The Mysterious Benedict Society

A friend gave these books to my 13-year-old son. This is his review:

Overall, I believe these books are a very good read. They are filled with interesting puzzles that will test your mental capabilities, and plenty of action. So, without further ado, The Mysterious Benedict society!

The first book is more of a book of puzzles than an action book. I thought the plot was interesting. It's about four children who are sent to a strange location on a secret mission.

What I like about this book is its puzzles and characters. I would definitely recommend this book to all.

The second book is more of an action book than the original. It is one of those rare sequels that are as good as the first. It's about the same four children, now sent to all sorts of places to look for their two abducted friends.

This book has many characters from its prequel, and is just as good. I recommend this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as did my 10 year old daughter. I loved seeing smart kids as the heroes. I also loved the message that combining many talents creates a powerful force, allowing children to overcome the sinister adults. The book is entertaining and pulls you in from the start.

9 yr old boy LOVED it, recommended to friend for whom mom has a hard time finding books - they loved it!

What tremendous fun this is! I read the first 100 pages aloud to my mother after she had surgery. Then the book got so compelling and engaging that I had to race through silently and leave poor Mom to fend for herself. (I gave her a copy of her own for Mother's Day.) This novel is aimed at a middle reader audience, although great children's lit is always enjoyable to adults. At nearly 500 pages, it's a hefty doorstopper for that market, though a certain boy wizard has already repeatedly blown through our expectations about desirable book lengths for middle readers.

The story centers around four gifted children who respond to an ad promising "special opportunities" for select applicants. The application process is fun in and of itself (with riddles the reader can solve right alongside the characters), and then the adventure begins as these unlikely kids set out to save the world. One thing I liked about the story is that three of the four are unheralded poster children for the schoolage afflictions du jour: ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder), and PAD (Pervasive Anxiety Disorder). Part of the fun of the novel is watching these kids realize that their quirks and disabilities are actually assets. Another wonderful aspect of the story is their teamwork and cooperation; each child contributes something unique and essential to the mission. The novel is clever, funny, and warm-hearted. I have just checked the sequel out of the library (after waiting for nearly three weeks, as every middle school kid in Cincinnati had signed up first).

My best friend recomended this book to me. It is a little slow at the beginning pretty good in the middle and COMPLETELY fantastic at the climax and end. I would definatly recomend it. My favorite character is Constance Contraire. Also the illustrations rock. I can't wait to read the next one!!!!!!