The Akhenaten Adventure

2004 ~ Book 1 in the Children of the Lamp series

Meet John and Philippa Gaunt, 12-year-old twins who one day discover themselves to be descended from a long line of djinn. All of a sudden, they have the power to grant wishes, travel to extraordinary places (and not necessarily on public transportation), and make people and objects disappear.

Luckily (and luck does have something to do with it), the twins are introduced to their eccentric djinn-uncle Nimrod, who will teach them how to harness their newly found power. And not a moment too soon! Because John and Philippa are about to embark on a search to locate a monstrous-looking (but supposed to be dead) pharaoh named Akhenaten, and his tomb, which may be holding 70 lost djinn.

Will the twins be strong and skilled and clever enough to outwit Iblis, the most evil djinn in the universe and live to see another day—another city—another adventure?

ages 8 and up

Critical Praise

"British thriller-writer Kerr puts an ingenious spin on the enchanted-lamp theme in his first novel for children, in which 12-year-old twins John and Philippa discover that they come from a preeminent family of djinn... Casting kids in roles of real magic and power is a time-tested premise, and this variation gains extra appeal from its sources in a refreshingly different tradition..." ~ Booklist

"A breakneck paced, Indiana Jones-style adventure... Kerr keeps the emphasis on fun, making this the first in a series worth watching." ~ Publishers Weekly