
Aliya to the Infinite City
by Laila Rifaat
Interest age: 9 to 11
Reading age: 9+
Published by Chicken House, 2024
About this book
Since the death of her parents, Aliyah has lived in Cairo with Geddo, her grandfather. Geddo used to be normal; falling asleep in front of the TV and losing his glasses. But lately he has seemed worried and overprotective.
Then Aliya’s world turns upside down. Geddo is taken away and she finds herself transported to the Infinitum – an ever-expanding parallel universe that makes time travel possible. Enrolled as a student in the Infinite City, Aliyah is expected to hone her skills as a time-traveller and discover her own particular talent.
But there are dark forces afoot and friends may not be what they seem. Is the chance to change the past and save her parents a gift? Or are the consequences of meddling with time too grave to contemplate?
Featuring flying carpets, sphynxes, invisibility cream, knowledge turbans and a genie who has been trapped in a cookie tin for 152 years, this exciting adventure story also includes snippets of the rich history of Egypt.
Including interesting moral dilemmas and embracing diversity, this is a powerful reading experience introducing a vivid and intriguing fantasy world – one where magic is corrupted and the impossible is powered by science.
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