Posted as part of Tween Tuesday, hosted by GreenBeanTeenQueen.
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date: May 2008
ISBN: 9780316036733
Source: Library (audio download)
The Mysterious Benedict Society are all together for a fun reunion, but things don't turn out quite how they expected. When the discover that Mr. Benedict has been kidnapped, they must follow his trail of clues to find out where he is. But along the way, they will fight off ten men and the other goons who work for Mr. Curtain. Will they find Mr. Benedict before it's too late for him and for themselves?
Things I Liked:
It is a complex, mysterious, and very exciting story. I love how each of the characters is unique and has particular characteristics that make them all essential to their quest. It had lots of twists and turns and plenty of action that kept me listening and wondering what these remarkable kids would do next. A fun and smart adventure for kids not afraid of a longer and more complex story.
Things I Didn't Like:
I think it dragged on a little too long for me. I listened to this one on audio, so that might have contributed to it, but it took me forever. Not to mention, I did not really like the narrator. He was a older man with a scratchy voice that wasn't particularly suited to the children in the story. I'll definitely be reading the next one instead of listening. I am not sure how much appeal this series will have for kids, but I think an older tween who can invest the time and effort into a chunky text will love them.
Read-alikes:
Read the first book, The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
A bit like the Secret series by Pseudonymous Bosch
BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none
mrg-factor: none
v-factor: ->
some frightening things and a little violence
Overall rating: ***
Do you find it easier to stop listening to an audiobook or to stop reading a book when you aren't into it? (I tend to have a hard time with both, apparently.)
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
