The Mysterious Benedict Society
"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?
Welcome to the Mysterious Benedict Society.
Product Details
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Starred Review. Grade 5–9—After Reynie Muldoon responds to an advertisement recruiting "gifted children looking for special opportunities," he finds himself in a world of mystery and adventure. The 11-year-old orphan is one of four children to complete a series of challenging and creative tasks, and he, Kate, Constance, and Sticky become the Mysterious Benedict Society. After being trained by Mr. Benedict and his assistants, the four travel to an isolated school where children are being trained by a criminal mastermind to participate in his schemes to take over the world. The young investigators need to use their special talents and abilities in order to discover Mr. Curtain's secrets, and their only chance to defeat him is through working together. Readers will challenge their own abilities as they work with the Society members to solve clues and put together the pieces of Mr. Curtain's plan. In spite of a variety of coincidences, Stewart's unusual characters, threatening villains, and dramatic plot twists will grab and hold readers' attention. Fans of Roald Dahl or Blue Balliett will find a familiar blend of kid power, clues, and adventure in Society, though its length may daunt reluctant or less-secure readers. Underlying themes about the power of media messages and the value of education add to this book's appeal, and a happy ending with hints of more adventures to come make this first-time author one to remember.—Beth L. Meister, Pleasant View Elementary School, Franklin, WI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
*Starred Review* "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. Illustrations to come. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
About the Author
Trenton Lee Stewart, graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop and author of the adult novel Flood Summer, lives in
Carson Ellis received her BFA from the
Customer Reviews
The Mysterious benedict Society
I keep our 10 yr. old grandson supplied with books. He is a good reader, but loves to have me read to him when we are together. I started reading this in the car on a short trip, and by the time we arrived, my husband parked the car, and we all stayed in it until I had finished the chapter I was reading (my husband included, at age 72!). Tucker(our grandson) asked me to bring the book to school the next time I come to have lunch with him. We are all really enjoying this strange story with the most uneexpected twists!
Great Book
I have been reading this at the local library. Though I have only read about 35 pages, it has been very entertaining. and although, one would sometimes be discouraged by the size of the book, it is a quick read.
My 13-year-old son asked me to read it...
... which hasn't happened since the Harry Potter series. So I read and enjoyed it! It's an adventure story, with clues uncovered, puzzles to solve, and danger. My son compared both the plot and the characters to Madeleine L'Engle's "Wrinkle in Time". I agree, although its plot isn't quite as... transcendental. My immediate response to the book was an appreciation for its definition of "genius". At the start of the story, our main character, an 11-year-old orphan boy who is ostracized by classmates because of his obvious intelligence, is being tested along with other kids in a search for children of exceptional brightness. Creatively unfolding for us, as we join the main character in his testing and as we meet those others who have passed, is that genius will be represented quite differently in each child. We end up with a team of four children who join a team of three adults, one of them is Mr. Benedict, so wildly described as to remind me of Roald Dahl, and whose most important trait is their strength of character. It is up to these children to stop the bad guy who has been sending subliminal messages (through television) and plans to make himself M.A.S.T.E.R. (Minister and Secretary of All the Earth's Regions)!
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