Two orphaned siblings give up a million dollars to join a race for the secret of their powerful family
A million dollars or a clue
Amy Cahill, fourteen, and her brother Dan, eleven, are orphans who live with their strict great-aunt in Boston. When their beloved grandmother Grace dies, her will offers the members of the large Cahill family a startling choice: take a million dollars, or take the first of thirty-nine clues leading to a secret that could make them the most powerful people in history.
Who will enjoy it
Readers aged about eight to twelve who enjoy fast-paced treasure hunts, puzzles, history and adventures with brave young heroes.
What you will get
A fast, fun treasure hunt full of puzzles, history and rival relatives, with a brother and sister who must learn to trust each other.
The Maze of Bones Facts: Pages, Genre and Setting
Genre
Children’s Books · Treasure hunt · Siblings · History
Length
220 pages · ≈ 6 h
More about this book
Amy and Dan choose the clue, and soon they are racing against rival teams of relatives, each more ruthless than the last, including a pair of wealthy, sneering cousins, a tough sporting family and a secretive inventor. The first clue leads them to Benjamin Franklin, and their hunt takes them from Philadelphia to Paris, where they explore secret passages and the ancient tunnels beneath the city.
Amy is shy and bookish, Dan is impulsive and loves collecting things, and their bickering and loyalty make a believable sibling pair. They are accompanied by their young, music-loving au pair, Nellie, and Grace's cat, Saladin. Rick Riordan packs the story with real historical facts, codes and narrow escapes, and the tone is light and exciting. The series was designed with collectible cards and an online game, and later books were written by different authors.
Fast, fun and educational, followed by One False Note. It is a good choice for young readers who enjoyed Percy Jackson and want another quick, exciting adventure, and many readers go on to finish all the books in the series. About 220 pages in the Scholastic hardcover.
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