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Lanterna Books Junior
Cover of Il mistero dell’antico museo

Illustrated adventure novels · I misteri di Silvana Nucci

Not yet in English

Il mistero dell’antico museo

by Silvana Nucci

Five rooms, five ages, five challenges: an illustrated adventure novel in a museum where history wakes up.

  • Ages 8-12
  • Italiano
  • Paperback, illustrated novel
4.5/5 · 2 ratings on amazon.it

Direct links to Amazon, no affiliate links. Price and delivery times are shown on Amazon. Ratings checked on Amazon on November 11 and 13, 2026.

In a nutshell

One Saturday morning, Iris, Jordan and Ivan, all 12, end up at the Museo Storico Centrale, the big history museum in their town. Iris, who can read ancient scripts, reads the inscription on a Sumerian stone aloud: the power goes out, the doors lock and a voice announces, “Five ages. Five challenges.”

From ancient Egypt and Babylon to Rome, from the Renaissance to the twentieth century and all the way back to prehistory, the three kids meet famous figures, from Ramses II to Leonardo da Vinci, and have to combine their talents. Iris and Ivan, rivals at first, will learn to work as a team.

At the end of the book: a plan of the museum, a timeline with the key dates, what’s true in the story and a quiz.

Also in other languages

What’s inside

  • Five ages, five challengesAncient Egypt and Babylon, Rome, the Renaissance, the twentieth century and prehistory.
  • Rivals who become friendsThree very different personalities who have to count on one another.
  • What’s trueA plan of the museum, a timeline and the real facts, explained simply.
  • Final quiz10 questions plus a bonus question, with the answers.

Not yet in English

Would you like this book in English?

“Il mistero dell’antico museo” is available for now in Italian and Spanish. Let us know you’re waiting for it: we translate the requested books first. You’ll get the digital edition free, as an advance copy before it comes out, and we’d love to hear what you think.

Your email address is used to send you your advance copy and news about the translation and, if you check the box, the puzzle of the week. It is never sold or shared. Privacy

Look inside

Pages from the book

Real pages from the book. Tap an image to enlarge it.

Page “Ecco i nostri tre esploratori!” (“Here are our three explorers!”): portraits of Iris, Jordan and Ivan
The three explorers
Illustration: the Egyptian room of the museum
The Egyptian room
Page “Il museo delle cinque prove” (“The museum of the five challenges”): a plan of the museum, room by room
The museum of the five challenges

Questions from parents

Good to know

Do the books in the series need to be read in order?

No. Each novel is a complete adventure with its own heroes: you can start with any of them.

What’s at the end of the book?

A plan of the museum, a timeline with the key dates, pages explaining what’s true in the story and a quiz of 10 questions plus a bonus question.

Is it available in English?

Not yet: it is published in Italian and Spanish.