Merry's Book Club
Brought to you by The Merry LibrarianArchive for tween/teen fiction
“The Mysterious Benedict Society” by Trenton Lee Stewart
This clever, engrossing book is one of my favorite audio books for a long drive. Stewart creates a world where children are both hailed as the brightest and most capable crime-stoppers, as well as regarded with suspicion, disdain and even fear. The tale begins with a series of mysterious tests, which only a very few, very unique, very bright students are capable of passing. Renny, Kate, Sticky and Constance, the only four who pass all of the tests, suddenly find themselves at the center of a dangerous mission, led by the unusual and charming Mr. Benedict.
Mr. Benedict gives the four new friends a choice: they can return to their mundane and lonely lives (most of the children are orphans), or they can take part in a mission to save the world from…well, Mr. Benedict isn’t exactly sure. That’s the problem. He knows something is going on–he is a genius, after all–and he’s confident the trouble is brewing at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened (LIVE…or EVIL, spelled backwards), but that is all he knows. Renny, Kate, Sticky and Constance must risk their lives to discover just what the head of the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, Mr. Curtain, is up to…and they have to find a way to stop him before he enacts his cunning plan of ultimate, diabolical control. To do so, the children will have to learn to rely on one another, and will each have to contribute his or her unique and substantial gift of intellect, courage, and (believe it or not) extreme stubbornness.
The Mysterious Benedict Society is as fun as it is engaging; and the audio version, narrated by Del Roy, will usher you into a world of intrigue, danger and, of course, laughter that you will be loathe to leave behind. You’ll be delighted by the twists and turns of this charming tale–and you’ll find you’re thankful that Stewart has been hard at work on several follow-up adventures, as well!
