Author/Illustrator: Eric Berlin
Plot Summary: Winston Breen buys his sister an ornamental box for his birthday but gets much more than that. Its false bottom bears a set of clues that they discover will lead to a treasure. After meeting the people who own the other three sets of clues, Winston and his sister go on a treasure hunt filled with suspense, danger, and more puzzles.
Comments: This was one of the best books I have read so far for the database project. It was well-written, interesting, suspenseful, and utterly appropriate for upper elementary students.
Extensions:
1. The author's website states that it is possible to email him and arrange a phone visit. It seems there is no charge for this although as the book gains in popularity, this will probably no longer be an option. However, I would do this sooner rather than later after using the book as a read aloud or book club/literature circle book. I would have the students prepared with questions and either use a speaker phone or see if he would Skype for a video conference.
2. During the course of a read aloud in the classroom, I would give daily puzzles found on Winston's puzzle blog - http://winstonbreen.com/blog/. There are a large number of all types of interesting puzzles.
Themes/keywords: brothers and sisters, puzzles, mystery, detective story
Age/Reading Level: 3 - 6; ATOS/Follett - 4.2; Lexile - 670
Standards:
(similar standards for fifth and sixth grade.)
ELA4R1 The student demonstrates comprehension and shows evidence of a
warranted and responsible explanation of a variety of literary and informational
texts.
ELA4R2 The student consistently reads at least twenty-five books or book equivalents (approximately 1,000,000 words) each year. The materials should include traditional and contemporary literature (both fiction and non-fiction) as well as magazines, newspapers, textbooks, and electronic material. Such reading should represent a diverse collection of material from at least three different literary forms and from at least five different writers.
Publisher's Info: G.P. Putnam's Sons; New York. 2007
ISBN-13: 978-0-399-24693-7
ISBN-10: 0-399-24693-2
Awards/Review Sources:
Wilson's Children 01/01/09
Wilson's Junior High School 11/01/08
School Library Journal 11/01/07
Booklist starred 11/15/07
Horn Book 04/01/08
Voice of Youth Advocates (V.O.Y.A.) 02/01/08
Kirkus Review 08/01/07
Library Media Connection 11/01/07
Genre/Dewey: Fiction
Websites:
Author's website
For a multiple choice quiz about the book, click here.
Notes for Booktalk: Really excellent book; The sequel is available, The Potato Chip Puzzles
Vocabulary:
Comments