Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey
Illustrator: Diana Sudyka
Fiction Series
For ages 8 to 12
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2009 ISBN: 978-0316036733
Reynie Muldoon and his three friends, Kate, Sticky, and Constance, are going to be together again once more. Apparently their dear friend and mentor Mr. Benedict – the man who led them in their last adventure – has a wonderful surprise for them. However, when they all come together at Mr. Benedict's house they are horrified to learn that the old man and his assistant have been kidnapped by Mr. Benedict's evil twin brother, Mr. Curtain. They learn that Mr. Benedict had a trip planned for the children, and his plan was that they would solve some kind of a scavenger hunt that he had arranged for them.
Without needing to think too hard about it, Reynie and his friends decide that they need to find a way to rescue Mr. Benedict before it is too late. The one way that they can try to find their friend is to follow the clues that he left for the them as part of his scavenger hunt. Of course now the hunt takes on a dreadful urgency, and it is far from the enjoyable event that Mr. Benedict had hoped for.
It is not long before the children realize that they are being pursued. Mr. Curtain's henchmen are following them and they imagine that these dangerous individuals are trying to find some clue that Mr. Benedict left for the children.
In this thrilling second Mysterious Benedict Society book, the author takes his readers on an exciting and adventure-filled journey. In addition, he also allows his readers to look into the minds and hearts of the four children in a new way. The characters are developed further, and we come to see how these four unique and often remarkable individuals experience many of the same emotions that we do. Sticky is afraid of many things, and Constance (thought she is brilliant) is still just a little girl who wants a secure home. Apparently heroes have their worries and concerns just like the rest of us.
