The Forbidden Stone

Gr 4–7—Wade Kaplan receives a coded message from his Uncle Henry, who dies suddenly soon after sending it. Wade, his dad, and three friends attend Uncle Henry's funeral in Germany and find more mysterious clues left by him. The kids and their dad are launched on an overseas adventure with mysteries and danger at every turn. It turns out that the clues are keys to finding seven relics; once they are all found, they will reveal the secret Copernicus Legacy. Unfortunately, members of an ancient and sinister society are after the seven relics as well, and Wade and his group soon find themselves in a race for their lives. MacLeod Andrews's narration captures the thrill of the adventure, creating unique voices for each character. Many of the places and names are in German and Italian. Andrews's European accents are wonderful, but young listeners unused to listening to them may find it difficult at times to keep up with the fast-paced story. This is the first in a series that is bound to please fans of the "39 Clues" series and the "Century Quartet."—Terri Norstrom, Cook Memorial Public Library District, Libertyville, IL