Buying The Mysterious Benedict Society

What a terrific mystery! It's also a great book to read out loud to kids. It kept my two kids (age 8 and 10) and myself on the edge of our seats. This author really knows how to hook an audience (and I'm a tough one to hook). There were many unexpected twists and turns that made it difficult to predict what would happen next. The main characters are nice, likeable kids (unlike stories where kids come off as brats, or adults as idiots) that undertake a grand adventure to save humanity. Great character development as well. Along the way characters struggle with their internal desires to just take the easy way out, to sacrifice the good of the whole for their own comfort. I could not think of a way to improve this story. It's a nice change from the dragon/magic-filled fantasy genre. My older daughter thought it was better then Harry Potter (the books). I have already gifted this book to one of the teachers at her school, and am just looking for excuses to buy and give away a dozen more. Get more detail about The Mysterious Benedict Society.