The Secret of the Scarab Beetle

Gr 4–6—When mild-mannered sixth grader Horace J. Edwards moves to the sleepy town of Niles, MI, his life takes an unexpected turn. A death occurs in the family, and mysterious things start to happen. Grandmother, who suffers from dementia, begs Horace to find the key, open the secret door, and help the boy, but Horace doesn't know what she's talking about. Then, a gift of a scarab beetle proves to be more than a trinket. Horace finds himself transported back to ancient Egypt, where he discovers the future King Tut in trouble. The story line does a nice job of introducing fascinating Egyptian tidbits with a modern twist. Readers interested in ancient Egypt and adventure will enjoy the juxtaposition between current life and ancient times. The mystery is not a complex maze of clues but a fun coming-of-age adventure.