The Mysterious Benedict Society (Paperback)

부모도, 친구도 없는 외로운 아이들이 모여 학교 내의 미스터리를 파헤치는 모험을 그린 판타지 소설. 뉴욕타임스와 퍼블리셔스 위클리의 장기간 베스트셀러에 올라 있으며, 미국도서관협회의 ‘2007 올해의 주목할 만한 책’, 스쿨 라이브러리 저널의 ‘2007 최고의 책’에 선정되었다. 특이한 캐릭터들의 기발한 활약상이 생생하고 유머러스한 어조로 그려져 있고, 아이들 마음까지 파고드는 작가의 통찰력이 소설 속에 녹아 있다. 이야기 곳곳에 배치해 놓은 퍼즐들 또한 읽는 재미를 더했다. 작가는 이 책의 성공 후 속편 을 출간하기도 했다. 현명한 고아 소년 ‘레이니’는 어느날 “특별한 기회를 잡고 싶은 천재 어린이”를 모집한다는 광고를 보고 시험에 응시해 통과한다. 레이니 외에도 한번 책에서 읽은 내용은 절대 잊어버리지 않는 ‘꼬챙이’, 양동이에 온갖 공구들을 넣고 다니는 ‘케이티’, 만날 불평불만을 내뱉는 ‘콘스턴스’도 시험에 합격한다. 그들을 모집한 사람은 베네딕트 선생님. 언제부터인가 정부 요원들이 하나둘씩 사라지고, 텔레비전 전파를 통해 수상한 메시지가 사람들을 혼란스럽게 만들자 그 배후를 밝혀내기 위해 특별한 재능을 가진 아이들을 모집했던 것이다. 네 명의 아이들은 ‘베네딕트 비밀클럽’을 결성하고, 메시지가 발송되는 노만산 섬에 있는 '머리가 아주 좋은 아이들이 다니는 학습 기관’에 첩자로 들어가 학교의 비밀을 밝혀내기로 합의하는데 Grade 4-8 -A newspaper ad reads, "Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" Many youngsters respond but only four are chosen, among them 11-year-old Reynie Muldoon who can't figure out what he has in common with his three companions. Talkative Kate carries around a bucket filled with odds and ends and can wiggle her way into or out of any situation. Sticky is a voracious reader who remembers everything. Tiny Constance is smart as a whip but cranky and stubborn. The one thing they have in common is they are all without parents?either by circumstance or by choice. When kindly Mr. Benedict recruits the youngsters to go undercover on a dangerous mission, they are confident that they are up to the challenge. Their goal is to infiltrate the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, a school for gifted children, whose founder is sending hidden messages and hypnotizing the world population to bend to his wishes. Alone, each child is helpless, but as a team, they manage to overcome evil and save the day. First-time novelist Trenton Lee Stewart has infused his novel (Little Brown, 2007) with strong characters and an exciting plot. Del Roy's husky, grandfatherly voice works perfectly with the third person narration. Although the story is long, each short chapter ends in an exciting cliff-hanger that is sure to keep kids listening. Count on this clever, well-written title to make an appearance on both state reading lists and best books lists.?Tricia Melgaard, Centennial Middle School, Broken Arrow, OKAfter passing a series of mind-bending tests, four children are selected for a secret mission that requires them to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules.As the only four children to pass the series of tests provided, Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance are asked to go on a secret mission as undercover agents at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened and quickly realize they will have to use their collective wit to get their important task complete. Reprint. 75,000 first printing."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.