The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

Reviewed by: Michal, the mom (does age matter?)

We listened to this as an audio book and the whole family was sucked in. We loved the brilliant kids and their courage in the face of great danger and personal risk. I liked that they determined to work together in spite of being different from each other-- and even in spite of finding one member of the team to be difficult to work with. Their unity made all the difference in the outcome of the book. Some good lessons there. I also appreciated that these "brilliant" kids were all smart in different ways. This would be beneficial if you have a child who doesn't see their own strengths as brilliance.

Genre: Fiction

Time Period: present/near future

Introduction:

Reynie, an orphan, responds to a mysterious newspaper ad seeking gifted children. After successfully passing a series of strange tests, he and three other children are given the opportunity to save the world from certain destruction, but it's a long shot. 

Themes: orphans, misfits, smart is good, your differences make you special, good vs. evil, courage, unity, teamwork

Recommended Age: 10 and up, younger as read-aloud

Full Disclosure: There were bullies in the book, but they certainly weren't glorified in any way. The kids cheat and break a few rules in order to complete their mission, but not without wrestling with it first and determining that the rules were there to protect the evil they are fighting.

Rating: 4 stars