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The Imagination Station #7
Secret of the Prince's Tomb
"The Egyptians believe that whoever opens a tomb will be cursed!"The hot sun and sand of ancient Egypt await Patrick and Beth in their next Imagination Station adventure. The cousins are caught between a terrible ruler and a nation bound for slavery. To help their new friend Tabitha, the cousins must seek out a great secret--one that will give hope to her family and future generations. Their search takes them to an ancient burial vault and . . . a mummy! But the vault is a confusing maze, filled with traps and mysterious symbols. Will the cousins ever get out again to share a life-changing hope?
118 pages, Paperback
First published December 16, 2011
53 people are currently reading
329 people want to read
About the author
Marianne Hering
97 books39 followersMarianne Hering is a prolific writer, having written hundreds of articles and a number of books for children and parents. For nine years she worked for several magazines in Focus on the Family’s periodicals department and became the editor of Clubhouse, a Focus on the Family children’s magazine with a circulation of more than 100,000.
As a book developer for Focus on the Family, she and coauthor / creative director Paul McCusker launched the Adventures in Odyssey book series The Imagination Station in 2010. Currently the series includes 19 books, with two more contracted for 2017 release. Paul bowed out of his role in 2015 to pursue other creative avenues. The combined sales are more than 450,000.
Currently Marianne is a freelance writer taking assignments. She and her husband live in Colorado with their twin sons.
As a book developer for Focus on the Family, she and coauthor / creative director Paul McCusker launched the Adventures in Odyssey book series The Imagination Station in 2010. Currently the series includes 19 books, with two more contracted for 2017 release. Paul bowed out of his role in 2015 to pursue other creative avenues. The combined sales are more than 450,000.
Currently Marianne is a freelance writer taking assignments. She and her husband live in Colorado with their twin sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
October 9, 2024
Creative and fun.
June 11, 2012
All three of my children enjoyed this book, as they do all Imagination Station books, and they are 10, 7 and 5 years old. We traveled with Patrick and Beth to the time of the Ancient Egyptians and met up with Tabitha, a Habiru, Lateef, the Pharaoh's son and Joseph's tomb. We are shown some of the temple life that bound the Egyptians to many false gods and to a faith in the true God which eventually leads to their enduring years of slavery. Patrick and Beth so want to help the Habiru, which are also known as the Hebrews, but realize that they cannot remove Joseph's bones because Moses himself must do that - however they do what they can to restore hope to the Habiru people before they travel back to their own time.
As I said all my children enjoyed this and listened with rapt attention and even begged me to continue when I was too tired to keep reading. My husband even found himself listening along and asking questions! My only peeve with this book was what I saw as an overuse of the phrases, "she said", "he said", "she asked", etc - this may be okay for the young reader but as a mom trying to read this aloud it made for some clumsy reading when you're reading the same words for the 20th time. Overall though I recommend these books as they have a good moral lesson based on God's Word as well as piquing an interest in history without resorting to magic or spells.
As I said all my children enjoyed this and listened with rapt attention and even begged me to continue when I was too tired to keep reading. My husband even found himself listening along and asking questions! My only peeve with this book was what I saw as an overuse of the phrases, "she said", "he said", "she asked", etc - this may be okay for the young reader but as a mom trying to read this aloud it made for some clumsy reading when you're reading the same words for the 20th time. Overall though I recommend these books as they have a good moral lesson based on God's Word as well as piquing an interest in history without resorting to magic or spells.
March 30, 2013
Won as part of the Goodreads first reads program.
What on earth did I just read?
I am neither a child, nor an evangelical christian, so I am not the target audience for this book. I found the premise of the book very strange. Not the traveling through history bit, that's a pretty normal plot device for a middle-reading book. The bit where the kids hated school because they were bullied for believing in god. I went to public school, and I saw kids bullied for about every reason under the sun, but that's a new one for me. (The comparing school to slavery and then being invited to check out slavery for themselves thing was also pretty darn weird.)
Other than those bits of weirdness, though, this is a pretty typical, if mediocre, middle-reading book. It skips around a little, the scene breaks can be confusing and the transitions jolting, but the idea is to keep the action moving forward and keep kids reading. Most kids will probably like it alright, but it's unlikely to become a classic family favorite.
What on earth did I just read?
I am neither a child, nor an evangelical christian, so I am not the target audience for this book. I found the premise of the book very strange. Not the traveling through history bit, that's a pretty normal plot device for a middle-reading book. The bit where the kids hated school because they were bullied for believing in god. I went to public school, and I saw kids bullied for about every reason under the sun, but that's a new one for me. (The comparing school to slavery and then being invited to check out slavery for themselves thing was also pretty darn weird.)
Other than those bits of weirdness, though, this is a pretty typical, if mediocre, middle-reading book. It skips around a little, the scene breaks can be confusing and the transitions jolting, but the idea is to keep the action moving forward and keep kids reading. Most kids will probably like it alright, but it's unlikely to become a classic family favorite.
December 27, 2016
Sam says: I like when they went in Joseph's tomb.
Amelia says: my favorite part was when they met Tabitha
Amelia says: my favorite part was when they met Tabitha
May 30, 2018
This obviously didn't do much for me, but the kids loved it. There's a scene toward the end involving an Egyptian guard and a bucket that tickled them senseless. Not since the line in Harry Potter "Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow / turn this stupid fat rat yellow" have they laughed so hard in response to fiction.
April 14, 2021
We all enjoyed this story! It’s written in a simple style that is great for emerging readers, but we used it as a read aloud together, since we’ve been learning about Ancient Egypt in our homeschool. Now my boys can’t wait to get the rest of the series to read on their own. I loved how it tied in history as well as Christian values and faith in God.
October 4, 2019
A great clean read. The language is simple and probably more suited to a young reader than a family read aloud. A good Biblical focus and filled with historical information. A good alternative to the magic tree house series which is from an evolutionary point of view.
February 17, 2020
Short, choppy sentences with lots of dialogue. Good for independent reading but not such a great read aloud. The story was good and the lesson relevant so worth the read.
August 5, 2021
Turtle is re-reading series: great! Return to library.
October 31, 2021
Amazing book
October 11, 2022
3.5 read aloud. Fit well with our study of ancient Egypt
January 10, 2024
a homeschooler classic. Great historical fiction read aloud for early elementry kids to count for social studies, with deep biblical overtones.
GOOD FOR KIDS
GOOD FOR KIDS
September 11, 2025
A short and engaging peek into mummies and ancient Egypt for kids through a biblical lens with tie ins of Old Testament patriarchs. We've always enjoyed the Imagination Station.
September 24, 2025
A lot of cool Biblical history packed into this. fun read
September 25, 2025
Read with Addie! We loved it!!
August 2, 2012
Beth and Patrick commit the cardinal sin of every science fiction story to launch the action of this, the 7th book in the Imagination Station series. They pushed the RED BUTTON! Everyone knows you never push the red button. Anyway, the duo “lands” in ancient Egypt (finally - all good time travelers must land in Egypt at some point) and finds themselves right smack in the middle of a family feud. A great man has died and his survivors aren’t sure how to proceed, who to believe in, and how to deal with the incoming regime and their new policies.
This installment takes the series in somewhat of a different direction in the sense that, Patrick’s concerns in “real” life - in this case he feels like a persecuted slave because of homework and teasing at school - are addressed by the trip through time. Rather than travelling through time on a specific quest, there’s a direct correlation between the two time lines and the duo’s experiences in Egypt are intended as a learning experience. So, a different tact and approach to the story, but the characters are familiar and the story is still engaging.
Another quick read and enjoyable story for younger readers and fans of Magic Tree House or Secrets of Droon books who are looking for (or at least don't mind) a Christian twist.
This installment takes the series in somewhat of a different direction in the sense that, Patrick’s concerns in “real” life - in this case he feels like a persecuted slave because of homework and teasing at school - are addressed by the trip through time. Rather than travelling through time on a specific quest, there’s a direct correlation between the two time lines and the duo’s experiences in Egypt are intended as a learning experience. So, a different tact and approach to the story, but the characters are familiar and the story is still engaging.
Another quick read and enjoyable story for younger readers and fans of Magic Tree House or Secrets of Droon books who are looking for (or at least don't mind) a Christian twist.
April 28, 2016
Egypt is holding a new adventure for Patrick and Beth in this 7th Imagination Station book! I really liked the point of view on this book. Usually all the stories are based upon things that happened before and after this time period but this books placed them between Joseph and Moses time. Very interesting to see how Egypt was after Joseph died, the Hebrews were free and taken care of. Now things are starting to get scary when the kids witness some people being beaten. This will start the time of when they become slaves and before Moses comes to save them and take them out of Egypt. The kids meet Pharaoh's son and Tabitha, a young Hebrew girl. They end up in a tomb but aren't sure whose and they are really surprised once they find out.
This is a great story and very well written about this time period.
Highly recommend!
This is a great story and very well written about this time period.
Highly recommend!
August 26, 2014
When Patrick experiences bullying at school because of his beliefs, John Whittaker uses the Imagination Station to help teach Patrick and Beth a valuable lesson about the hardships they go through. I think the book provides some good talking points with your children especially if they encounter problems related to their personal faith in Christ being challenged by other kids. The great thing about this story is that your kids get to learn a lesson while reading a fun and adventurous story. Who wouldn't want to read about going into a tomb to see a real mummy? Adventures in Odyssey has provided another fun adventure book for kids to read. Such a great series to add to your personal library! I'm looking forward to beginning the next book: Battle for the Mysterious Island.
July 18, 2014
This is a fun story about two children who enter the Imagination Station in Odyssey to go to Egypt where they would help a poor Habiru girl who some men were trying to kidnap. Her family was being forced out of their home by Egyptians. They also met the pharaoh’s son Lateef and found out the pharaoh was concerned that the Habiru were having too many children. Therefore the Egyptians were making the Habiru their slaves. When Tabitha was forced to carry pots of water, Patrick and Beth decided to help her. How they rescued her and the experiences they had as they tried to help her and her father made an amazing adventure!
April 25, 2014
Imagination Station books are basically a Christian Magic Tree House. These historical fiction books take the reader back in time to learn about an important piece of history. The modern day kid protagonists keep young readers engaged as they imagine what it would be like for themselves to go on these adventures. Imagination Stations also weave faith and standing strong in your faith into these tales. This particular journey goes to Egypt at the time the Israelites were being enslaved by Pharaoh. A great history lesson and a great lesson in hope all rolled into one.
February 25, 2013
This is a beginning chapter book for kiddos. It's Christian based on the story of the enslavement of the Hebrews in Egypt. I read it aloud to my children and they loved hearing the story. It was a great way to add adventure to bible history. The chapters are short and there is a picture about every other chapter. I liked how it referenced the Bible and they decided not to interfere with the tomb since later Moses takes Joseph's body.
July 14, 2014
In Secret of the Prince’s Tomb, Patrick and Beth go to Ancient Egypt. There they befriend a girl named Tabitha and they go on a quest to discover a long-held secret that will give hope to a nation that is being forced into slavery. Their quest takes them to a burial vault, a mummy, and many dangers along the way. Will the cousins be able to safely maneuver their way through the mazes of the vault? Will they be able to discover what the symbols mean?
July 29, 2014
Misleading title & tag, but still interesting
A good book (& series) for young readers that is engaging and teaches a little about history. If I could, I'd dock this book a half star to 3.5 stars because there is no secret in the prince's tomb that needs unraveling (as the title & back of the book suggest). Older readers will figure out the "plot twist" easily, but it should be a nice surprise for the younger ones. Worth reading to your children.
A good book (& series) for young readers that is engaging and teaches a little about history. If I could, I'd dock this book a half star to 3.5 stars because there is no secret in the prince's tomb that needs unraveling (as the title & back of the book suggest). Older readers will figure out the "plot twist" easily, but it should be a nice surprise for the younger ones. Worth reading to your children.
August 1, 2014
“People who don’t believe in God are often bothered by those who do.” As Whit discovers Patrick is having a hard time at school he offers cousins Patrick and Beth an adventure in the Imagination Station and they end up in Ancient Egypt and encounter people who are starting to be treated as slaves. Patrick realizes that the bullying he is facing for his faith is nothing like what the Habiru encountered. Great lessons on trusting God even when you don’t know what is going to happen next.
July 8, 2014
Secret of the Prince's Tomb sends Beth and Patrick to Ancient Egypt. This is where they meet with Egyptians who worship many gods and Hebrews who worship the one true God. What a great adventure that even involves mummies. A fun Read and a good lesson to learn about early believers of God.
5 stars
5 stars
August 31, 2014
While part of the Imagination Station series, the plot of this book was not tied to any of the other stories. This one takes place in Egypt during the start of the persecution of the Hebrews. It was very interesting to get perspective on how the Hebrew's might have felt during this time.
April 11, 2012
It was boring.
July 9, 2013
Patrick and Beth travel back to the time of the post-Joseph and pre-Moses Hebrews living in slavery in Egypt.
June 10, 2014
This book takes places at the start of the Hebrews’ slavery in Egypt. The children were reminded to trust in God even when things go badly & their adventure put their own problems in perspective.
December 31, 2014
Read aloud to Emma and Will. The series changed a bit with this book; it was unrelated from previous books and focused on Biblical times.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews