Description

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A New York Times-Bestseller!

Could books hidden through Book Scavenger be linked to an arsonist's web of destruction? Find out in Book 2 of Jennifer Bertman's Book Scavenger series.

Mr. Quisling is definitely up to something mysterious, and Emily and James are on high alert. First, there’s the coded note he drops at a book event. Then they uncover a trail of encrypted messages in Mark Twain-penned books hidden through Book Scavenger. What’s most suspicious is that each hidden book triggers a fire.
As the sleuthing friends dig deeper, they discover Mr. Quisling has been hunting a legendary historical puzzle: the Unbreakable Code. This new mystery is irresistible, but Emily and James can’t ignore the signs that Mr. Quisling might be the arsonist. The clock is ticking as the fires multiply, and Emily and James race to crack the code of a lifetime.

This title has Common Core connections.

A Christy Ottaviano Book

About the Author

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Jennifer Chambliss Bertman was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She holds an MFA in creative writing and has worked for literary agencies, magazines, educational publishers, and as a freelance copyeditor and proofreader. Book Scavenger is her debut novel.

Praise For…

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A New York Times-Bestseller!
A Junior Library Guild Selection
A California Beatty Award Nominee

"Brisk, bookish good fun for puzzle and code lovers."-Kirkus Reviews

"Bertman offers . . . a large, interesting cast of characters, plenty of challenges for code enthusiasts, and more complexity than most middle-grade mysteries. Young readers captivated by these distinctive characters will be hoping for the series to continue."-Booklist Online

"A successful sequel . . . Readers who loved the first volume will find this follow-up even more satisfying."--School Library Journal

Praise for Book Scavenger:
A New York Times-Bestseller
An Indie Next List Pick
An NCTE Notable Children's Book in the Language Arts
A Bank Street College Best Book of the Year
A Publishers Weekly Best Book for Summer
A Texas Lamplighter Award Nominee
A Pennsylvania Young Readers Choice Award Nominee
A Georgia Children's Book Award Finalist
A Colorado Book Award Finalist
A Maryland Black Eyed Susan Award Nominee
A Utah Educational Library Media Association Master List Selection
A Missouri Gateway Award Nominee
A Nebraska Golden Sower Award Finalist
A Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award Nominee
A Utah Beehive Award Nominee
An Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Award Nominee
An Illinois Bluestem Award Nominee
A Mississippi Magnolia Children's Choice Book Award Nominee
A Rhode Island Middle School Book Award Nominee

"Full of heart and replete with challenging ciphers for readers to decode, Bertman's debut is literary cousin to classic puzzlers like The Westing Game, and a story that values books and reading above other pursuits . . . Sure to be popular with voracious readers." -Publishers Weekly, starred review

"How I adored this book! It's a page-turning thriller, a valentine to the storied city of San Francisco, an exploration of the nature of friendship and family, a feast for puzzle aficionados and code breakers, and a celebration of the community of book lovers everywhere. It's off the charts wonderful." -Claudia Mills, author of Kelsey Green, Reading Queen and Zero Tolerance

"Book Scavenger is that flashlight-under-the-bedcovers book that would have gotten me into serious trouble when I was a kid." -Jody Feldman, author of The Gollywopper Games

"Book Scavenger is the book I dreamed of when I was young. Adventure! Ciphers! Hidden treasure! And it's all for the love and celebration of books! This book nerd couldn't put it down, and you won't be able to either." -K.A. Holt, author of Rhyme Schemer