Gr 5-8 Elaborating on the ominous revelation that caps The Red Pyramid (Hyperion, 2010), this planned trilogy's middle episode sends dual narrators Carter and Sadie Kane from their newly established school for sorcerers in Brooklyn to the underworld realm of the Duat, leaving massive trails of destruction on their way to a first face-off with Apophis, snake god of Chaos. Given just five days to find the retired god Ra—god of order, or ma'at—before Apophis escapes millennia of confinement and destroys the universe, the squabbling sibs also have their own growing magical abilities to explore; hostile factions of both human wizards and Egyptian gods to battle; monsters to face; temptations to overcome; infatuations to work through; rescues to make; and, of course, plenty of digs, wisecracks, fashion notes, and teen chatter to deliver. Fortunately they have some sturdy allies—notably Bes, the god of little people and memorable for more than just his Speedo with "Dwarf Pride" written on the butt that is his battle costume. Despite helpful lists of Egyptian deities and terms at the back, readers unfamiliar with the opener may have trouble at the beginning keeping up with both the continuing plotlines and the teeming cast, but Riordan kickstarts the action, never lets up on the gas, balances laughs and losses with a sure hand, and expertly sets up the coming climactic struggle without (thankfully) ending on a cliff-hanger. It's a grand ride so far, showing nary a sign of slowing down.— John Peters, formerly at New York Public Library

Readers of The Red Pyramid (2010) will not be unduly surprised that the magical powers of Carter and Sadie are growing or that they have the purest motives for breaking into the Brooklyn Museum to steal a three-ton Egyptian artifact or that battling griffins and plague spirits wreaks a certain amount of havoc. Still, with only five days left before the spring equinox, when an evil magician will let the Egyptian serpent god, Apophis (think chaos), loose in the world again, it's time for action. As in his earlier novels for children, Riordan combines hard-hitting action scenes, powerful magic, and comic relief with the internal waves of love, jealousy, and self-doubt that make his young heroes so very human. The book concludes with glossaries of Egyptian commands and terms as well as gods and goddesses, but even readers who lose track of the details will enjoy the high-energy story as it races toward a conclusion. Lit by flashes of humor, this fantasy adventure is an engaging addition to the Kane Chronicles series.

In five dark, eminently discussable stories, unrepentant characters get well-deserved comeuppances, and even the relatively innocent protagonist of "Curious" is doomed by his defining attribute. Avi recounts the bizarre events in the quiet, well-honed voice of a campfire storyteller who knows his audience. Offbeat characters, brief but vivid descriptions, and unexpected plot twists all recommend these tales for reading aloud or alone.