FROM THE PUBLISHER

John and Philippa Gaunt, twelve-year-old twins who have recently discovered themselves to be descended from a long line of djinn and in possession of magical powers, continue on their extraordinary adventures in this sequel to THE AKHENATEN ADVENTURE. When a powerful book of djinn magic goes missing, John and Philippa are called upon to retrieve it. Only, the book isn't really missing. The trap was set and Philippa is abducted by the Blue Djinn. In this latest installment of the twins' magical adventures, John and his uncle Nimrod must find Philippa before it's too late.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

The sequel to the bestselling debut in the Children of the Lamp series, The Akhenaten Adventure (which puts "an entertaining spin on the genie-in-a-lantern mythos," according to PW) takes 12-year-old twins John and Philippa Gaunt, who discovered in the first book that they are descendents of a long line of djinni, from New York to Istanbul in The Blue Djinn of Babylon. Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

VOYA - Catherine Gilmore-Clough

In Kerr's second entry in the Children of the Lamp series, the Gaunt twins, Philippa and John, finally get an introduction to the world of the djinn culture and society that their mother rejected to live a normal life with her human husband. Much to their dismay, they find many of the other djinn to be disagreeable, if not downright wicked. The twins' intelligence, innocence, and desire to help others make them a target for jealousy, and schemes abound to get rid of them-permanently, if possible. Philippa is spirited away to a hidden castle where she will become the next Blue Djinn, the judge of all the djinn tribes, good and evil. Unfortunately being an all-powerful leader means becoming completely heartless, and Philippa must fight the forces trying to transform her into an emotionless creature of logic, even while John struggles to locate her and come to her rescue. Although a stronger overall effort than The Akhenaten Adventure (Orchard, 2004/VOYA April 2004), this sequel is plot- rather than character-driven, and some readers might wish for a little more character development. The story gets off to a slow start, but the humor is just right, the captivating world of the djinn is faultlessly depicted and expanded, and Kerr balances the resolution with enough uncertainties to draw readers back for the next installment. This work is likely to win new fans as well as please those who enjoyed the previous book. VOYA CODES: 3Q 4P M J (Readable without serious defects; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2006, Orchard, 371p., Ages 11 to 15.

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-This sequel to The Akhenaten Adventure (Scholastic, 2005) stands completely on its own. John and Philippa Gaunt, 12-year-old twins, are descended from a long line of djinn and have magical powers. Philippa has been practicing a dice game of particular interest to their kind, and meets the Blue Djinn of Babylon when she is accused of cheating in the annual tournament. Unfortunately, she is wrongly convicted, and John finds out that someone has stolen the Solomon Grimoire, which contains incantations that give the user limitless power over all djinn. In order to convince the Blue Djinn of her innocence, and to protect everyone from misuse of the Grimoire, the twins set off for Istanbul to recover the book. What neither one knows is that they have been set up and are walking into a trap. Once it is sprung, it will take all of John's strength and intelligence to save Philippa; and she will need all of her cunning to survive. This wild ride has suspense and action, exotic locations, magic, and evil villains-all of the elements necessary for a good fantasy adventure. While some of the characters are two-dimensional, and some of the plot is a tad predictable, the main characters are totally believable in all their faults. Readers will also enjoy the original concept-that of the djinn society hidden among us. Give this book to readers looking for something different, maybe as an alternative to Jonathan Stroud's "Bartimaeus" trilogy (Hyperion).-Saleena L. Davidson, South Brunswick Public Library, Monmouth Junction, NJ Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

After their dangerous adventures in The Akhenaten Adventure (2004), djinn twins John and Philippa have promised their mother not to use their djinn powers without her permission. It's not so bad for Philippa, who can exercise her djinntellect playing Djinnverso (a dice game played without magic), but it's more difficult for John, who is being bullied at school. When Philippa is framed as a cheater at the Djinnverso Tournament, the twins are pulled into what appears to be a plot to rule the world. Alas, it's a double-cross. When the twins try to help, Philippa is kidnapped by the amoral, merciless arbiter of justice, the Blue Djinn of Babylon. The Blue Djinn wants an heir and intends to make Philippa heartless like herself. John and Philippa's adventures as they defeat the Blue Djinn are an odd combination of intrigue and overly goofy humor. Solidly entertaining despite jokes that try a little too hard. (Fantasy. 10-12)