The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart

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Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library -- School Library Journal, 4/30/2008

From SLJ May 2008

STEWART, Trenton Lee. The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey. illus. by Diana Sudyka. 440p. Little, Brown/Megan Tingley Bks. May 2008. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-316-05780-6. LC number unavailable.

Gr 5-7–What was supposed to have been a reunion with Mr. Benedict turns into trouble for the four young heroes of The Mysterious Benedict Society (Little, Brown, 2007). Mr. Benedict and his assistant Number 2 have been kidnapped by the evil Mr. Curtain while abroad, so Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance set off to rescue him, aided by a set of clues Mr. Benedict left before his abduction. Adventure and danger await the four onboard an unusual ship, at a castle in Portugal, in the Netherlands, and finally on a mysterious island, where they fall into the hands of Mr. Curtain and his henchmen. It is a combination of courage and their amazing talents that allows the youngsters to squeak out of every predicament. The action takes a while to get going in earnest as more attention is given to the worries and thoughts of the children and to their interactions with the various helpful, eccentric, or nasty adults they meet in their travels. They also learn to understand themselves and one another a little better by the end of their harrowing journey. As a result, this is not just a rip-roaring adventure with plenty of clever twists and hair’s-breadth escapes, but also a warm and satisfying tale about friendship.