39 Clues: Maze of Bones - Rick Riorden

The 39 Clues series has been one of the hottest selling tickets at the last two Scholastic Book Fairs at my kids' school. At this past fair, we purchased all three books that have been released so far. In total, there will be ten, all written by different authors. These books are an example of the mixed media tactic recently used by publishers to connect with the generation of kids that would rather play video games or surf the Internet than read a book. (Another example would be Skeleton Creek - see my review here.) The 39 Clues books can be purchased with a set of clue cards, and you can also purchase additional cards separately. You may then log on to the official website and use these cards to solve a mystery with the clues provided, and may be rewarded if you solve it. More on the cards later...

The main characters are Dan (11) and Amy (14), orphaned siblings who live with a rather ill-tempered aunt, and occasionally visit their beloved (and wealthy) grandmother Grace. When Grace dies, she leaves a very curious legacy in her wake. You see, she is the matriarch of the large and once-powerful Cahill family. Just about anyone in history of importance has been a member of the Cahill family, but somewhere along the way, the family lost their power. (The definition of this "power" is yet to be explained...money? a nuclear weapon? a cure to world hunger?) Grace's last will and testament proposes this: For those chosen members of the Cahill family, you may take one million dollars and walk away. Or, you may attempt to chase a series of 39 clues, that if solved, will earn them back all the lost power of the Cahill family. Dan and Amy, with the help of their iPod-toting au pair, launch themselves headlong into a race around the world to solve the clues. But so do a number of their ill-intentioned cousins.

Each of the 39 Clues books features a prominent historical figure...this one features Benjamin Franklin, who also happens to have been a member of the Cahill family. Amy and Dan follow clues from Philadelphia to Paris, into libraries, graveyards, museums and catacombs, picking up the more commonly known facts about Franklin, as well as other facts that may NOT have been his crowning glories, like his written works on farts (the kids love this stuff). Their adventure, however, is rife with mysterious figures and nefarious family members attempting to blow them up, bury them alive and poison them.

Personally? I could take or leave this book, but since we have started the series, I guess we are in it for the long haul. I believe kids will find this book more entertaining than adults...mine are not that discerning. They only require action to be entertained. The writing is very simplistic, the characters stereotypical, and the conflicts predictable. Every single time Dan and Amy find a clue, they are thwarted by an opposing family member. Every single time. Toward the end of this story, even my daughter was shaking her head at the umpteenth time it happened. On the positive side, your kids will learn about Benjamin Franklin (including fart literature), the book is fast-paced, and the content is clean and appropriate for ages for 7 or 8, depending on reading level, to middle school.

With regards to the cards, they were a bust for my kids. They poked around on the Internet with the cards and the clues, but could never get engaged in the challenge. I will admit I did not try it myself. I spend enough time on here, eh? So, let's ask Emma what she thought:

Emma's take: I love mystery and action books, so I really enjoyed this one. There weren't very many boring parts, and I like the idea of hunting for clues. The little brother, Dan, made me laugh. He made pretty funny comments about things, and Amy would get annoyed, just like a real brother and sister. But there is something I did not like. It is the fact that every time Dan and Amy found a clue, their relatives just popped up out of nowhere and stole information. I really got tired of that. About halfway through the book, you started expecting that to happen. I think most kids would like this book - it is not too scary, it has alot of action and is easy to understand.

Sandy's rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Emma and Ryan's rating: 4 out of 5 stars