One of our favorite authors is back, this time with a new mystery series. Andrew Clements is well known for his realistic fiction books. Now Clements ventures into the world of mystery stories. Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School: We the Children starts off with Benjamin Pratt running to class because he is late. He hates being late, but some days it just happens. Ben finds the school custodian sitting on a bench, looking very ill. When Ben stops to help the old man slips an old coin into his hand and tells him to “trust no one”, especially the new substitute custodian! When Ben looks at the coin he sees writing - “‘If attacked, look nor’-nor’east from amidships on the upper deck.’” He turned the coin over. “‘First and always, my school belongs to the children. DEFEND IT. Duncan Oakes, 1783.’” Ben’s historic school is set to be demolished for a nautical amusement park. While this sounds like a fun idea, Ben knows from the coin and other stories, that the sea captain, Duncan Oakes, left the school to the children, they are the Keepers of the School. Ben and his friend Jill must follow the clues to stop the demolition. Will they succeed? We will have to wait for the next book in the series )due out in January 2011) to have many of our questions answered, but this is a great beginning to the new series – Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School.
