Reviewed by Alyssa Elmore for Readers' Favorite

Oh no! Max has been cat-napped and dragged through time in Max's Arabian Adventure by Wendy Leighton-Porter. Max is a Tonkinese cat with the special ability to speak with other animals and people by way of a magical amulet. When a strange voice calls to a sleeping Max, he wakes to investigate. Who could it be? Jemima, Joe, and Charlie are downstairs playing quite noisily, so he knows it's not one of them. But who? As Max searches for the owner of the voice calling out to him, he finds that it seems to be coming from the large Shadows From The Past book lying on the floor. But how can that be? Usually, Joe is very careful about putting it away in its box after an adventure. Besides, one of the children would have to open it and solve a puzzle before embarking on a time traveling adventure. But, the book is on the floor. Not in the box on the shelf.
As the curious Max moves closer to the talking book, a hand reaches through the pages and instantly snatches him away from everything and everyone he loves. But what does the mysterious man want? How did he know about Max? And how could he have known to use the Shadows From The Past book to pull Max into the past? Max is scared and heartbroken. He has traveled through time enough to know that without the special key, he is lost in the shadows of time. What's worse, Jemima doesn't even know he's gone missing. Will he ever see his beloved Jemima again? Or will he forever be lost in the past?

Max's Arabian Adventure is another great spin-off story of The Shadows From The Past series. Abducted and abandoned in the sizzling Arabian Desert, Max is hard put to find his way home and is even more confused as to why he was taken from his home in the first place. A fun solo adventure, this book is another smashing story from awesome author Wendy Leighton-Porter. Recommended for children 7-10, this book will delight anyone who enjoys adventure, unexpected friendship, and a happy ending!

I am a huge fan of Wendy Leighton-Porter. Not just as a mom, but as a reader. I have found it increasingly difficult to find books that meet my high standards of writing and had resigned myself to allowing my son to read below his reading level. Being an author, it is important to me that my son read high-quality fiction that encourages him to expand and explore his world. I also want him to understand the basics of writing, just by reading. If we allow our children to read badly written books, then how can they be expected to write or even speak any better? With that distressing thought in mind, I have scoured bookstores and libraries, searching for books that would engage him. Sadly, I have found few books that qualify. I have found that most current children's fiction books have become simplistic and vapid, causing children's interest in learning and reading to actually decelerate.

I wanted a book series that is both educational and interesting. As most books are below his reading level, my son thought he hated reading. He found most books for his "reading age" to be tedious and boring. After reading the Shadows From The Past series, I was relieved and thrilled! My son loves the characters, the history, and the adventures, and easily gets lost in the story. I confess that, with the author's lively writing style and ability to weave such fascinating stories with such lovable characters, I have been known to sneak off and read one or two of her books myself! Max is an endearing cat and his family is unique and special. We can hardly wait for the next installment in the Shadows From The Past series! If you are looking for a series that will engage your child while enhancing their reading, vocabulary, and accurate knowledge of history, then I recommend the Shadows From The Past Series, and Max's Adventures, the spin-off series starring our beloved Max.