Reviewed by Mary T. Kincaid for Readers' Favorite

Shadow of Atlantis by Wendy Leighton-Porter is about three children and a cat named Max, traveling back in time to the island of Atlantis. They arrive in Atlantis right before the volcanic eruption that destroyed the island and sank it into the Mediterranean Sea. An Atlantean family befriends them and they are able to tell them about the impending danger to Atlantis. The reader meets twins Jemima and Joe, Charlie, their friend, and Max, an extraordinarily large cat. In Atlantis, they learn about the disappearance of their parents who are lost in time, because they began their time travel without the key they needed to return through the portal of an old book: Shadows From the Past. This book opens the portal that allows them to travel to the past. It is opened with a key that Jemima wears on a chain. In the box with the book was a pouch of gold owl charms which allow the children to understand the language of the land, and to understand Max, their Tonkinese cat.

This is a wonderful story of adventure back into mythical history. It is a fun read, well developed and executed. The descriptions and characters are appropriate for the age intended. Children looking for adventure will enjoy this one. They will enjoy the speculation that Atlantis was in the Mediterranean Sea. The culture, customs, and society are covered by the introduction to the family of Medon, the fisherman. The high priests of Poseidon decide that the tales of Atlantis’s destruction are sent by the spies of Athena, and try to cause trouble, but Max figures out a way to rescue them. I give this book a five out of five stars and recommend it for all history buffs and adventure lovers.