Exciting Opporunity

When I worked at summer camp my boss would often say, "I have an exciting opportunity for someone."  And we would all volunteer because exciting opportunity sounds like something...well, exciting.  Eventually we caught on that 'exciting opportunity' meant something like carting firewood from one end of the camp to the other or plunging a clogged toilet so we stopped volunteering.

But what if those 'exciting opportunities' had actually been exciting.   We probably would have kept volunteering, we may have even fought for those spots.  Well that's exactly what Reynie does when he sees an add in the paper, "are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?"  After a series of bizarre tests, including an offer to cheat, a test where the answers are hidden in other questions, and a maze,  Reynie is selected to go see Mr. Benedict.

And thus begins the adventure in Trenton Lee Stewart's  The Mysterious Benedict Society.  Reynie is not the only gifted child to have passed the test.  He is joined by George aka Sticky, Katie, and Constance.  Together they must find out whats behind the great emergency and uncover the hidden secrets of The Institute.

I have been wanting to read this book for quite awhile now so I was glad to see it on this years Reading Olympics list.  It was definitely worth the wait.  Not to mention it was the perfect book for a rainy Saturday.  A nice thick tome with quirky characters, a beautifully developed storyline, and just a hint of intrigue.

Resisting...that's kids stuff.