 | Eureka key (Secrets of the seven) Author: Thomson, Sarah L. | |
| Price: $22.38 | ||
Summary:
Sam (a puzzle master) and Martina (a history whiz) become involved in a dangerous quest to find seven keys left behind by Benjamin Franklin and a secret society of descendants, which, when gathered together, unlock a powerful weapon, so the middle schoolers must solve the puzzles, find the artifacts before the bad guy does, and save the nation.
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: MG Reading Level: 4.80 Points: 7.0 Quiz: 181745 |
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 12/01/2015 Gr 4–6—This accessible series starter involves two children who win a contest and are awarded a summer trip around the United States. Puzzle whiz Sam and history expert Martina join another student, the mysterious Theo, and an evasive adult named Evangeline at the airport. Things immediately take a dangerous turn when everyone on board the small plane is drugged except Sam and Martina. They manage to land the plane, but the danger only increases from there. Ultimately, they discover that the "contest" is something much greater and more dangerous than a simple trip. Puzzle-solving is a key component of their adventures. Readers will enjoy the deductive reasoning involved and the high-stress situations the kids find themselves in as they try to stay one step ahead of the deadly bad guys. This story has the feeling of a computer game that relies on knowledge of American history to advance. VERDICT This title will appeal to history buffs, puzzle fans, and reluctant readers.—B. Allison Gray, Goleta Public Library, CA - Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Bulletin for the Center... - 04/01/2016 Martina and Sam have won a puzzle contest, and now they’re off for their prize of an adventure across the country, or so they think. Instead, they quickly become wrapped up in the dangerous pursuit of artifacts, following clues left behind by the founding fathers while also trying to avoid being murdered. Of course, as puzzle buffs, the two are well equipped to stay ahead of their pursuers, but they are still only a couple of kids against some clever, gun-toting, financially advantaged adults. Puzzle fans will enjoy grappling with the teasers embedded in the text, and those who just want to keep reading along won’t lose a bit of the plot by just glossing over the puzzles. Unfortunately, Sam and Martina rarely step out of their firmly established roles of brash rebel and bossy know-it-all, so neither is terribly memorable. In addition, there’s so much setup and such predictable plot twists that the story has little mystery or excitement. Nevertheless, history buffs will like the cool notion that descendants of important people are still battling it out (George Washington and Benedict Arnold family members pop up), and readers who are puzzle fans may enjoy being a step ahead of the story. AS - Copyright 2016 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.
