The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart -- Ages 10/11+

I have a confession. I read this book about 5 years ago. And I'm pretty sure I read the second one. I am NOT sure if I read the third one and definitely didn't read the fourth. Three and four may or may not have been written yet...


Here is what I do know: I read the first book and loved it.
Max read it and loved it.
We gave it to Max's friend Lauren and SHE read it and loved it.

And as far as I know, every kid on the face of the planet who has read this book...

...has loved it.

(Please correct me if I'm wrong!! If you or your kid hated it, this is information we need to know!;)

This is a pretty long book. 500+ pages, so NOT for a beginning reader. But I believe it appeals equally to boys and girls and has a nice blend of clever, independent kids, and exciting adventures with a lot of mystery and problem-solving mixed in. I would have loved it as a kid. (And, as I said, loved it as an adult.)

Amazon age range is 8-13 for the first book, 10-13 for the whole series.
(But as we know from The Lego Movie...
Son: "It says Ages 5-12" Dad: "That's just a suggestion!!")

Read it and let me know what you think! And tell me if I need to go back and finish the series!!

Happy Reading,

Emily

Common Sense Media says:
Parents need to know that The Mysterious Benedict Society is the story of four gifted kids, all orphans age 12 and under, who are recruited and then trained by Mr. Benedict and sent to a remote boarding school to learn more about an evil mastermind bent on taking over the world. There's little violence beyond some mild fistfighting and a near kidnapping, where perpetrators are knocked out with a tranquilizer gun. Teamwork, creative problem solving, and the love of the truth are keys to the kids' success. This is the first in a four-volume series. 

P.S. If you liked this post, please leave a comment or share it!

P.P.S. Most links used above are 'Amazon Affiliate' links. If you use one to buy a book, I get a small percentage of the purchase price. If you don't, I won't mind a bit. 
I always recommend getting books at the library first, buying from Amazon second!

P.P.P.S. I purchased this book with my own money and reviewed it because I loved it!