Media:Hardcover Edition:Har/Crds Reading Level:Ages 9-12 Number Of Items:1 Pages:160 Shipping Weight (lbs):0.7 Dimensions (in):7.5 x 5 x 0.7
ISBN:0545060427 EAN:9780545060424 ASIN:0545060427
Publication Date:December 2, 2008 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days Shipping:International shipping available Condition:Brand New. Shipped from UK Mainland. Delivery is usually 2 - 3 working days from order by Royal Mail, International Delivery is by Airmail.
Learning History, One Clue at a TimeJanuary 1, 2009 If you are a veteran of The Maze of Bones, you now know about the Cahill family and the race to find and solve the 39 clues, have visited the catacombs in Paris, and know the answer to the first clue (Shh! Don't tell!). In One False Note, you'll gain new perspectives on what it has meant in the past to be a Cahill, learn a lot about Mozart, gain a little knowledge about Venice, and find and solve a second clue (which you'll probably figure out on your own by drawing on what you learned from the first clue).
Once again, Amy and Dan are still off trying to find the 39 clues with a Mozart musical composition in the hand writing by the master himself. To save money, they are on a clunky train headed for Vienna. Dan's amazing memory turns out to be essential, Amy's willingness to put up with her brother keeps the peace, and au pair, Nellie Gomez, patiently does the heavy lifting where an adult is essential. All of them are worried about Saladin not being willing to eat cat food (being used to fresh red snapper) as the cat gets thinner and thinner. There's lots of action as the Cahills seek to thwart each other.
A major part of the story's charm is that the opposing Cahills are such dunces while having exaggerated opinions of themselves. It's not hard for Dan and Amy to outwit them at virtually every turn. But the youngsters still have a lot to learn about keeping what they know to themselves.
To me, the only thing better than a mystery . . . is an extended mystery. The idea of putting together all of these books, trading cards, and the Web site permits the mystery lover to enjoy the unknown (which is always so much more exotic than the known) for a long time. It's terrific.
As a stand-alone book, this one is pretty good. But don't bother to pick it up unless you want to follow the story through all of the books. Naturally, if you really want to compete for the prizes you'll need to acquire the cards. But I think you can enjoy the whole thing quite a bit just by reading the books and visiting the Web site. It's a more entertaining version of The Amazing Race pitched for the juvenile set.
The book's main drawback is that the characters are too predictable . . . and are often more than just a little annoying. To sustain such a series with the highest level of entertainment, it would have been a good idea to make the leading characters more desirable and attractive. I also wonder if it was necessary to turn them into thieves to make the story work. I don't think so. There's a negative moral tone here that will bother any parent who pre-screens what his or her children read.
But if you want to enjoy it as pure fantasy and imagine yourself as either Amy or Dan (and how you could avoid being a crook and still win), I think you will have a good time.
Parents will like that there is so much culture and history crammed into the story line. It's likely that those who read the series will develop some lifelong interests that might otherwise have taken longer to sprout.
Enjoy your mysterious cake and eat it, too!
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