We the Children

March 22, 2010
This suspenseful novel, which launches Clements's (No Talking
) Benjamin Pratt & the Keepers of the School series, catapults Ben into a mystery surrounding his seaside school. Founded by a Revolutionary War–era sea captain, the school is slated to be demolished to make way for an amusement park. Just before he dies, the longtime custodian gives the sixth grader a gold coin imprinted with the founder's declaration that the school “belongs to the children” and cryptic instructions on how to “defend” it. Ben and his friend Jill set out to decode the message, a process that involves some intriguing questions and maneuverings. Clements has the makings of an action-lover's dream scenario: a school setting full of history and secrets, a tense kids-versus-adults dynamic, and a sailing race to boot. Some may be disappointed by how little is revealed, though, and the climactic race, while exciting, ends the story abruptly. Characteristically, Clements probes his hero's personal quandaries, as Ben deals with his parents' separation, his growing feelings for Jill, and the potential loss of his beloved school. Ages 7–10.

May 1, 2010
Gr 3-6-Sixth-grader Ben is racing off to class when he finds the janitor, Mr. Keane, in severe pain. The man gives him a gold coin from 1783 that has been passed down through the years by loyal janitors and can be traced to the first man hired by the founder of Captain Duncan Oakes School. It reads, "First and always/My school belongs to the children./Defend it." A few hours later, he is dead. The town council has sold the school to a big company to build a theme park, and there's something very fishy about the deal. With the words on the coin as his first clue, Ben studies the history of his school, which is 50 feet from the water's edge in a Massachusetts coastal town, and he convinces his friend Jill to help him explore it. Meanwhile, Ben is adjusting to his parents' separation and living at home with his Mom and on the sailboat with his dad. Expressive, dynamic full-page and spot illustrations rendered in pen and ink heighten the action. An exciting ending sequence features Ben participating in a sailboat race and becoming a reluctant hero. There are many questions to be answered in the next book. Good writing by an experienced author, likable characters, and a mystery to be solved make this a solid choice."Debbie S. Hoskins, Grand Rapids Public Library, MI"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2010
Grades 4-6 This first novel in the new Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School series centers on young Benjamins efforts to save his historic elementary school from amusement-park developers. The school was founded in the late eighteenth century by an eccentric sea captain, Duncan Oaks. In their attempt to save the school, Benjamin and his friend Jill uncover a long string of clues and discover that the schools janitor is not as innocent as he appears. Jill and Benjamin have still not fit together all the missing pieces toward the end of the story, when Clements sends Benjamin on an exciting side trip to a sailing regatta, where he competes and saves a fellow racer. Several other youth novels feature kids facing off against greedy, nefarious developers. What sets this title apart is the skillful way that Clements conveys Benjamins growing appreciation of his seaside hometowns landscape and history. Readers will look forward to finding out how the disparate clues come together in coming installments.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2010
Clements's coastal New England-set mystery series starts with the school custodian pressing a mysterious coin on sixth grader Ben, then dying. This leads Ben to investigate the plan to tear down his old school. Very much a series entry, the book ends before any of the clues have been followed. It's light stuff, but there's a lot of child appeal.

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)