Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

I finished listening to The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma last night–now I can pass it on to my 12-year-old!–and while the old ornery part of me noted that it is, essentially, a third book (of 400-500 pages or so!) in which Reynie, Sticky, Constance, and Kate battle Mr. Curtain and his men with off-and-on adult assistance, I still quite enjoyed it.  I haven’t yet read the prequel, although my oldest has, but I did see on Trenton Lee Stewart’s website that another MBS book is due out this fall, after 10 years.  Whether that one will revive the story arc that Prisoner’s Dilemma concluded remains to be seen, but I’m looking forward to it.  Stewart spins a good yarn, with individualized characters, and he certainly keeps you reading.  If your latter-elementary or middle schooler likes adventures with riddles and puzzles, this is a good bet–for girls OR boys.  Let me know what you think!*

*Incidentally, this feels like a very brief review, but it covers what I thought needed to be said.  I might have expanded it, only I’ve been doing other things today and I’m down to the wire as far as figuring out what to feed my offspring for dinner.  Suggestions?