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Title:Masterminds
Author:Gordon Korman
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.
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.
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 like Genius Files, Codename Zero and Sylo.
Good for kids who like suspense and dystopian fiction. Reminded me a bit of books like Genius Files, Codename Zero and Sylo.
Final thoughts:
One of the best I have read by Korman.
One of the best I have read by Korman.
To purchase this book:
Click on the following link to connect to Amazon: Masterminds
A portion of each purchase goes back to this blog at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.
A portion of each purchase goes back to this blog at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.
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