arriving in the dark corner of a large chamber, they hear two men plotting to kill the King but not the Queen. Ankharet, the cat of Queen Ankhesenamun, finds them and takes the children to the palace with her so that they can warn the Queen about the plot. Will they be able to save the life of King Tutankhamun?
The story is intriguing, mysterious, filled with suspense, humor, and historical references, and gives middle-grade readers glimpses of the culture and history of Ancient Egypt in a fascinating and exciting way. Max is the hero of this story of course, and it is quite funny that he meets his love interest while trying to save the King. The story is also a revelation of Wendy's extensive research on the subject, and the twists and turns in the story will pull in young readers and keep them glued to the pages till the very end. Historical adventures are not always easy to tackle but Wendy does it with expertise. There is not one boring moment in the plot, and the vivid narration and details will transport young readers back in time along with the twins, Charlie, and Max, and educate them about the civilization that existed in Ancient Egypt, just like the previous three books where they learn about the other three ancient civilizations. This book did definitely bring back nostalgic memories of my trip to Egypt!
'The Shadow of the Pyramid’ (Shadows From The Past, Book 4) by Wendy Leighton-Porter will transport middle-grade readers back in time alongside Jemima, Joe, their friend Charlie, and Max. Arriving in the dark corner of a large chamber, they hear two men plotting to kill the King but not the Queen. Ankharet, the cat of Queen Ankhesenamun, finds them and takes the children to the palace with her so that they can warn the Queen about the plot. Will they be able to save the life of King Tutankhamun?
The story is intriguing, mysterious, filled with suspense, humor, and historical references, and gives middle-grade readers glimpses of the culture and history of Ancient Egypt in a fascinating and exciting way. Max is the hero of this story of course, and it is quite funny that he meets his love interest while trying to save the King. The story is also a revelation of Wendy's extensive research on the subject, and the twists and turns in the story will pull in young readers and keep them glued to the pages till the very end. Historical adventures are not always easy to tackle but Wendy does it with expertise. There is not one boring moment in the plot, and the vivid narration and details will transport young readers back in time along with the twins, Charlie, and Max, and educate them about the civilization that existed in Ancient Egypt, just like the previous three books where they learn about the other three ancient civilizations. This book did definitely bring back nostalgic memories of my trip to Egypt!
March 20, 2014
Jemima, Joe, their talking Tonkinese cat Max, and their best friend Charlie are off on their adventures again, searching for Jemima and Joe’s parents (somehow trapped in the past) and this time they are headed for ancient Egypt. Using their magical book, the poem containing clues, and Jemima’s necklace with the key, the kids and Max are transported back in time, arriving in the middle of an assassination plot to murder the young king Tutankhamun. Alas, Max has a morbid fear of mummies, having glimpsed a ghastly sight of one on Joe’s XBox game and he’s not too keen on this part of their adventure. They meet Ankharet, the gorgeous cat belonging to Tut’s young wife, Ankhesenamun. Max is totally smitten, but unfortunately Ankharet (who is jealous of Max’s instant popularity) doesn’t feel quite the same way about him. As the adventure unfolds, the kids and the cats, along with Tut’s wife try to stop several attempts on the young king’s life. Max even manages to foil two attempts, displaying a kind of unintentional bravery. The king is entranced with Max and names him “Max, beloved of Amun.” What an honour! Alas, despite their best efforts, once again the kids and Max are unable to change the course of history and cannot prevent the young king’s fate, a mystery which remains to this day. The end of the book is absolutely delightful and kids will just love the twist in this tale.
Max’s fear of mummies and the like afford some absolutely hilarious moments, especially since all his apparent heroics and saving the day are by accident. Author Wendy Leighton-Porter has woven a marvellous mixture of suspense, adventure, history, geography, and culture into an intriguing tale. Using real historical figures, she captures the feel and flavour of ancient times, and puts forward some quite viable theories for exactly what might have happened to Tutankhamun. As in previous books, the kids and Max are totally immersed in history, and this tale will definitely draw eager young readers to join them in the adventure. There are some interesting facts at the end of the book which will no doubt stimulate young time travellers to go and do a bit more research. Learning history the fun way is becoming the mark of this captivating series.
Max’s fear of mummies and the like afford some absolutely hilarious moments, especially since all his apparent heroics and saving the day are by accident. Author Wendy Leighton-Porter has woven a marvellous mixture of suspense, adventure, history, geography, and culture into an intriguing tale. Using real historical figures, she captures the feel and flavour of ancient times, and puts forward some quite viable theories for exactly what might have happened to Tutankhamun. As in previous books, the kids and Max are totally immersed in history, and this tale will definitely draw eager young readers to join them in the adventure. There are some interesting facts at the end of the book which will no doubt stimulate young time travellers to go and do a bit more research. Learning history the fun way is becoming the mark of this captivating series.
January 9, 2020
The adventure continues in The Shadow of the Pyramid as I enter the fourth book of this superb series. After the spellbinding step up in book three where the characters really matured and began to deal with the gravity of their time travelling adventures and their real world consequences, I couldn’t wait to see what was in store in another of my absolute fave historical time periods: the time of the Ancient Egyptians. And author Wendy Leighton-Porter did not disappoint me one bit!
I loved how the author placed the adventure at the time of the boy kind Tutankhamun, which keeps the middle grade feel of the novel because our plucky heroes aren’t dealing with adults all the time. Although King Tut is very different to the modern day time travellers – and rightly so, and very amusingly so – as the kids are soon about to learn. The plot of assassination is dealt with in a high stakes way which is fun, but also quite serious in parts, and I think it will give young readers some real insight into the backstabbing political culture of Ancient Egypt, but from an accessible beginner’s point of view.
Also, how cute was Max all the way through this? I love his narration and presentation, giving us these unique perspectives that we’re not able to get from any other character. The moments with Max feel like the Michael Morpurgo novels of my childhood, which is a huge boon to the series and keeps it fresh and youthful, even when things are getting very serious elsewhere. I think Wendy Leighton-Porter has a real knack for balance, and this wild ride into the culture of Ancient Egypt shows an author really hitting their stride, knowing their characters inside out and confidently carrying them through vivid, engaging history.
I loved how the author placed the adventure at the time of the boy kind Tutankhamun, which keeps the middle grade feel of the novel because our plucky heroes aren’t dealing with adults all the time. Although King Tut is very different to the modern day time travellers – and rightly so, and very amusingly so – as the kids are soon about to learn. The plot of assassination is dealt with in a high stakes way which is fun, but also quite serious in parts, and I think it will give young readers some real insight into the backstabbing political culture of Ancient Egypt, but from an accessible beginner’s point of view.
Also, how cute was Max all the way through this? I love his narration and presentation, giving us these unique perspectives that we’re not able to get from any other character. The moments with Max feel like the Michael Morpurgo novels of my childhood, which is a huge boon to the series and keeps it fresh and youthful, even when things are getting very serious elsewhere. I think Wendy Leighton-Porter has a real knack for balance, and this wild ride into the culture of Ancient Egypt shows an author really hitting their stride, knowing their characters inside out and confidently carrying them through vivid, engaging history.
October 14, 2014
If you haven’t started reading the Shadows from the Past series, I really think you’re missing out. It starts with The Shadow of Atlantis, where we meet Jemima and Joe, twins who have come to live with their Uncle Richard, an archaeologist, because their parents have mysteriously disappeared. Everyone is trying to help the twins with their grieving, but the twins know better; along with Max, their superb cat, they have discovered not only a book that takes them into the past, but also that their parents were ahead of them – and lost the key to get back. Consequently, Jemima, Joe, Max and their friend Charlie are now working their way through the adventures that the book insists they take – landing them in one historical hotspot after another.
In the fourth book, as you may have guessed, they arrive in ancient Egypt – at the time of Tutankhamun. This is a very well constructed adventure, leaning heavily on Max’s abilities to act like a cat – oh, wait, he is a cat, isn’t he? Well, Max is definitely the star with all the best lines in this adventure. There are some excellent twists of the tale (or do I mean tail?) and a lovely reconstruction of a well-researched period for which there is surprisingly little evidence. Ms Leighton-Porter’s intrigue and machinations are all too believable and she may well have discovered the truth about the boy-Pharoah. Although Max was really the one who discovered the plot and almost changed history.
Full marks for a great and exciting adventure… More please!
In the fourth book, as you may have guessed, they arrive in ancient Egypt – at the time of Tutankhamun. This is a very well constructed adventure, leaning heavily on Max’s abilities to act like a cat – oh, wait, he is a cat, isn’t he? Well, Max is definitely the star with all the best lines in this adventure. There are some excellent twists of the tale (or do I mean tail?) and a lovely reconstruction of a well-researched period for which there is surprisingly little evidence. Ms Leighton-Porter’s intrigue and machinations are all too believable and she may well have discovered the truth about the boy-Pharoah. Although Max was really the one who discovered the plot and almost changed history.
Full marks for a great and exciting adventure… More please!
March 29, 2013
I received a copy of this book as part of the GoodReads FirstRead Giveaway.
Okay, I know. I am not the target audience for this book. This book was written for young people. This book is meant for new readers to about age twelve in my opinion. I still got a kick out of the book.
This book is very action filled. This would appeal to the younger reader. And a talking cat is always fun. Although this is the fourth book in series, you do not need to read the previous three. There were references to the previous books, but they did not deter from the storyline.
The book does take some liberties with history. But in fairness, we do not know the lifestory of King Tut. The bit at the end saying what was real and what was made up helps, I hope. As a history buff, I hope that this encourages kids to develop an interest in history by reading, not video games. There are a few things that were out of place. One of the Egyptians says something about his brain cells. Were they aware that the body was made of cells? Also they used the word shoes. That seemed out of place.
I do recommend this book for the younger readers.
Okay, I know. I am not the target audience for this book. This book was written for young people. This book is meant for new readers to about age twelve in my opinion. I still got a kick out of the book.
This book is very action filled. This would appeal to the younger reader. And a talking cat is always fun. Although this is the fourth book in series, you do not need to read the previous three. There were references to the previous books, but they did not deter from the storyline.
The book does take some liberties with history. But in fairness, we do not know the lifestory of King Tut. The bit at the end saying what was real and what was made up helps, I hope. As a history buff, I hope that this encourages kids to develop an interest in history by reading, not video games. There are a few things that were out of place. One of the Egyptians says something about his brain cells. Were they aware that the body was made of cells? Also they used the word shoes. That seemed out of place.
I do recommend this book for the younger readers.
October 12, 2014
Another action-packed adventure as Joe and Jemmina along with Max the cat and Charles their friend, continue their search for mom and dad. This story takes them back to Ancient Egypt in the time of Tutankhamen. Max comes face-to-face with one of his biggest fears: mummies! Join them as they also try to save the boy king. Lots of intrigue and mystery.
March 29, 2013
The reader gets drawn into the past again as the children and their Tonkinese cat search for their missing time-travelling parents. Fabulous story and yet another ingenious take on the past that is so much part of our culture! Great idea.
June 19, 2022
This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: The Shadow of the Pyramid
Author: Wendy Leighton-Porter
Star Rating: 4.5 Stars
Number of Readers: 18
Stats
Editing: 8/10
Writing Style: 8/10
Content: 7/10
Cover: 3/5
Of the 18 readers:
15 would read another book by this author.
11 thought the cover was good or excellent.
18 felt it was easy to follow.
15 would recommend this book to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 6 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 7 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
Of all the readers, 5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
14 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
15 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
“Max is sort of a cool. I think he´s the best character in the story. I liked this book a lot. It´s a fun adventure but I also got to find out about Egypt and Tutankhamen – did I spell that right? I think this is a good book for 9 – 11 year olds. It´s not difficult to follow.” Girl, aged 10
“Fun story with lots of historical facts in there too. My teacher thought this was excellent, but she is a big Egypt fan. We looked at Tutankhamun last term so everybody in the class knew who he was. I also liked that the book is often funny and made me laugh.” Girl, aged 11
“I thought this book had a lot of suspense and the author was fab at describing the Egypt setting. I did think it was a bit slow to get going, but it´s much better after they meet the pharaoh. I think I would read another book by this author if it has Max in it” Girl, aged 9
“Funny story. The time-travelling is fun, as they try to find the kids´ parents. I wonder if they ever will. That´s sort of sad. Children looking for a funny, exciting story with lots of twists in it will like this. I did guess the ending, but it was a good ending anyway.” Girl, aged 11
To Sum It Up:
‘A suspense-filled story filled with exciting twists and turns. A FINALIST and highly recommended!’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Title: The Shadow of the Pyramid
Author: Wendy Leighton-Porter
Star Rating: 4.5 Stars
Number of Readers: 18
Stats
Editing: 8/10
Writing Style: 8/10
Content: 7/10
Cover: 3/5
Of the 18 readers:
15 would read another book by this author.
11 thought the cover was good or excellent.
18 felt it was easy to follow.
15 would recommend this book to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 6 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 7 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
Of all the readers, 5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
14 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
15 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
“Max is sort of a cool. I think he´s the best character in the story. I liked this book a lot. It´s a fun adventure but I also got to find out about Egypt and Tutankhamen – did I spell that right? I think this is a good book for 9 – 11 year olds. It´s not difficult to follow.” Girl, aged 10
“Fun story with lots of historical facts in there too. My teacher thought this was excellent, but she is a big Egypt fan. We looked at Tutankhamun last term so everybody in the class knew who he was. I also liked that the book is often funny and made me laugh.” Girl, aged 11
“I thought this book had a lot of suspense and the author was fab at describing the Egypt setting. I did think it was a bit slow to get going, but it´s much better after they meet the pharaoh. I think I would read another book by this author if it has Max in it” Girl, aged 9
“Funny story. The time-travelling is fun, as they try to find the kids´ parents. I wonder if they ever will. That´s sort of sad. Children looking for a funny, exciting story with lots of twists in it will like this. I did guess the ending, but it was a good ending anyway.” Girl, aged 11
To Sum It Up:
‘A suspense-filled story filled with exciting twists and turns. A FINALIST and highly recommended!’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
February 25, 2020
This was an entertaining and fact-filled read packed with plenty of adventure. I learned a few things about ancient Egypt and would recommend it to middle-graders looking for a fast-paced story that includes a talking cat and time-traveling kids. The only thing I wanted more of was about the mystery of the missing parents! But I definitely get the sense that that suspense is carried through the rest of the series as well.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews