(1) 4-6 In this prequel, wisecracking djinni Bartimaeus is bound to one of King Solomon's evil magicians. Meanwhile, Asmira, trusted guard to the queen of Sheba, is sent to Jerusalem to assassinate Solomon. Stroud has crafted a worthy companion to the Bartimaeus trilogy, keeping what worked (snarky first-person voice, labyrinthine plotting) but adding enough new elements to keep the story inventive and satisfying.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2010

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Aurélia Fronty. King Solomon settles a land dispute by recounting a folktale from both Arab and Jewish traditions. Two brothers from nearby villages equally share their best harvest. Each then tries to secretly give the other a gift of more grain; where they meet on their generous mission becomes Jerusalem. The peaceful, loving tale is accompanied by folk art–like paintings evocative of the Middle Eastern setting.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt