Ulysses Moore #2: The Long-Lost Map by Ulysses Moore

An action-packed series full of mysteries, puzzles, and codes that will keep kids turning the pages. The books' striking cover art and unique packaging is sure to appeal to boys and girls alike. Jason, Julia, and Rick have discovered one of the secrets of Argo Manor -- the Door to Time. Now the door has transported them to Ancient Egypt, a mysterious land of labyrinths, riddles, and secrets. But when they are accidentally separated, Julia ends up at Argo Manor again -- and she can't get back to Egypt, or the boys. Now Jason and Rick have to find the long-lost map of Kilmore Cove, hidden somewhere in the past. But where? And with the wicked Oblivia Newton and her servant, Manfred, on their trail, the stakes are higher than ever. . . . Editorial Reviews From School Library Journal Grade 4-7-Eleven-year-old twins Jason and Julia and their friend Rick are caught up in an adventure in space and time in this second volume in the series. Back home at Argo Manor, Julia and the aged butler, Nestor, confront a thug in the employ of the nefarious Oblivia Newton while the boys, stuck in ancient Egypt, try to follow the clues to a long-lost map in order to return home. With the help of Maruk, the daughter of Egypt's high priest, and Mammon (also known as Lucifer), who runs the Shop of Long-Lost Maps, the boys race against time to find the Room That Isn't There, unaware that Ms. Newton is also on the hunt. The story seesaws between past and present, weaving together the adventures of Julia, the boys, and Ms. Newton. Baccalario's pages are so full of action and his pace is so breathless that readers may not realize, until the boys themselves do at book's end, that the map's importance is still unexplained. Clever street urchins, a pet crocodile, an ancient ballad, and the allegedly dead Ulysses Moore, the manor's previous occupant, all figure into the excitement. Paced like a Hollywood thriller-Indiana Jones from a kid's-eye view-The Long-Lost Map sacrifices character development and literary verve for nonstop excitement, which it provides in spades. Recommend this one to those students who have worn out their copies of Lemony Snicket's books and Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black's Spiderwick Chronicles (S & S).-Coop Renner, Hillside Elementary, El Paso, TX Copyright ® Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Booklist Gr. 4-6. The follow-up to the time-travel story Door to Time (2005), in the Ulysses Moore series, starts out with a bang: Jason and Rick find themselves in ancient Egypt, while Julia, magically locked out of their adventure, is back home at Argo Manor in Cornwall. Soon allied with an Egyptian girl, Jason and Rick follow clues and try to elude the nefarious Oblivia Newton. Meanwhile, back at the manor, Julia and Argo Manor's caretaker, Nestor, fend off Oblivia's loathsome henchman. The story ping-pongs between settings until the characters are reunited near the book's end. The last chapter points toward the next volume in the series. The characters are clearly delineated, but adventure is prime here. The illustrations (including handsome pencil drawings) at the beginnings of chapters have a three-dimensional quality in keeping with the book's pretense that readers are looking at the recovered manuscripts of the mysterious Ulysses Moore. Carolyn Phelan Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Review Kirkus The Bad Guys come on strong in this sequel to The Door to Time (Jan. 2006), as young Jason and Rick race malign adult rival Oblivia Newton through the ancient city of Punt to solve clues leading to a mysterious map hidden in a labyrinthine library. Meanwhile, back in the present, Jason's twin, Julia, and the enigmatic old caretaker Nestor are attacked by Oblivia's vicious henchman Manfred under cover of a wild storm. As before, the focus is more on keeping the plot rolling than on attending to logic or historical detail, but along with the evocative assemblages of cryptic documents and drawings heading each chapter, there's enough atmosphere, action, suspense, as-yet-unsolved mysteries and sharp-tongued repartee to carry the tale over rough spots. By the end, Oblivia's on the verge of total triumph; let's hope for better news in the next episode. (Fantasy. 10-12) Booklist Baccalario, Pierdomenico. The Long-Lost Map. Tr. by Leah Janeczko. July 2006. 272p. illus. Scholastic, $12.99 (0-439-77439-X). Gr. 4?6. The follow-up to the time-travel story Door to Time (2005), in the Ulysses Moore series, starts out with a bang: Jason and Rick find themselves in ancient Egypt, while Julia, magically locked out of their adventure, is back home at Argo Manor in Cornwall. Soon allied with an Egyptian girl, Jason and Rick follow clues and try to elude the nefarious Oblivia Newton. Meanwhile, back at the manor, Julia and Argo Manor's caretaker, Nestor, fend off Oblivia's loathsome henchman. The story ping-pongs between settings until the characters are reunited near the book's end. The last chapter points toward the next volume in the series. The characters are clearly delineated, but adventure is prime here. The illustrations (including handsome pencil drawings) at the beginnings of chapters have a three-dimensional quality in keeping with the book's pretense that readers are looking at the recovered manuscripts of the mysterious Ulysses Moore. ?Carolyn Phelan