Rosie Raja: Mission to Cairo

Sufiya Ahmed has delighted us with another thrill-seeking spy adventure, Rosie Raja: Mission to Cairo. This story is filled with adventure, culture and history. It enables the reader to read about war in a different way - through the eyes of a child spy.

When Rosie and her Papa return from occupied France and are congratulated by the Prime Minister for a successful mission, they find themselves soon being sent out into the field again. The mission requires Rosie and her Papa to travel to Egypt, where the Nazis are planning to invade in order to take control of the Suez Canal. The SME have been informed that there is a double agent feeding the Nazis information about the British Army, so it is up to Rosie and her Papa to find out who the traitor is.

Rosie quickly adjusts to life in Egypt because the conditions are similar to those of her homeland, India. However, living the life of a spy can be hard and sometimes you never know who to trust. Rosie is observant and her natural ability to read people helps her to make friends and also helps her to expose enemies.

I love how this story is written; the characters are strong and the storyline has some unexpected developments. The author has also raised some poignant discussion points around historical discoveries and national identity - like the ownership of national treasures and local people's thoughts and feeling towards war and British influence within Egypt.

Children in Key Stage 2 will be captivated by this WWII story because it gives a perspective from a different part of the Empire and also highlights how war can divide opinions. This book would be a fantastic aid for history topics linked to WWII or even PSHE and RE.

256 pages / Reviewed by Hayley Summerfield, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 9+

After the success of their French mission, Rosie Raja is keen to avoid being sent to boarding school by her dad. However, a new mission to Cairo with her father posing as an Egyptologist sees Rosie back in action on the trail of a British traitor. But with the stakes higher than ever, everyone seems to be harbouring secrets, making their mission to Cairo full of peril.

In Rosie Raja: Mission to Cairo, Rosie once again shows herself to be a determined and resourceful heroine as she navigates the dangers of this mission. Her observant, reflective nature allows the reader to appreciate many of the social and cultural details of the period. As well as being an exciting - and different - WWII story, the plot raises moral questions around the 'ownership' of archaeological treasures, like the Rosetta Stone, offering plenty of food for thought.

The author's note draws attention to certain liberties which have been taken with history for the story, something I wish happened more in historical fiction. This ensures children, whilst thoroughly enjoying the story, understand the framework used to create it and potentially encourages them to discover more about the setting and period in the narrative.

The plot builds to an exciting conclusion, with tension mounting as (being very careful with what I say so as not to spoil it for those who haven't read it yet!) the traitor is exposed. I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure and look forward to finding out where Rosie's next mission takes her!

256 pages / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 9+