FICTION

The Secret Box

by Whitaker RINGWALD
304p. HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen. . 2014. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780062216144. LC 2013008473.
COPY ISBN
Gr 5–8—Jax Malone is a 12-year-old tomboy with a thirst for adventure and an inquisitive mind. Ethan is her younger, quieter, nerdy cousin who is just along for the ride. When a mysterious gift appears on Jax's 12th birthday, Jax's mother quickly tries to hide it. What happens next is a string of events that will leave readers on the edge of their seats. Great Aunt Juniper sent the box, a great aunt Jax didn't even know existed. After a few failed attempts at opening it, Jax and Ethan enlist the help of Ethan's older brother Tyler, a gamer who loves to win at anything, and a wild, crazy and even dangerous road trip adventure begins. Jax and her cousins quickly find out that the box was not really a present after all but a call for help. Ringwald creates a cast of characters that are relatable to any middle-grade child; Jax could be any smart, sassy tween in any school. The chapters are told in alternating voices between Jax and Ethan, using both points of view. Ethan's chapter even starts with fun real facts. This is a great read for reluctant readers or for anyone who loves adventure, mystery, or a touch of magic or who is curious in nature, for, as Jax says… "Curiosity may have killed the cat but I was no cat."—Joanne Albano, Commack Public Library, NY
Twelve-year-old Jax Malone receives a mysterious birthday package from her estranged great-aunt Juniper: a locked, GPS-encoded box that only opens in one location. With her cousins Ethan and Tyler, Jax works to crack the code while being pursued by obsessive archeologists who want the box's all-powerful contents for themselves. The fast pace, authentic family dynamics, and suspense combine to create a winning adventure.
This engaging, surprise-filled mystery combines disparate elements—modern technology and Greek myths—in a satisfying way. As Jax and her cousins Ethan and Tyler try to unearth the secrets of Jax’s puzzle box, their distinctive personalities become apparent: Jax is brave and relies on instinct; Ethan is cautious and a trivia nerd; and Tyler is a math-genius gamer. It’s fun to see these often argumentative characters come to rely on one another’s talents to achieve a collective goal. Jax and Ethan narrate different chapters, and both kids’ voices are realistic and full of humor. Nervous about meeting his great-aunt for the first time, for example, Ethan notes: “A funny feeling had settled in my stomach. Maybe it was the pizza-flavored chips I’d eaten during the ride, combined with the mini doughnuts, but it felt like more than that.” The story’s pace and tension continuously escalate over the course of the book. Readers will look forward to each new plot twist—and to the next book in the series.

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