A review by lisawreading
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma by Trenton Lee Stewart

4.0

A terrific end to a terrific trilogy! The Mysterious Benedict Society books are unique in the current children's book market -- a group of smart kids solve problems and basically save the world, and there's no witchcraft, magical powers, or supernatural beings anywhere in sight. The children in the MBS books use brain power to solve puzzles and outsmart their enemies, and the adults in their world trust them and support them enough to let them do what they need to do. I love the fact that the child with the greatest physical gifts -- speed, strength, agility -- is a girl, and that the boys have no qualms about standing back and letting her do the heavy lifting, so to speak. Each child's talent is unique, and the book emphasizes the fact that they are each responsible for the others, and that no one of them could accomplish on his/her own what they're able to do as a group. I read these books with my 4th-grader, and he was completely absorbed in the adventure from start to finish. As a plus, the vocabulary in these books is quite advanced, so I was able to slip a little education to my child without him really noticing it. Highly recommended, for adults as well as children.