The Missing: Books 1-3

By: Margaret Peterson Haddix

Jonah has always known he was adopted.  His parents love he and his sister very much!  One summer, he receives a strange message in the mail: You are one of the missing.  Jonah, his

sister, Katherine, and new neighbor, Chip, laugh it off as a silly junior high prank.  But the Chip also receives the same message.  This causes an argument with his parents through which he finds out he is also adopted.  Within days, the FBI, vanishing janitors, lists of witnesses and survivors make them realize something very strange is going on.  The friends agree to figure this mystery out together, but they have no idea what they will uncover next!

Mrs. Senechal says:
Wow!  This series starts with a bang - I actually read Book 1 in one day!  While this is a science fiction series, there is also a lot of historical fiction mixed in.  The imaginative futuristic technology is exciting and thinking about how one tiny thing could cause a huge change in history will keep you reading.  So far, there are four more books in this series, and I fully intend to read them all!

The 39 Clues (series)

By: Riordan, Korman, Lerangis, Watson, Carman, Park, and Haddix

The 39 Clues is a series of 10 books.  Nine of the books are currently available, and the tenth book will be in stores on August 31, 2010.  Besides an exciting part to the story, each book contains 6 clue cards which readers can use to try to help solve the mystery by going to http://www.the39clues.com/.

The books follow Amy and Dan, two orphans raised by a grouchy great-aunt and a series of nannies, but loved greatly by their grandmother, Grace.  But when Grace passes away, instead of an inheritance, Amy and Dan, set out on the hunt for the 39 Clues which are said to lead to an amazing and powerful treasure.  Unfortunately, the other members of the family are on the hunt as well, and they will stop at nothing to beat each other to the final prize.  Amy and Dan quickly find themselves using all their wits to escape fires, capture, and deceit while trying to get to the clues before anyone else.

Mrs. Senechal Says:
I am currently reading book 5 in the series, and every book so far has been fantastic!  I love the constant action and suspense.  It's also interesting to read about so many countries and famous people from history.  The adventure in this book reminds me a bit of the National Treasure movies.  I'm looking forward to reading the entire series - glad book 10 comes out soon!