The Lost Cipher

Gr 4–6—Oechsle orchestrates a fast-paced narrative that is both poignant and engaging. The main protagonist, Lucas, struggles with a recent death in his family. While at a camp for youth who have recently lost a parent, Lucas discovers a local legend surrounding an early explorer named Thomas Beale. Intrigued by the lore and the prospect of uncovering hidden gold within the mountains of the camp, Lucas and his new friends try their hand at tracking down the treasure. Unfortunately, the exact location of the gold is encrypted into a series of codes that no one to date has been able to decipher. Readers follow Lucas and his friends as they attempt to navigate unfamiliar terrain and wilderness perils along the way. Those who enjoy a strong male protagonist who is industrious, rugged, and intelligent will like this offering. The language is realistic, and the author captures regional dialects reasonably well. Themes such as loss, grief, camaraderie, and deception are present. Read-alikes include the "Mysterious Benedict Society" series (Little, Brown) and Lemony Snicket's "Series of Unfortunate Events" saga (HarperCollins).