Best friends Molly-Jean (MJ) and Eddie are ready for their Super Saturday sleepover. They usually spend the day playing outside and then do crossword puzzles and watch movies before bed. They have their blanket fort made and ready for them when Eddie decides to ask where the word “pajamas” comes from.

His mom overhears them talking and suggests that he go up to the attic to find his great-grandfather’s book. She says it’s the oldest and biggest one up there. She explains to Eddie and MJ that he had been an etymologist, someone who researches the origins of words.

Eddie and MJ head up to the attic to see if they can find the book among all the books on the shelves. They finally see a big book on the top shelf. It’s tied with twine but it’s just over their heads. But before they can figure out a way to reach it, it flies off the shelf, the twine breaks away, and it opens on its own.

The friends read a message from Eddie’s great-grandfather, inviting them to pick a word and start an adventure. Eddie looks up pajamas to find out that it comes from India, and before they know it, MJ and Eddie find themselves transported to India.

Immediately they meet another kid, Dev, who is trying to find the treasure his grandfather had left his family because their town had flooded and he wants to rebuild their school. As MJ, Eddie, and Dev follow the clues and race around India, they learn the origins of more words, like cheetah, dingy, and dungaree.

But when they realize that they are being followed by another man, a man who wants to steal the treasure away from Dev and his family. Will MJ and Eddie help Dev figure out the clues in time? And will they be able to get back home to their families and their new magical book?

Word Travelers and the Taj Mahal Mystery is the first in a series of middle grade adventures where friends get to travel the world to find out where everyday words come from. Written by Raj Haldar, musician and author of the bestselling P is for Pterodactyl and beautifully illustrated by Neha Rawat, this captivating adventure book will teach kids about words and about foreign lands through fun stories.

I thoroughly enjoyed Word Travelers and the Taj Mahal Mystery. It’s smart and funny and weaves the learning in with friendship and adventures. I would have loved this when I was a kid, but honestly, I had a lot of fun with it as an adult too. This is a great way to get kids interested in word origins and to be smarter readers.

A copy of Word Travelers and the Taj Mahal Mystery was provided by Sourcebooks Kids, with many thanks.