The Mysterious Benedict Society, by Trenton Lee Stewart:
Why I’m Reading It: Mom gave this book to Ben for Christmas. For Ben to pick up a book, it better be one of a series he likes, or one that is cleverly marketed to his age group. So it’s been sitting in his room on his dresser since Christmas. He likes the Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Magic Tree House, etc. kind of books. I picked up this one and another chapter book he hadn’t read and told him I was going to read him a book each night and he could pick. He picked this one. We’ve read maybe 50 pages (485 page book) and the story is really unfolding well. We both really like it so far.
What Someone Wrote About It: "Are you a gifted child looking for Special Opportunities?" This curious newspaper ad catches the eye of orphan Reynie Muldoon. After taking exams that test both mind and spirit, Reynie is selected along with four other contestants--Sticky Washington, a nervous child with a photographic memory; irrepressible Kate Weatherhill; and a tiny child who lives up to her name, Constance Contraire. The children soon learn they've been chosen by mysterious Mr. Benedict for an important mission: they are to infiltrate the isolated Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, from which messages of distrust and compliance are being broadcast into the minds of the world's citizens. Debut novelist Stewart takes some familiar conventions--among them, an orphan struggling against evil forces (Harry Potter, anyone?)--and makes them his own. But like the Potter books, his story goes beyond mere adventures, delving into serious issues, such as the way sloganeering can undermine society--or control it. Through its interesting characters, the book also tackles personal concerns: abandonment, family, loyalty, and facing one's fears. The novel could have been shortened, but Stewart writes with such attention to the intricacies of plot and personality, his story rarely feels slow; only a significant disclosure about Constance seems forced. Smart kids who like Blue Balliet's books are the natural audience for this; but, read aloud, the novel will attract many others as well.
1 comment:
I have this book, too! Lemme know how it turns out, I've been thinking about reading it as well
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