Skavenger's Hunt

Gr 5–8—Twelve-year-old Henry's father was hit by a car two years ago and his mother remains overprotective of Henry in light of his father's heartbreaking death. He understands his mother's worry and doesn't pressure her for more independence, but longs for it just the same, just as he yearns for the adventures his father promised the two of them would have together some day. On Christmas Eve at his grandparents' house, Henry's grandfather reveals a secret: a scavenger hunt like no other, because it is the very first and remains unsolved over a century after it began. Henry realizes that this is the adventure his father promised, one they would share with his grandfather who has recently found a ledger sheet inside a library book that may hold the key to completing the quest. Instead of going to sleep that night, he sneaks another look at the sheet and unintentionally sets in motion a series of dangerous and exciting events that lead him to 19th century New York City, the Mississippi River, and Paris. This evenly paced, engaging adventure takes readers through an exciting time in history to meet Mark Twain, Gustave Eiffel, and Cornelius Vanderbilt the Second along the way while seamlessly imparting historical details. The characters' emotional connections, especially between Henry and his great-great-grandfather, are poignant and believable.