Throughout the novel, Bridgman describes aquatic creatures in beautiful detail, from multihued bodies and spiny fins to a bevy of “whiskers” (barbels). This engaging volume ends with an unmistakable setup for the next installment. A sublime cast headlines this leisurely but engrossing supernatural tale.
- Kirkus Reviews
It’s evident the author thoroughly enjoys herself writing this series. The writing is playful and captivating. The chapters start with a Latin phrase adding mystique (which is translated for the reader) and a beautiful black and white drawing, as a nice touch for the intended age group. The drawings are spectacular in their own right! Each page holds a certain appeal guaranteed to make the reader forget about whatever else they may have going on and engross themselves in the magical world that is MiddleGate. - Sheri Hoyte, Reader Views Kids
Author Rae St. Clair Bridgman has crafted another explosion of brilliant fantasy, action, suspense, and adventure as Wil gets himself into more danger than ever before. I really enjoyed the additions to the story and the new concepts at play, delivering a suitably complex plot that affords the MG and younger YA audience the intelligence they deserve but also has plenty to offer adult readers seeking atmospheric, creative, and immersive fantasy tales. The new challenges and twists to this ongoing saga never cease to surprise me, and Wil just gets more endearing every time.
- K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Rae Bridgman is a fantastic author and Fish & Sphinx is a fantastic book. If you like mystery novels about magic, myths, and ancient Egypt then Fish & Sphinx is the perfect book for you to enjoy.
- Allison Witzel, WhatIf? Magazine
Bridgman once again takes the reader on a wild ride through an imaginary world. She uses her background in Latin and anthropology to populate the pages of her fantasy adventure...There are also interesting and unusual pen and ink drawings in the novel which add an air of mystery.
- Myra Junyk, Resource Links
The author's delight in wordplay is given full rein throughout, but particularly in the shapeshifting chapter, when Wil and Sophie are changed into catfish. The deepening sense that the heroes are in over their heads, surrounded on all sides by enemies whose motives they still don't understand, but who threaten everything they care about, will leave readers who like their fantasy to contain a good dose of mystery and suspense looking for the next volume.
- K.V. Johansen, "Books Worth Another Look," Dorchester Public Library
Both boys and girls will like Fish & Sphinx equally, mainly because the two main characters are [cousins], so readers will experience both boy and girl points of views. This book had me interested all the way through it, capturing my interest with unique ideas such as fish sphinxes, mythical creatures, and new personalities.
- Dylan James, Reader Views Kids
Bridgman provides a variety of interest-catching elements - slightly wacky Aunt Violet setting up a fortune-telling business in the outside world, serious Aunt Rue in line for a major promotion, quirky neighbours, new friends Beatriz and Phinneas, Euphemus the soap box orator, a mysterious white-haired German-speaking woman with piercing blue eyes, Cadmus the cat, Esme the snake, Catfysh "Protectress the Immortal," the various Mages at Gruffuds, squabbling stone heads Portia and Portius, Sophie's "mood" glass frames, the annual Winterlude Festival, an unique Valentine's party, a fishy-smelling book with disappearing print, a BUZzz ball, a potential flood, magical fish - all of which should appeal to young fantasy fans and have them anticipating another instalment in the cousins adventures. In the "Epilogue" Bridgman promises, "Dear children, much, much more remains to be told."
- Darleen Golke, Canadian Review of Materials (CM Magazine)
As chock fun of fanciful characters, intrigue, and action as ever, author Rae Bridgman has crafted another delightful adventure for...magical cousins [Wil and Sophie]. Introducing each chapter are Latin inscriptions (gratefully translated into English, which helps even those of us who studied four years of that classical language so many years ago there must be at least an inch of dust on that file in our brains!). That touch is a Rae Bridgman signature...Also, laced throughout the book are Bridgman's own ink illustrations - and fish abound everywhere. These are a fun addition to an already wonderful fish story.
- Janie Franz, MyShelf
A mystical mystery at the legislature, [this is] the third and most successful in her MiddleGate series . . . . Bridgman's use of Latin quotations and her knowledge of myth and allegory add a special depth to these stories.
- Helen Norrie , Winnipeg Free Press
I enjoy the many unusual characters of Bridgman's books, such as Mage Terpsy, who reverses the initial letters of words when speaking (e.g., parely bossible); Aunt Violet, who dyes her hair a brilliant red for a Valentine's Day party; Peeping Peerslie, the resident ghost of the school library; and the strange homeless Catfysh, with her strong fishy smell and long whispers. The author also manages to include many interesting factual details in her story, such as the tale of the Golden Boy atop the legislative building, and the description of the bison statues at the entrance.
- Donna Gamache, Prairie Fire Magazine
Fish and Sphinx is a fun-filled tale of magic, myths, ancient Egypt, and mystery that people of all ages can enjoy. One of my favorite things about the series is that the author doesn’t “talk down” to the audience she writes for - each chapter begins with a made-up poetic quote in Latin that is then translated into English, which tells something important about the chapter ahead. It’s a kind of foreshadowing done in a pretty cool and different way, and Rae Bridgman, I can tell, had fun making the quotes up.
- Douglas R. Cobb, Curled Up with a Good Kid's Book
See also interview with Dale Barbour, Laura Lehman's Bella Online review, plus Tracy Farnsworth's nice review in Roundtable Reviews for Kids
- Kirkus Reviews
It’s evident the author thoroughly enjoys herself writing this series. The writing is playful and captivating. The chapters start with a Latin phrase adding mystique (which is translated for the reader) and a beautiful black and white drawing, as a nice touch for the intended age group. The drawings are spectacular in their own right! Each page holds a certain appeal guaranteed to make the reader forget about whatever else they may have going on and engross themselves in the magical world that is MiddleGate. - Sheri Hoyte, Reader Views Kids
Author Rae St. Clair Bridgman has crafted another explosion of brilliant fantasy, action, suspense, and adventure as Wil gets himself into more danger than ever before. I really enjoyed the additions to the story and the new concepts at play, delivering a suitably complex plot that affords the MG and younger YA audience the intelligence they deserve but also has plenty to offer adult readers seeking atmospheric, creative, and immersive fantasy tales. The new challenges and twists to this ongoing saga never cease to surprise me, and Wil just gets more endearing every time.
- K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Rae Bridgman is a fantastic author and Fish & Sphinx is a fantastic book. If you like mystery novels about magic, myths, and ancient Egypt then Fish & Sphinx is the perfect book for you to enjoy.
- Allison Witzel, WhatIf? Magazine
Bridgman once again takes the reader on a wild ride through an imaginary world. She uses her background in Latin and anthropology to populate the pages of her fantasy adventure...There are also interesting and unusual pen and ink drawings in the novel which add an air of mystery.
- Myra Junyk, Resource Links
The author's delight in wordplay is given full rein throughout, but particularly in the shapeshifting chapter, when Wil and Sophie are changed into catfish. The deepening sense that the heroes are in over their heads, surrounded on all sides by enemies whose motives they still don't understand, but who threaten everything they care about, will leave readers who like their fantasy to contain a good dose of mystery and suspense looking for the next volume.
- K.V. Johansen, "Books Worth Another Look," Dorchester Public Library
Both boys and girls will like Fish & Sphinx equally, mainly because the two main characters are [cousins], so readers will experience both boy and girl points of views. This book had me interested all the way through it, capturing my interest with unique ideas such as fish sphinxes, mythical creatures, and new personalities.
- Dylan James, Reader Views Kids
Bridgman provides a variety of interest-catching elements - slightly wacky Aunt Violet setting up a fortune-telling business in the outside world, serious Aunt Rue in line for a major promotion, quirky neighbours, new friends Beatriz and Phinneas, Euphemus the soap box orator, a mysterious white-haired German-speaking woman with piercing blue eyes, Cadmus the cat, Esme the snake, Catfysh "Protectress the Immortal," the various Mages at Gruffuds, squabbling stone heads Portia and Portius, Sophie's "mood" glass frames, the annual Winterlude Festival, an unique Valentine's party, a fishy-smelling book with disappearing print, a BUZzz ball, a potential flood, magical fish - all of which should appeal to young fantasy fans and have them anticipating another instalment in the cousins adventures. In the "Epilogue" Bridgman promises, "Dear children, much, much more remains to be told."
- Darleen Golke, Canadian Review of Materials (CM Magazine)
As chock fun of fanciful characters, intrigue, and action as ever, author Rae Bridgman has crafted another delightful adventure for...magical cousins [Wil and Sophie]. Introducing each chapter are Latin inscriptions (gratefully translated into English, which helps even those of us who studied four years of that classical language so many years ago there must be at least an inch of dust on that file in our brains!). That touch is a Rae Bridgman signature...Also, laced throughout the book are Bridgman's own ink illustrations - and fish abound everywhere. These are a fun addition to an already wonderful fish story.
- Janie Franz, MyShelf
A mystical mystery at the legislature, [this is] the third and most successful in her MiddleGate series . . . . Bridgman's use of Latin quotations and her knowledge of myth and allegory add a special depth to these stories.
- Helen Norrie , Winnipeg Free Press
I enjoy the many unusual characters of Bridgman's books, such as Mage Terpsy, who reverses the initial letters of words when speaking (e.g., parely bossible); Aunt Violet, who dyes her hair a brilliant red for a Valentine's Day party; Peeping Peerslie, the resident ghost of the school library; and the strange homeless Catfysh, with her strong fishy smell and long whispers. The author also manages to include many interesting factual details in her story, such as the tale of the Golden Boy atop the legislative building, and the description of the bison statues at the entrance.
- Donna Gamache, Prairie Fire Magazine
Fish and Sphinx is a fun-filled tale of magic, myths, ancient Egypt, and mystery that people of all ages can enjoy. One of my favorite things about the series is that the author doesn’t “talk down” to the audience she writes for - each chapter begins with a made-up poetic quote in Latin that is then translated into English, which tells something important about the chapter ahead. It’s a kind of foreshadowing done in a pretty cool and different way, and Rae Bridgman, I can tell, had fun making the quotes up.
- Douglas R. Cobb, Curled Up with a Good Kid's Book
See also interview with Dale Barbour, Laura Lehman's Bella Online review, plus Tracy Farnsworth's nice review in Roundtable Reviews for Kids