Daughters of the Lamp
Daughters of the Lamp, Book 1
Fantasy Fiction / Egypt / Ages 8-12
Penguin
February 20, 2024
353
"Percy Jackson meets Arabian fairy tales in this stunning middle grade fantasy debut about a girl who becomes the guardian of Ali Baba’s legendary treasure. Believe in fairy tales. Sahara Rashad lives by logic. Loves science. And always has a plan. Except her dad just whisked her away to her uncle’s wedding in Egypt, upending every single plan she had for the summer. In Cairo, Sahara’s days are filled with family—and mystery. First, Sahara’s cousins claim the pretentious bride-to-be is actually a witch. Then her late mother’s necklace starts glowing—and disappears. Sahara’s attempts to recover the necklace lead her to the greatest mystery yet. Deep in an underground chamber lies Ali Baba’s magical treasure. Hidden from a line of sorcerers who threatened to use its powers for evil, the treasure was given to Sahara’s ancestor Morgana for safekeeping and passed down from mother to daughter for generations. Now only Sahara stands in the sorcerers’ way. Can the girl who’s never believed in magic trust the unknown and claim her legacy as the treasure’s keeper?" Publisher
“A goal without a plan is just a wish” is Sahara Rashad’s daily motto. Sahara (whose name means desert in Arabic) is the main character in this exciting novel. She is a first-generation Egyptian American living in Queens, NY with her Egyptian-born engineer father and his sister Amitu. Like her father, Sahara is science-oriented. She believes life is governed by logic and reason and has little patience for the mystical or supernatural. She scoffs when a palm reader at the local fair tells her, “Your fate line runs deep child ….You must trust what you cannot see” (11). In the novel’s second chapter, we meet Morgana, Sahara’s Egyptian ancestor from the 10th century. A servant to magician Ali Baba of Bagdad, Morgana must protect Ali’s magical objects from evil forces who would use the treasures for ill. The objects include: a genie’s lamp, a flying carpet, a magic apple, and a spyglass. In alternating chapters, readers follow mysterious plots that envelop Sahara and Morgana until their lives intersect.
In addition to magic, belonging and home are important themes in the novel. Sahara’s social life revolves around her friends in Queens and the typical activities they enjoy. She is desperate to travel to upstate New York to enjoy the amusement park her friends attend annually. She chaffs when her father tells her, “ Young Egyptian girls don’t spend summers in the woods away from their families” (7). Sahara doesn’t see herself as Egyptian. Like many children of immigrant parents, the U.S. is home. When father suddenly announces that he and Sahara are going to Cairo for a family wedding, Sahara is distraught and angry. Her feelings slowly change after she arrives at her grandmother’s home in Shobra (a district in Cairo) and meets her cousins Naima and Ahmed (aka Fanta). Later in the novel, an apparition of her late mother tells Sahara, “If you can hold [America] and [Egypt] in your heart you will be as wondrous as the desert I named you after” (p. 308).
The novel also heralds the power of women. Female characters, some wicked, most wonderful are the primary agents of change. Males are not ignored. Sahara and cousin Naima include Ahmed in their efforts to protect the family and challenge nefarious forces, The author’s message is clear, i.e. Including men in the sorority of women protectors is important and necessary. Another message is in Sahara’s name. The vast Sahara which stretches across North Africa, evokes perseverance and resilience (p.115). Young Sahara exhibits similar characteristics – attributes that contribute to her success in defeating the messengers of evil.
Egyptian-American author Nedda Lewers provides a treasure trove of Egyptian culture in this novel. It speaks to me personally with many relatable references. The description of Uncle Omar’s wedding and the preparation rituals for such an event were spot on. The neighborhood in Cairo “Shobra” where Sahara’s Egyptian family lived is where my grandmother and mother lived and grew up. Reading the book, I was transported back to my youth visiting my grandmother’s home and playing in the street, on the balcony, and on the landing outside of her apartment. The basket with a rope mentioned in the novel was lowered from the balcony to transport fruits and vegetables bought from street vendors. That is exactly what my grandmother did, and I helped too. I had to laugh when the author wrote that Sahara’s cousin uses the nickname “Fanta” to distinguish himself from all the other boys named Ahmed in his school (p.58). So true! Ahmed is such a common name for boys in Egypt. And finally, the author’s description of “Sittu’s” apartment matched my grandmother’s apartment – it brought tears to my eyes… many happy memories. In addition, throughout the novel, respect for the wisdom of elders is highly valued and encouraged – an important message for today’s youth growing up either in America or Egypt.
I hope this novel gets translated into Arabic, reaching a wider audience and disseminating its messages.
Heba F. El-Shazli, Ph.D.
George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government
Review Editor: Brenda Randolph, Africa Access
Published in Africa Access Review (February 14, 2025)
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