The Maze of Bones (The 39 Clues #1)

by Rick Riordan (Author)

Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade
Series: The 39 Clues

The first book in the #1 bestselling phenomenon sends readers around the world on the hunt for the 39 Clues!

Minutes before she died Grace Cahill changed her will, leaving her decendants an impossible decision: "You have a choice - one million dollars or a clue."

Grace is the last matriarch of the Cahills, the world's most powerful family. Everyone from Napoleon to Houdini is related to the Cahills, yet the source of the family power is lost. 39 Clues hidden around the world will reveal the family's secret, but no one has been able to assemble them. Now the clues race is on, and young Amy and Dan must decide what's important: hunting clues or uncovering what REALLY happened to their parents.

With 6 Game Cards

Select format:
Hardcover
$13.99

More books in the series - See All

None

A familiar story skillfully reimagined for today's gadget-savvy youth.

Publishers Weekly

Starred Review
Built around a ripe conceitwealthy matriarch scatters cryptic clues to a mysterious fortune around the globethis first installment in a projected 10-book series is tons of fun. Lead-off hitter Riordan ("The Lightning Thief") mixes just the right proportions of suspense, peril and puzzles in a fast-paced read (Riordan mapped the narrative arc for all 10 volumes, but other high-profile authors will be writing for the series, too). Likable orphans Amy and Dan Cahill have moxie (plus Dan can memorize numbers instantly) and frailties (Amy hates crowds). As the siblings compete with less honorable members of the Cahill clan, all distantly related to Benjamin Franklin, to win the fortune by collecting all 39 clues (only two are found in this first book), they learn about their dead parents, each other and world history. The humor is spot onone uncle is credited with inventing the microwave burrito. The only flaw? The story does not end so much as drop off a cliff. (The second book, "One False Note" by Gordon Korman, is set to arrive in December.) While waiting, readers can collect cards, each of which contains evidence, and play the online game (www.the39clues.com), for which Scholastic is offering over $100,000 in prizes. This ought to have as much appeal to parents as it does to kidsit's Webkinz without the stuffed animals, and a rollicking good read. Ages 912. "(Sept.)" Copyright 2008 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Starred Review
Gr 4-7 When their beloved Aunt Grace dies, Dan, 11, and Amy, 14along with other Cahill descendantsare faced with an unusual choice: inherit one million dollars or participate in a perilous treasure hunt. Cahills have determined the course of history for centuries, and this quest's outcome will bring the victors untoward power and affect all of humankind. Against the wishes of nasty Aunt Beatrice, their reluctant guardian since their parents' deaths, Dan and Amy accept the challenge, convincing their college-age au pair to serve as designated adult. Pitted against other Cahill teams, who will stop at nothing to win, the siblings decipher the first of 39 clues and are soon hot on the historical trail of family member Ben Franklin to unearth the next secret. Adeptly incorporating a genuine kids' perspective, the narrative unfolds like a boulder rolling downhill and keeps readers glued to the pages. As the siblings work together to solve puzzles and survive dangers, they develop into well-drawn individuals with their own strengths and personalities. Supporting Cahill cast members come across as intentionally exaggerated caricatures, adding to the tale's breathless fun. The book dazzles with suspense, plot twists, and snappy humor, but the real treasure may very well be the historical tidbits buried in the story. Part of a multimedia launch including a Web site, collectable game cards, and a 10-title series (penned by different authors), this novel stands solidly on its own feet and will satisfy while whetting appetites for more."Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal" Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Rick Riordan
Rick Riordan, dubbed "storyteller of the gods" by Publishers Weekly, is the author of five #1 New York Times best-selling middle grade series with millions of copies sold throughout the world: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Heroes of Olympus, and the Trials of Apollo, based on Greek and Roman mythology; the Kane Chronicles, based on Ancient Egyptian mythology; and Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, based on Norse mythology. Rick collaborated with illustrator John Rocco on two #1 New York Times best-selling collections of Greek myths for the whole family: Percy Jackson's Greek Gods and Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes. Rick is also the publisher of an imprint at Disney-Hyperion, Rick Riordan Presents, dedicated to finding other authors of highly entertaining fiction based on world cultures and mythologies. He lives in Boston, Massachusetts with his wife and two sons. Follow him on Twitter at @RickRiordan.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780545060394
Lexile Measure
610
Guided Reading Level
U
Publisher
Scholastic Press
Publication date
September 09, 2008
Series
The 39 Clues
BISAC categories
JUV001000 - Juvenile Fiction | Action & Adventure
JUV020000 - Juvenile Fiction | Interactive Adventures
Library of Congress categories
-
Young Reader's Choice Award
Nominee 2011 - 2011
Golden Archer Award
Nominee 2011 - 2011
Nevada Young Readers' Award
Winner 2011 - 2011

Subscribe to our delicious e-newsletter!