Tuesday, June 15, 2010

The 39 Clues: The Sword Thief


The Sword Thief (The 39 Clues #3). Peter Lerangis. 2009. March 2009. Scholastic. 160 pages.

They were toast.
Amy Cahill eyed the battered black duffel bag rumbling up the airport conveyor belt. It bulged at the corners. The sign above the belt said THANK YOU FOR VISITING VENICE! RANDOM PIECES OF CHECKED-LUGGAGE WILL BE SEARCHED in five languages.
"Oh, great," Amy said. "How random is random?"


The search is on in this third novel in the 39 Clues series. Amy and her brother, Dan, are still pursuing the clues with the "supervision" of their nanny. But things aren't getting off to the best of starts. And these two might just have to trust one of their enemies--a family member of course--if they're to continue in their quest. Will trading secrets with one another be enough motivation to stay a team for a whole clue? You'll just have to see for yourself.

I actually liked this one better than One False Note. I'm not quite sure why. (It could be a timing issue. It could be I knew more what to expect since I'd just read the second book.) While I don't love this series, while I don't even really like this series, it does have a few good things going for it. The books are short. The books are well-paced. They're packed with action and adventure and mystery. And for the target audience--kids--I think the series has plenty of appeal.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

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