The+Mysterious+Benedict+Society

Summary/Review
//(1)// When a peculiar ad shows up in the newspaper, Reynard (Reynie) Muldroon's quiet, uneventful life is forever changed. After taking some of the most bizarre tests Reynie has ever taken, he is entered into an even crazier world full of mystery, adventure, and danger. But Reynie is not alone. He has three brand new friends along for the ride, and as strange as they may be, Reynie couldn't complete the secret mission without Kate, Sticky, or Constance. Join the Mysterious Benedict Society and test your knowledge with them as they try to complete their mission and, ultimately, try to save the world. //(4)//

Author/Illustrator Bio
__//Trenton Lee Stewart//__ Trenton Lee Stewart was born in 1970 and is a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop. The //Mysterious Benedict Society// Series is his debut in Children's Literature and includes 4 novels; the fourth is set to be released in 2012. Today, Stewart lives with his wife and their two sons in Little Rock, AR. //(5,4)// __Carson Ellis__ Carson Ellis was born in 1975 in Vancouver, Canada. She attended the Univeristy of Montana where she received her BFA in painting. She has held many odd jobs including hot dog vending and a chairlift operator before becoming soley an illustrator. She has worked with Lemony Snicket and several other writers. Along with writers, Ellis has worked with bands including The Decemberists (her husband's band), Wheezer, and more. In 2010, Ellis received, from the Society of Illustrators, the Silver Medal for her work on //Dilweed's Revenge.// Today, she lives in Portland, OR with her husband and their daughter. //(6,7)// //(2) (3)// //Photos: Photo on the left is Trenton Lee Stewart and to the right is Carson Ellis.//

Other Readings
//Trenton Lee Stewart (5)// [|__//The Mysterious Benedict Society//__] (2007) [|__//The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey//__] (2008) [|__//The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma//__] (2009) //The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict// (2012)

//Carson Ellis (6)// //The Mysterious Benedict Society//, written by Trenton Lee Stewart (Little, Brown, April 1, 2008) //The Composer Is Dead//, written by Lemony Snicket (HarperCollins, March 3, 2009) //The Beautiful Stories of Life//, written by Cynthia Rylant (Harcourt Children's Books, May 4, 2009) //Stagecoach Sal//, written by Deborah Hopkinson (Hyperion, September 1, 2009) //Dillweed's Revenge//, written by Florence Parry Heide (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, September 6, 2010) //Wildwood//, written by Colin Meloy (Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins, August 30, 2011)

Awards
[|BCCB Blue Ribbon Book (2007)] [|ALA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults (2009.01 | Spies and Intrigue, 2009)] [|E.B. White Read Aloud Award by the Association of Booksellers for Children (Older Readers, 2008)] [|ALA Notable Children's Book (2008)] [|Booklist Editor's Choice Books for Youth Awards (Middle Readers, 2009)] [|MCBA (2009.1|Winner, 2009)] [|School Library Journal Best Book of the Year (2007)] [|Young Reader's Choice Award Nominee (2010)] //(8)//

History
Published in 2007 through Little, Brown and Co.

Major Themes
Action and Adventure; Alternative Schooling; Friendship; Education; Logic and Knowledge; Family