39 Clues: Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan

Riordan, R. (2008). Maze of bones: the 39 clues. California: Scholastic. 

Summary

The Cahill family has set the course of history for hundreds of years and when their beloved Aunt Grace dies, orphans Dan and Amy are faced with an unusual choice: immediately inherit one million dollars or participate in a tedious and possibly dangerous modern day treasure hunt. Against the wishes of their guardian and unpleasant Aunt Beatrice, the siblings decide to accept the challenge and work together to decipher the first 39 clues. They soon realize that the quest is a whole lot deeper than they ever thought!

Review

Tweens and I love a great mystery and this series has it ALL! This book unfolds at such a super fast pace that readers will be racing to the nearest library to read the next book! This modern day treasure adventure gives children a chance to help solve clues, learn about historical figures, and debunk urban legends. Detailed accounts of their crazy adventure are awesome and kids will shudder and laugh at the siblings trek through the maze of bones.

Genre

Mystery

Reading Age/Interest Level

9-13 years/ Tween

Similar Books

The 39 Clues series- Rick Riordan

Calder Game- Blue Balliett

The Sherlock Files- Tracy Barett

Characters

• Amy (Age 15) and Dan (Age 11): They are the grandchildren of Grace Cahill. They became orphans when their parents died in a fire seven years earlier. Since that time, they have been in the care of their mean aunt Beatrice, before traveling to find the 39 Clues.

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• Grace Cahill: She is the Cahill's grandmother. She has traveled all over the world, and settled in Attleboro, Massachusetts. This book starts with a scene of her dying, and in the last minute, changing her will. 

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• • Alistair Oh: He is an aged, Korean inventor (most proud of his invention: microwavable burritos) and is from the Ekaterina branch. He is also Amy and Dan's "uncle", with his father being a half-brother with Grace's father. 

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• Ian and Natalie: They are both from London, UK.

•  Ian and Natalie both have cinnamon-complexion skin, amber eyes, and jet-black hair. They are both Lucians, with their parents, Isabel and Vikram, being the branch leaders.

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Irina Spasky: She is a former Russian KGB spy. Irina is known for her poison fingernails and for her sneakiness. She is also part of the Lucian branch.

Jonah Wizard: He is a superstar singer/actor and is always with his dad, Broderick Wizard. He had starred in the reality show "Who Wants to be a Gangsta?".

Eisenhower, Mary-Todd, Hamilton, Madison, and Reagan Holt: They are the strongest team in the quest. Eisenhower and Mary-Todd are the parents of Hamilton Pierre, Madison, and Reagan. Arnold, the family pit bull, is also considered as member of the family.They are all in Tomas. 

 Ned, Ted, and Sinead Starling: They have freckled faces and they always wear identical preppy clothes. They were put out of the hunt on the second day, due to an explosion caused by the Holts in a Philadelphia museum. They are part of the Ekaterina branch.

Nellie Gomez: She is the Cahill's au pair. Amy and Dan enlists her to be their guardian on the 39 Clues quest, unknowingly at first, but she later decides to help the children. She is of Mexican and French decent. 

William McIntyre: She is Grace Cahill's mysterious lawyer, advisor, and closest confidant. 

Readers Annotation

Everyone has a special person in their family, but what if you found out that Abraham Lincoln, Marie Curie and even Benjamin Franklin were all part of yours?!!?