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Another Great Read For Watsonville Kids Who Love A Mystery

Don't miss the exciting: Who can we trust? ... The chase is on ... An "I-never-saw-it-coming" your young readers can't put down.

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Susan C. Schena, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge

By Freya Hooper (Star Patcher)

If you have a child who likes a good mystery surrounded by plenty of action, do I have the book for you! And it is the beginning of a series - even better.

Don’t forget to visit my website at www.onegreatbook.com so you won’t miss the next exciting, who can we trust, the chase is on, I never saw it coming book your kids can’t put down.

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Title: Masterminds

Author: Gordon Korman

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Target: Grades 4-8

Series: This is the first book in a planned series

What this book is about:
Eli lives in the perfect town of Serenity with a population of 185. It has been voted #1 in the US for its standard of living. The local cone plant employs most of the people and everyone has a house with a pool and even a treehouse. There is no reason to leave, so no one does. However, when Eli and his friend Randy go biking outside the town limits, Eli becomes so sick he has to be helicoptered back. The next thing Eli knows Randy is being sent away to boarding school. Something doesn’t feel right and when Eli and his other friends begin to investigate, they realize there is no going back.

Why I love this book:
I love it when a book just sucks me in from the start and I am looking for chances to pick it up during the day. This is one of those books.

It is told from alternating character viewpoints, which I really enjoy. I like seeing things from more than one perspective, and I also think it is a great way for kids to learn that there is always another way to look at the same set of facts. Additionally, it allows the book to be very accessible to both boys and girls since both genders are represented.

Of course it is the heart of the mystery that is the big reveal. No, I won’t spoil anything, but lets just say I have seen the subject dealt with in adult and YA, but never in an elementary school book, so I imagine that it will come as a surprise to most. I am looking forward to seeing how Korman deals with the issue in subsequent books since there are some serious ethical implications for these kids. However, in this first book the shock is tempered with plenty of suspense and humor.

Who this book is for:
Good for kids who like suspense and dystopian fiction. Reminded me a bit of books likeGenius Files, Codename Zero and Sylo.

I am a mom of three with a passion for literature! No matter what book series our kids devour, as they come to an end, we as parents ask the inevitable question - what is next? I am ever on the job, trying to answer that question. I try to do it with a variety of books. Some are silly, some true to life, some pure fantasy, but in the end I hope they make my children love words, explore new ideas, and laugh!

Previous book columns From Freya Hooper:

Here Is A Super Science Fiction for Your Kids

For Your Young Readers: Fabulous Fantasy Book for Kids

A Wickedly Clever Book

I Have A Dream

Football and Math in a Book for Kids

What to Read After Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Get Your Reluctant Reader to Pick Up a Book

A Book for Kids Who Love Percy Jackson.

A Book to Inspire Your Children.

A Book That Makes Science Fun For Kids.

A Book Your Kids Will Eat Up

The Ultimate Battle Book for Kids

A Fun Mystery Book for Kids

American History Is Gross

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