MIDDLE GRADE FICTION : Ms. Pennypickle's Puzzle Quest by Chris Grabenstein
ABOUT THE BOOK
Benjamin and Ethan Broderick don't fit together. Twelve-year-old Ben loves retro arcade games and puzzles, while his older brother would rather play sports and hang out with his friends. The only thing they have in common is how much they resent being forced to go on a summer road trip.
But at the quirky diner where the brothers make their very first stop, they discover a clue leading to a giant puzzle race with a million-dollar prize! Along with five other families, the Brodericks are thrust into a high-stakes competition along the famous Route 66.
Can Ben and Ethan put their heads together—and put aside their differences—to beat out the other families and solve Ms. Pennypickle's ultimate puzzle?
REVIEW
Benji and his college-bound brother, Ethan, don't get along much anymore. Their parents, in an effort to encourage more brotherly behavior, give Ethan a truck to take to college with him, if he takes Benji on a camping trip to the Grand Canyon. But as they start on their journey, they get distracted when they are pulled into a contest to win a million dollars by solving puzzles and visiting locations along Route 66. As they race across the country, the boys discover they have more in common then they thought, and they may even make some friends along the way, if they can make it to the end of the contest. But not everything is as expected and the boys may need more than their own brainpower and determination to make it to the end. Grabenstein has created another fun series opener full of fun puzzles and entertaining locations. I had no idea there was a real giant ketchup bottle out there or a place full of all kinds of unusual soda flavors. Even as readers follow along with Benji and Ethan, they will be cheering the boys on in both the contest and their improving relationship. A fun read, all around. Recommended.
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