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Author | Trenton Lee Stewart |
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Illustrator | Carson Ellis (first book), Diana Sudyka (second, third, companion, prequel), Manuela Montoya Escobar (fourth book) |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Publisher | Little, Brown, and Company |
Media type | |
No. of books | 4 |
Website | http://www.mysteriousbenedictsociety.com/ |
The Mysterious Benedict Society is a quartet of children's books by Trenton Lee Stewart that follows the adventures of four children. Each of the first three books were published annually from 2007 to 2009, with the fourth installment published a decade later. The first children's novels written by Stewart, the series follows the adventures of the self-dubbed Mysterious Benedict Society, named after the eccentric Mr. Benedict who initially gathers the four members together. [1] A prequel novel about Nicholas Benedict was released in 2012.
The book deals with the adventures of four young children who are each gifted in different areas, bound by one common factor: they are either orphans or unwanted by their parents. The children become involved with the strange Nicholas Benedict and his guild of assistants who are trying to stop Mr. Benedict's twin, Ledroptha Curtain, from taking over the world via brainwashing. The children team up against the villain and his evil assistants, called the Ten Men.
Streaming television service Hulu has announced plans for an adaptation of the series, written by Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay, with Tony Hale cast as Mister Benedict and Mister Curtain. [3] On November 13, 2020, it was announced the series would move to Disney+. [4] The first seasons consists of eight episodes and premiered on June 25, 2021. [5] Additional cast members include Kristen Schaal as Number Two, MaameYaa Boafo as Rhonda Kazembe, Ryan Hurst as Milligan, Gia Sandhu as Ms. Perumal, Mystic Inscho as Reynie Muldoon, Seth Carr as Sticky Washington, Emmy DeOliveira as Kate Wetherall, and Marta Kessler as Constance Contraire. [2] The creators of the season that future seasons would incorporate elements from multiple books in the series instead of adapting a single book into one season like the first season. [6]
The series has sold over three million copies. [7] Many critics praised the enigmatic plot and puzzles included in the storyline of The Mysterious Benedict Society; journalist Michele Norris, writing for NPR, said, "Almost everything inside this book is an enigma." [8] Additionally, the ethical decisions and moral lessons contained within the book were praised. Kirkus Reviews said that the book was "rich in moral and ethical issues." [9] In a starred review for The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Jounrey, School Library Journal described the book as "not just a rip-roaring adventure ... but also a warm and satisfying tale about friendship." [10] Kirkus Reviews was less positive, saying that the book "may wear down less patient readers", citing the prose and needless elaborations in several areas. [11] Horn Book Magazine disagreed, saying that "Stewart keeps interest high throughout". [12] They especially praised the "first-rate brainteasers", [12] with School Library Journal also commenting that it had "plenty of clever twists". [10]
For The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma, Booklist stated "Displaying much of the charm of the first book, this would make a fitting end to the series, but the Society's legion of fans probably wouldn't say no to more." [13] while the School Library Journal wrote "the story lacks the facile agility of its predecessors. On the other hand, the opening gambit is fresh and frightfully funny ... If this is the last Society installment, readers had better, as Reynie says, 'acquire a taste for the bittersweet.'" [13] Kirkus Reviews called the book The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages "Clever as ever—if slow off the mark—and positively laden with tics, quirks, and puns." [14] The American Booksellers Association named Riddle of Ages one of their ABC Best Books for Young Readers in 2019. [15]
Constance is a female given name that derives from Latin and means "constant." Variations of the name include Connie, Constancia, and Constanze.
Edward Packard is an American author, creator of the Choose Your Own Adventure book concept and author of more than 50 books in the series, as well as many other children’s books. He is also a lawyer, essayist, and poet. Born in Huntington, New York, he is a graduate of Princeton University and Columbia Law School.
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Carson Friedman Ellis is a Canadian-born American children's book illustrator and artist. She received a Caldecott Honor for her children's book Du Iz Tak? (2016). Her work is inspired by folk art, art history, and mysticism.
The Mysterious Benedict Society is a novel written by Trenton Lee Stewart and illustrated by Carson Ellis, first published in 2007. It tells the story of four gifted children: Reynie Muldoon, George "Sticky" Washington, Kate Wetherall, and Constance Contraire, who form the "Mysterious Benedict Society" and are sent to investigate an institution called L.I.V.E., run by a man named Ledroptha Curtain. The book is the first in a series that has sold over three million copies.
Trenton Lee Stewart is an American author best known for the Mysterious Benedict Society series. Stewart is a graduate of Hendrix College and the Iowa Writers' Workshop. He lives in Little Rock, Arkansas.
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey is a bestselling children's novel written by Trenton Lee Stewart and illustrated by Diana Sudyka, published in 2008. It is the second book in the series, following The Mysterious Benedict Society.
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma is a 2009 children's novel written by Trenton Lee Stewart and illustrated by Diana Sudyka. For a decade it remained the third and final book in the series; however, a new adventure followed in 2019.
Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire is a middle-grade fiction fantasy novel, written by American screenwriter John August. It was published on February 6, 2018 by Roaring Brook Press, an imprint of the Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group. It is the first book in a planned Arlo Finch trilogy, and is based on August's own experience as a Boy Scout.
Catch-22 is a satirical dark comedy miniseries based on the 1961 novel of the same name by Joseph Heller. It premiered on May 17, 2019, on Hulu in the United States. The series stars Christopher Abbott, Kyle Chandler, Hugh Laurie, and George Clooney, who is also an executive producer alongside Grant Heslov, Luke Davies, David Michôd, Richard Brown, Steve Golin, and Ellen Kuras. The series was written by Davies and Michôd and directed by Clooney, Heslov, and Kuras, with each directing two episodes.
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Looking for Alaska is an American teen drama streaming television miniseries created by Josh Schwartz. It is based on the 2005 novel of the same name by John Green. After a film adaptation was repeatedly delayed at Paramount Pictures, Hulu finalized a deal and ordered an eight-episode limited series. The series premiered on Hulu on October 18, 2019. The mini-series received critical acclaim from critics and fans of the book with praises going towards it writing, acting and faithfulness to the original source material.
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A Court of Thorns and Roses is a new adult high fantasy novel series by American author Sarah J. Maas, beginning with the novel of the same name, released in May 2015. The story follows the journey of mortal Feyre Archeron after she is brought into the faerie lands of Prythian for murdering a faerie.
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages is a 2019 children's novel written by Trenton Lee Stewart and illustrated by Manu Montoya. It is the fourth book in the Mysterious Benedict Society series, following The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma (2009).
The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism & Treachery is a non-fiction biographical adolescent book about Benedict Arnold. Written in 2010 by Steve Sheinkin, the book encompasses the whole life of Benedict Arnold, from his freezing cold date of birth in Connecticut to his death in England in 1801. It has won the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Nonfiction, the Margaret Edwards Award, and the YALSA-ALA Award for Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction.
The Mysterious Benedict Society is an American mystery adventure television series based on the children's books by Trenton Lee Stewart. The series stars Tony Hale as Mr. Benedict, who gathers four children to stop a global emergency. Hale also portrays Benedict's twin brother, Mr. Curtain, who is the founder of the school the children infiltrate. The series premiered on Disney+ on June 25, 2021 and consists of eight episodes.
The Old Man is a stand-alone thriller novel by Thomas Perry, published by The Mysterious Press imprint of Grove Atlantic in January 2017.