Masterminds

Reader’s Review

This is the first in an adventure series written by popular middle school author Gordon Korman. There is a lot of humour, suspense and action in the story as a group of kids realize that evil forces are keeping them from leaving their city. As the try and solve the mystery of what’s happening they realize nothing and no one can be trusted (which may be a problematic for younger readers, especially as the children realize they cannot even trust their parents).

To look out for

• Islamic Values: Parents are involved in keeping the truth from their children, and in a series of sinister events.
• Violence: An unseen force inflicts pain on kids. One child is drugged by adults to make him forget the past. A main character is killed in a truck crash. Some fighting between characters.
• Language: Use of the words butt, stupid and screw up. Brief mention of boyfriends and girlfriends. Father calls his son a vidiot.