The Mysterious Benedict Society
by Trenton Lee Stewart
Mystery, Fiction, Middle-Grade, Young-Adult, Fantasy, Adventure
“Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?” When this peculiar ad appears in the newspaper, dozens of children enroll to take a series of mysterious, mind-bending tests. (And you, dear reader, can test your wits right alongside them.) But in the end just four very special children will succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and resourceful children could complete. To accomplish it they will have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. As our heroes face physical and mental trials beyond their wildest imaginations, they have no choice but to turn to each other for support. But with their newfound friendship at stake, will they be able to pass the most important test of all?
Recommendations from Common Sense Media
Age Recommendation: 9+
What Parents Need to Know:
Parents need to know that The Mysterious Benedict Society is the story of four gifted kids, all orphans age 12 and under, who are recruited and then trained by Mr. Benedict and sent to a remote boarding school to learn more about an evil mastermind bent on taking over the world. There’s little violence beyond some mild fistfighting and a near kidnapping, where perpetrators are knocked out with a tranquilizer gun. Teamwork, creative problem solving, and the love of the truth are keys to the kids’ success. This is the first in a four-volume series.
Educational Value: 2/5
Kids practice and use Morse code throughout the book.
Positive Messages: 4/5
Teamwork, creative problem solving, and the love of truth, are essential to the success of the four main characters.
Positive Role Models: 4/5
The four main characters are very admirable and possess talents that complement one another. Reynie is extremely conscientious and great at solving puzzles and thinking about others’ motivations. Sticky has a voracious appetite for knowledge and remembers everything he reads. Kate is the athlete and strategic thinker who can get out of any trap. Constance may be ill-tempered, but she’s also loyal, bright, and courageous.
Violence & Scariness: 2/5
Some fist fighting resulting in cuts and bruises. A near kidnapping of kids ends with perpetrators being knocked out with a tranquilizer gun. Constance is shocked with a special watch and recovers. All four characters are orphans and some talk briefly of parents’ deaths or disappearances. Talk of government workers going missing. Adult recalls being hit on the head, captured, and losing his memory. Mr. Benedict mentions that his parents were killed in a lab accident when he was a baby.
Sex, Romance & Nudity: n/a
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Language: n/a
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Products & Purchases: n/a
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking: n/a
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