Rosie Raja: Mission to Cairo

Rosie Raja: Mission to Cairo is the second exciting instalment in this compelling spy series. The main character, Rosie, is the daughter of a British spy and has followed in her father’s footsteps by becoming a spy herself! In this book, Rosie follows her father to Cairo and there she is given another spy mission, to go undercover in Cairo’s museum….and find a traitor.

The story is set in 1941 and the author helpfully explains some of the historical timeline information through Rosie’s first-person narrative. This really helps the action to flow and keeps the reader engaged with the story as it moves from the UK to Cairo. The narrative style also gives Rosie a level of relatability. She is put in such unbelievable situations as a spy but is also concerned with worries about her father having a new partner after the death of her mother, as well as the prospect of attending a boarding school

.Rosie’s own heritage as an Indian Muslim, living in England but on this exciting adventure undercover with a cover name and background, is also explored throughout the story. For example, we see Cairo through Rosie’s eyes and hear her talk about how Cairo is similar and different to her life in India and how her own experience as a Muslim differs in each of these countries.

The plot of this story is so exciting. We are set up early in the book to expect that Rosie cannot trust anyone and this certainly plays out. It truly is a page turner!

The story is perfect to accompany a KS2 World War Two topic. It is packed to the brim with historical insight as well as being such an exciting rollercoaster of a read. It would also add further interest to topics around Egypt or even as an addition to an International Women’s Day compilation. The text is suitable for confident readers from Lower KS2.