When eleven-year-old orphan Reynie Muldoon finds a mysterious ad in the newspaper that reads, "Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" he and dozens of other children begin a series of mind-bending tests designed to identify the most intelligent and resourceful children. Ultimately, only four very special children will become The Mysterious Benedict Society, whose mission will send them undercover to an isolated school where a criminal mastermind has plans to take over the world.

This is an attention-grabbing adventure from start to finish, that will likely appeal most to the older end of the 9-12 age range. The book is long and the plot may be complex for a younger reader. But kids will enjoy the unique talents of each member of the Society, and will be challenged by the mind-bending tests throughout. Each of the four main characters is alone in the world -- one is an orphan, one has been abandoned by a parent -- but this strengthens the bond between them, and their familial situations are all resolved in the end.

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