Book Scavenger (The Book Scavenger series)

Cannot imagine a better way to kick off the summer reading season! Mysteries, ciphers, suspense, and heart-pounding adventure supported by friendship, heart, and a genuine passion for books. Every reader, young and not-so-young, will enjoy getting to know Emily and James, and the many facets of their escapades. The author's ability to translate her cipher and code expertise into something a novice scavenger can understand (and devour) is a gift. She will undoubtedly get young readers to put down their phones and pick up a pencil to solve the next clue. I am looking forward to her next work of art.

Our daughter is 9 and didn't really grasp onto the book, however I think it may be simply that this it's not her preferred style of reading material. She would read it out loud to me though and I did enjoy it. Maybe even more than her. It seems very age appropriate and if your child enjoys mystery novels I would recommend this book.

Whenever I take my kids to the library I always look through the new books to see if something looks interesting that they may enjoy. When I read the cover of this one I thought my children may like it,so I checked it out to read a little more. I am so glad I did. This book by Ms. Bertman was a real treat. It has just enough of everything to keep you interested ....mystery, excitement, adventure,great friendships, and a touch of goofiness to make it have great kid appeal. I really couldn't put it down.

Making this book even more fantastic is the history behind it. Ms. Bertman draws your interest with historical facts about Edgar Allen Poe and other authors in history, adding a dash of geographical interest to San Francisco landmarks. If you like ciphers and codes and scavenger hunts you will learn even more tidbits on how codes are made and work.

Well I'm not quite done because it gets even better. While reading I kept thinking to myself how much fun a book scavenger hunt would be and then lo and behold, I saw that they have a website just for that. This is even better than geocaching because you not only get to go on a scavenger hunt, but you get the pleasure of a nice long story to read on your way home. Yay!

Lastly, if you are a teacher this book really can pack a punch. As a homeschool mom I kept thinking what a great book to use for a unit study. There is so much information that is factual. I looked up many of the landmarks and history references and they are all available for more research online. Top it off with a real scavenger hunt and you have a great unit. I think I may have to plan one out for next year! A++ Ms. Bertman

My 11 year old son had to read this book for the book club at his school. He said it was just okay, and it's not a book he would have read if he didn't have to. It was an easy book to get through though, and he said it wasn't as bad as the last book he had to read, lol.

My 11 year old daughter loved this book!!! She is totally into the whole book scavenger (like a scavenger hunt for books) thing but there are none hidden around us so she has started to hide her own and hopes to entice school mates to do the same!

In the tradition of THE GOLLYWHOPPER GAMES by Jody Feldman and ESCAPE FROM MR. LEMONCELLO'S LIBRARY by Chris Grabenstein, BOOK SCAVENGER by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman is a book about a game and, like in Grabenstein's story, the game is also about books. It is an adventure chock-full of literary references, codes and danger but underpinned with compelling ideas of family, friendship and overcoming adversity.

Twelve-year-old Emily Crane has just moved, along with her parents and older brother Matthew, to San Francisco. Instead of being excited, Emily is tired; this is the latest in a handful of moves her family has made in their quest to live in all 50 states. Every time she gets settled in a new place, whether it be New York, Michigan or, most recently, New Mexico, Emily's family moves again. Her one consolation is that San Francisco is home to Garrison Griswold, creator of Book Scavenger, an interactive game of hiding and finding books of which Emily is a skilled player. But shortly after Emily and her family arrive in San Francisco, Griswold is attacked and shot in a BART station and his prognosis for recovery is not good. However, in the same BART station, Emily finds a hidden book --- a handmade version of Edgar Allan Poe's story “The Gold-Bug” --- that she believes is the beginning of a new Griswold game.

Emily is determined to solve all the clues and find the treasure that they lead to, but she's not the only one interested in this particular volume; two armed thugs are after the book and are hot on Emily's heels! Emily enlists her new friend James, who happens to have an interest in codes, to help her with the game. With each clue, they come closer to finding what Griswold hid --- and closer to danger.

As Emily and James race to finish the game and as Griswold recovers from his injuries, Emily and her family are getting comfortable in San Francisco. The sights, sounds and culture of the city provide a wonderful backdrop to the action and James, whose family has lived there for generations, is important not just as a friend but also as a guide. Looming large, of course, is the fact that, having moved almost every year of her life, San Francisco is only a temporary stop for Emily as her parents plan move the family to another state soon. The adventure that Emily seeks in Book Scavenger is more than enough for her; her parents’ idea of adventure has begun to bring her only heartache.

Bertman has crafted a thrilling story around a cool and bookish game idea. Poe's work especially has a special place in the tale, but lots of literary figures make appearances. Emily is a sweet, clever and likable character, as is James. Their friendship is not without conflict, but they genuinely care for and look out for one another. Emily's relationships with her brother Matthew and her parents are also nuanced and moving. Her race to find the valuable prize Griswold has hidden is nicely contrasted with the other, often anxiety-producing, areas of her life, including moving, starting a new school and coming to terms with her feelings about her family’s lifestyle choices.

BOOK SCAVENGER is a thoughtful and fun middle grade novel and a great debut for Bertman.
Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman

Watching Jennifer Chambliss Bertman lose her moral battle as she simultaneously promotes a tacky, points-and-prizes-driven commercial game and celebrates San Francisco's great literary past is painful to watch. For the sake of her soul, make this publicity scheme fail, and don't buy this book! Above all, don't sign in to the web site, or you'll receive advertisements from Macmillan's Children's Publishing Group "and its related companies" (Ew, what do they sell?) forever.
Macmillan, I'm appalled that you would take advantage of impressionable readers this way. Don't you know reading is its own reward? This book is going into the recycling bin rather than my classroom library. Books must stand on their own merits, not prizes.
Start over, Jennifer. You're too good a writer to go down this path.

This story was a great middle grade adventure. Emily has just arrived in San Francisco. Her parents have set a goal of living for a time in each of the fifty states. Emily is tired of moving and of never staying anywhere long enough to make friends. However, San Francisco has some perks that the other cities did not. Emily loves the Book Scavenger game created by Garrison Griswold, a publisher who lives in San Francisco. She is hoping to take part in one of his local games. But she is very disappointed to learn that he has been mugged and is in serious condition in the hospital.

She and her brother Matthew along with her new friend James are exploring and go to the location of the mugging. Emily finds a book - The Gold-Bug by Edgar Allen Poe - which she believes was left by some other book scavenger. Upon further exploration of the book, she decides that it is the first book in a treasure hunt set up by Griswold. She is determined to solve the puzzles and find the treasure. Unfortunately, she isn't the only one who wants the book and she and James find themselves in more danger than they could have anticipated.

Besides the book hunt which is filled with codes to solve, this story is also about friendship. Emily and James have their rough spots as Emily is new to making friends and sometimes gets a little obsessed with her book scavenger hunt. It is also about the friendship of Griswold and a small bookstore owner named Hollister who helps the kids on their hunt. I liked the relationship that Emily has with her older brother Matthew who is obsessed with the band Flush.

This story was exciting and I really liked the references to other books that the author managed to get into the story. Maybe it will encourage kids to dive into Poe, Hammett, and even Jack Kerouac.

Twelve year-old Emily is on the move again. Her unconventional parents are on a quest to live in all 50 states, so she and her brother don’t get a chance to put roots down anywhere. This move takes them to San Francisco, where Emily’s idol-Garrison Griswold, book publisher and creator of the game Book Scavenger-lives. Shortly after arriving, she and her new friend James discover a strangely new copy of the classic Edgar Allan Poe story, The Gold Bug; they learn that Griswold has been viciously attacked and is in the hospital, and people start showing an unusual interest in her copy of The Gold Bug. Could there be a connection?

This is a new spin on the middle grade mystery, with a real-life tie in that’s interesting and brings kids into the world of The Book Scavenger. Influenced by the online site Book Crossing, where you leave books for people and record where you’ve left and discovered books, Book Scavenger creates a game where you can attain levels of detective-dom by finding books and hiding books using clues to lead your fellow players to them. The author and publisher have brought Book Scavenger to life, hiding advance review copies of Book Scavenger all over the country and inviting readers to locate them!

There is some great discussion on cryptography and hidden codes used in the book – James and Emily are fans that bring the practice into their school after being caught passing notes – and the book becomes a true whodunit, with readers trying to figure out who could have been behind the attack on Garrison Griswold, and more importantly, what is the secret of The Gold Bug? The characters are likable, even if Emily does become frustrating in her single-mindedness over solving the mystery at points, and Book Scavenger makes for exciting summer reading.

This one's a favourite for sure! Reading the synopsis I knew the book sounded interesting, but it turned out to be an absolute treasure. I devoured it in a matter of hours and was very sad to see the end of it and even sadder to realize that this is the author's first and only book so far!

Emily is an avid reader but also an avid member of the Book Scavenger game founded by Garrison Griswold. She is working up the ranks in the game, with the aim to achieve the highest detective status. This involves solving codes and riddles in order to find books that are hidden across the country - if not the world - and hiding books in return for other members to find etc. Griswold lives in San Francisco, and Emily has just moved there with her family - who have set a goal of living in every state, which has become tiring for Emily, but not so much her brother Matthew, who has grown used to this lifestyle - and is therefore excited to be in the city where it all started.

However, Emily soon finds out that Griswold was attacked and lies in critical condition leaving the local scavenger hunt cancelled. She is severely disappointed of course, and befriends her neighbour James, who takes her and Matthew on a tour of the city, unintentionally leading them to the location of the attack. There, Emily finds a brand new book by Edgar Allen Poe in the bin, which she mistook for a book left by another Book Scavenger. So she takes it, and leaves her membership card.

This begins a tale of adventure, mystery and suspense, with Emily and James right in the middle of it. Unaware, Emily had not just taken the book that the attackers were looking for, and are now on her tail, but also the first clue to the start of the local scavenger hunt game that Griswold had planned before his untimely attack. Realizing all of this, Emily is determined to finish the game with the help of James, and occasionally, her brother Matthew, getting herself in all sorts of trouble.

All of that being said, this book is about a lot more than just mystery and adventure. It is a book about friendship, loyalty, family ties, love and history. Jennifer Chambliss Bertman presents to us a very interesting history of Poe and the rivalry with Rufus Griswold, as well as introduces to us the amazing universe of codes and ciphers. This isn't just a regular middle grade story, but is actually incredibly clever and leaves you on your toes as you try to solve this puzzle right along Emily.

I couldn't have enough, and I cannot wait for her next book - which I'm dismayed to see is set to be released in 2017!

I purchased this book for our granddaughter.
She was 9 years old and in the 3rd grade when she read the book.
This is her review.
This book is about a girl named Emily. Her family has a goal to live in all 50 states and they have just moved from New Mexico to San Francisco. In the story, Emily makes her very first friend and they do book hunts and figure out Mr Griswold's game. She meets lots of interesting characters, like James, who wins a cypher contest and has a cowlick named Steve.
The best part of the book was when they figured out Mr. Griswold's game. It was fun to read along as they figured it out.
I would recommend this book for kids who like adventure books and books that have a lot of action and drama and make you want to turn the page and read the next chapter.
I can't wait until the next book in the series comes out.

In the tradition of THE GOLLYWHOPPER GAMES by Jody Feldman and ESCAPE FROM MR. LEMONCELLO'S LIBRARY by Chris Grabenstein, BOOK SCAVENGER by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman is a book about a game and, like in Grabenstein's story, the game is also about books. It is an adventure chock-full of literary references, codes and danger but underpinned with compelling ideas of family, friendship and overcoming adversity.

Twelve-year-old Emily Crane has just moved, along with her parents and older brother Matthew, to San Francisco. Instead of being excited, Emily is tired; this is the latest in a handful of moves her family has made in their quest to live in all 50 states. Every time she gets settled in a new place, whether it be New York, Michigan or, most recently, New Mexico, Emily's family moves again. Her one consolation is that San Francisco is home to Garrison Griswold, creator of Book Scavenger, an interactive game of hiding and finding books of which Emily is a skilled player. But shortly after Emily and her family arrive in San Francisco, Griswold is attacked and shot in a BART station and his prognosis for recovery is not good. However, in the same BART station, Emily finds a hidden book --- a handmade version of Edgar Allan Poe's story “The Gold-Bug” --- that she believes is the beginning of a new Griswold game.

Emily is determined to solve all the clues and find the treasure that they lead to, but she's not the only one interested in this particular volume; two armed thugs are after the book and are hot on Emily's heels! Emily enlists her new friend James, who happens to have an interest in codes, to help her with the game. With each clue, they come closer to finding what Griswold hid --- and closer to danger.

As Emily and James race to finish the game and as Griswold recovers from his injuries, Emily and her family are getting comfortable in San Francisco. The sights, sounds and culture of the city provide a wonderful backdrop to the action and James, whose family has lived there for generations, is important not just as a friend but also as a guide. Looming large, of course, is the fact that, having moved almost every year of her life, San Francisco is only a temporary stop for Emily as her parents plan move the family to another state soon. The adventure that Emily seeks in Book Scavenger is more than enough for her; her parents’ idea of adventure has begun to bring her only heartache.

Bertman has crafted a thrilling story around a cool and bookish game idea. Poe's work especially has a special place in the tale, but lots of literary figures make appearances. Emily is a sweet, clever and likable character, as is James. Their friendship is not without conflict, but they genuinely care for and look out for one another. Emily's relationships with her brother Matthew and her parents are also nuanced and moving. Her race to find the valuable prize Griswold has hidden is nicely contrasted with the other, often anxiety-producing, areas of her life, including moving, starting a new school and coming to terms with her feelings about her family’s lifestyle choices.

BOOK SCAVENGER is a thoughtful and fun middle grade novel and a great debut for Bertman.
Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman

I so wish that there was a real Book Scavenger game! This is a delightful book that translated well to audio. I liked Emily a lot but James and "Steve" really stole the show and my heart. The mystery was great and I loved how the clues were all based in fact. The action and tension is just right and pulls you along breathlessly as convoluted clues and bad guys challenge our protagonists. In the background is Emily's longing for roots; her family has a goal to live in every state and moves constantly. The author includes a note at the end of the book detailing what bits she made up and additional facts about the historical details. I was delighted to discover that this had evolved into a series since I read the first book. Can't wait to take the next challenge!

Summary: Emily’s parents have a plan to live in all 50 states, and this year’s move is to California. Emily has learned not to put down roots, knowing that she’ll have to move again before long. In spite of her resolve, she finds herself in a friendship with her neighbor James, who shares her love of books and puzzles. She introduces him to Book Scavenger, the online book treasure hunting game created by San Francisco publisher Garrison Griswold. About the time of her move, Griswold is shot in a BART subway station. Soon after, Emily and James find a mysterious copy of The Gold-Bug by Edgar Allan Poe, and soon discover it’s the first clue in a new game Griswold was on his way to debut when he was attacked. As Griswold’s life hangs in the balance, Emily and James race to solve the Poe puzzles before Griswold’s enemy can discover the whereabouts of the book. Grades 4-7.

Pros: A fast-paced mystery for fans of ciphers, codes, and puzzles. Emily and James are endearing characters, and there are a couple of interesting subplots about Emily’s family’s unusual goal to live in all the states, and a rivalry between James and a fellow cipher fan.

Cons: At 343 pages, the intricate plot occasionally becomes a bit unwieldy.

This book was okay. There was nothing wrong with it but also nothing extraordinary about it. It is the kind of book that is fun enough to read but that you forget everything having to do with it the second that you close it. However, I loved the whole "book scavenger" idea. The letter at the beginning of the book explaining the game was my favorite part of the book. I am in charge of an independent reading program at my school, and I am dying to figure out how to set something like this up. Extra stars for the inspiration.

Chapter book, fiction
Interest level: grades 4 and up
YHBA 2017-2018 intermediate nominee
5 out of 5 stars

Emily and her family has just moved to San Francisco. Emily’s parents have a goal of living in all 50 states, so while Emily is used to moving constantly and usually without any notice, she is not used to making friends. She figures why bother getting attached, since she won’t be staying anywhere.
So it is very different for her when she discovers that the boy who lives upstairs, James, shares her love of puzzles. Emily and James quickly become friends and Emily introduces James to her favorite pastime — playing the Book Scavenger game. Book Scavenger is an online game where participants hide books and then post clues and map locations for others players. The creator of the game, Garrison Griswold, lives in San Francisco, so Emily is thrilled to move to this new city.

The story begins with Garrison Griswold being attacked and a book he was going to use to begin a new scavenger game gets lost. As Griswold lies unconscious in the hospital, Emily and James discover the book, recognize it as one of Griswold’s puzzles, and are determined to solve it. So are the bad guys, which sets up tension as they are searching for the the children they know have the book.

There are similarities to the Mr. Lemoncello books by Chris Grabenstein, with puzzles and ciphers being scattered throughout the story. What makes Book Scavenger a story with depth are the growing friendships, family issues, and historical details that Jennifer Chambliss Bertman has incorporated.

Emily struggles to understand and navigate the dynamics of one of her first good friends ever. She and James have a falling out that makes her examine who she is and what her priorities are. She also confronts her brother who is no longer as close to her as he once was, and ultimately she lets her parents know how she feels about the constant moving. Emily really grows as a character, and many of her struggles can make the reader think about their own actions and feelings.

Bertman has included a lot of information about San Francisco, as well as historical writers, including Edgar Allen Poe. The information is presented in a way that is authentic to the story and educational at the same time.

The strong characters and plot, as well as the fascinating world of ciphers and puzzles, make this a well-written story that will be popular with many young readers.

The Book Scavenger game is also a real online game. You can participate by going to http://bookscavenger.com/

Here is another really good middle school age appropriate book that I would definitely want in my school classroom or library. When such good books are published, I almost wish I could go back to work in the school library just to promote Book Scavenger among the students. It is a very good book and I believe most young readers would enjoy it a lot. I being the old reader enjoyed it very much. The characters are interesting as is the story line of this book. I hope there will be more books from Jennifer Chambliss Bertman for young readers - and young at heart readers, too. I highly recommend this book and think that some of our reluctant readers might catch on with this one.

This is a cute, fun to read mystery for middle grade kids. Emily is 12 years old, and she and her family have just moved to San Fransisco as part of her parent's quest to live in all 50 states. Although they have moved frequently, for the past few years, Emily and her older brother have been able to play an online game called Book Scavenger where they hide and or find books based on online clues and earn points and positions by doing so. The author who created the game lives in San Fransisco and the day they move there, he is shot and hides a book, which Emily finds. She and her new friend, James, follow the clues, solve ciphers and go on scavenger hunts to find books and clues to the mystery. The book is also about friendship and how to be a good friend. I enjoyed the book and I think that middle grade children will enjoy it as well.

Curiosity and discovery play vital roles throughout childhood. Kids naturally want to know more, so they constantly search. Jennifer Chambliss Bertman captures the adventurous mind of young people in her spectacular debut MG novel, Book Scavenger.

In Book Scavenger, Bertman takes readers on a romping journey. Emily, the novel’s protagonist, is a 12-year-old girl who has moved a lot in her short life; she is a recent transplant to San Francisco. She lives for her family and for her books. She loves getting lost in fictional worlds. In fact, she enjoys the sense of escapism so much that she participates in a mystery game about books called Book Scavenger. Book Scavenger is a game where ““People hide their used books somewhere public, like a park, and then post a puzzle or clue on the website to lead others to it. You earn one point for each book you hide or find, or if someone finds one of your hidden books.” Oh, how she loves the game. Emily describes Book Scavenger as being “all about people who love books and puzzles and games.” Definitely, that’s her.

With Emily moving so much, it’s hard for her to have a constant in her life. Thankfully, Book Scavenger is around to help settle her. She keeps a sketchbook that documents her experiences within the game, and we learn of its importance: “Combined with her online profile, it basically documented her entire life.” She mentions the difficulty in making friends in new places, but she finds one in James rather quickly in San Francisco.

The relationship between Emily and James is refreshing. Bertman wisely chooses not to make their pairing a romantic one; instead, we get to have two buddies simply enjoying the company of one another. They solve puzzles together, and they join forces to take down the class know-it-all.

Even if Emily and James are not in a relationship, Book Scavenger is still very much a love story. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Emily loves her books. She loves her friends. She loves her family. She loves her new city. She loves adventures. Bertman’s novel will make your heart smile because it’s so darn warm and kind.

Bertman spends a large chunk of the novel investing in the game’s fun. She delivers solvable ciphers. She slyly includes hints that lead to other clues along the way. This is an author who knows her literature, and there are dozens of references to fictional characters, real authors, and actual San Francisco landmarks. There are callouts to Edgar Allen Poe, Rufus Griswold, Nancy Drew, Sherlock Holmes, Willy Wonka, Robert Louis Stevenson, Jack Kerouac, The Maltese Falcon, Agatha Christie, City Lights bookstore, the Fillmore, and many, many others. I’m not sure if I’ve ever had so much fun unpacking all of the allusions a novel could toss at me.

Just like so many of the great detective stories, this one also houses its share of villains. There is mild violence, but the bad guys also provide a few good laughs. Mr. Remora, a baddie who happens to love books as much as Emily, gets upset because he thinks a rare book isn’t handled in a proper “acid-free container.” Book Scavenger is a hoot even when it’s not even trying that hard.

Read it. Love it. Share it.

Jennifer Chambliss Bertman’s sublimely delightful Book Scavenger should join the ranks of contemporary middle grade classics.

*B. Sides' original review appeared at Novel Enthusiasts

I have used this as a read aloud with my eight-year old. We only do a couple chapters a day since I noticed I start losing him if we do more. If it were up to me, I'm pretty sure I would of finished this book in a couple of days. Even as an adult reading this book, it's hard to put it down.

While we were reading this book, my son was saying how neat it would be to have a real life book scavenger site so that you can hide and hunt books. We love books and we love geocaching. It's a way, it's like combing them both. Once he started talking about it, I started searching and realized that there is a Book Scavenger site that allows you to hide and find books! Be sure to check it out too. In the end both my son and I have really enjoyed reading this book.

**I was sent this product in exchange for a honest review. The opinions above are my own.**

Book Scavenger is a spectacular book by far one of the best I’ve read!! I recommend this book to children ages 9+. Anyone who loves puzzles and mysteries would enjoy this book very much. This book is about a girl named Emily who’s family is on a quest to live in each state, when her family decides to move to San Francisco where Emily’s favorite author Garrison Griswold, lives she meets a friend named James who is as much as a book lover and puzzle solver as she is. When Emily finds a book called The Gold Bug by Edgar Allen Poe while book scavenging James and Emily start to relies that The Gold Bug may be the first clue to solve Griswold’s next game. Read Book Scavenger to find out if Emily and James find Griswold’s next game and if Emily’s family decide to stay in San Francisco or move to a new state! Don’t miss the next book in the series The Unbreakable Code!! Book Scavenger - where life is a game and books are the tokens.

I am over the universe in love with this book!!!! As a fan treasure hunts, puzzles, mysteries, and more, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this ARC copy and then devoured it in one day. The author has created a perfectly paced book that refuses to be put down until the mystery comes to full light. I loved the multiple threads woven in about Edgar Allen Poe, Jack Kerouac, The Beats, the history of San Francisco, and gaming. And, as a sucker for a book with a rich setting, the author did a fantastic job of describing the scene/locations so well that I felt I was actually there with Emily and James. I really hope there will be a follow up to this, perhaps in a different city. Move over, THE WESTING GAME. There's a new book on the shelves!

Twelve-year-old Emily just moved to San Fransisco, the city her hero, Garrison Grisworld, lives in. Just days after moving there, she finds out that he's been injured, derailing his new game. She finds a book containing the first clue, and sets off throughout San Fransisco with her friend James to solve the puzzle.
This book is a true gem. Brilliant dialogue, jokes, and settings along with likable and realistic characters(even the bad guys) make this book a definite addition to my library of classics. I recommend this book to people who like books, puzzles, and laughter!

Excellent twisty mystery for middle-schoolers and book lovers. Thorough characterization and fun bookish details make this a must-read. The author makes full use of the San Francisco setting and weaves in historical details that will send readers scurrying to separate fact from fiction. I especially loved the extensive use of codes, presented in a way readers can solve for themselves.

Thoughts: My teacher is now doing this thing called the Sweet Sixteen of Books, as I’ve mentioned in my Blackbird Fly review. Book Scavenger was another one of the sixteen original books she recommended, so I thought I might as well give it a shot. The synopsis immediately appealed to me, and so did the very Wildwood and Doldrums cover. A story about kids who love to read, following a mystery while using ciphers and secrets codes? Count me in! I always love a good mystery, and Book Scavenger did not disappoint.
Emily, the protagonist, has a very interesting family, one that is challenging to relate to in the sense that they have a goal to live in every one of the US states. Emily struggles with being unable to make concrete friendships and memories, so she’s reluctant and even a little surprised when in walks James, the kid who lives upstairs with the crazy cowlick named Steve and a rusty pail he sends secret messages to her in. Emily and James become fast friends, and I enjoyed watching their friendship evolve over time. Emily also has an obsession with the inventive game Book Scavenger, which comes into play quite a bit throughout the story. The writing flowed nicely and had a fast pace to it, keeping me in suspense even though it took quite a while for the story to reach the “Rising Action” (by which I mean there was a little more build-up than necessary). The mystery itself was very creative, too, and I loved following along and trying to crack all the ciphers with Emily and James. My one issue, on that note, is that the action and conflict felt a little fake. In the end, the real enemy is not much of an enemy at all, and the stakes aren’t nearly as high as the synopsis implies.
One last thing I really loved, though, was the charm of the setting. My family and I visit San Francisco often, so I actually recognized most of the places Emily and James went to, and could easily picture them in my mind. San Francisco is an amazing place to locate a story, because there’s a lot of charm and history/culture mixed in with a major city. San Francisco was, in fact, what I believe made this book feel so special.
Overall, a really fun, enjoyable, suspenseful mystery that I’d read all over again in a heartbeat.

It's a wonderful children's book about a game where people hide and find books for points (kind of like geocaching)....best part....their is a website where you can list books you found and hide! Makes me want to go look for my old #bookcrossing stamp and start hiding hooks again! #bookscavenger #bookstagram #bookreview

This is a great book about going on a scavenger hunt to find other books! It kept me hooked the entire way and I couldn't wait to hear how the ending would turn out. I did however feel that her friendship in the beginning of the book with the new neighbor kid next-door seemed a little rushed. The book was a little slow in the beginning, but overall a very good read. I looked it up online and found out that there actually is a geocache-like book scavenger hunt. I will definitely have to look into that!

My 9 year old son loved this book! While I wanted to get into the actual book scavenging IRL he was less interested so we haven't done it. That said, he couldn't put the book down and spoke about it with great enthusiasm (some books get a shrug and a quick synopsis). Any sequels will be going in our cart for sure. I think kids who really love books, like my son, will find the book-centric mystery fun. We live near SF too so the setting is great, with lots of familiar locales, the use of BART, etc.

A hidden book. A found cipher. A game begins . . . .

Why kid didn't like a scavenger hunt and in Book Scavenger, the hunt for books take on a whole new meaning. A delightful mystery written for middle grade kids but I found myself caught up in the suspense as if it was written by Grisham. Highly recommend!

My Rating: 5 stars

Everything about this book was just awesome. I'm not going to rehash what others have said, but it has adventure, danger, mystery, clues, bad guys, kid heroes, factual geographical locations, factual historical info, BOOKS, etc. It is reminiscent of The 39 Clues series and Mr. Lemoncello's Library. I couldn't put it down from the moment I started the book.I had no problem following the plot. It's recommended for ages 9+. If your kid isn't a dedicated and enthusiastic reader, then s/he may want to wait to start this book until they are a bit older so they can follow the plot because I can guarantee they will love this book!

We listened to the audio version of this book on a long car trip. It was very entertaining and enjoyable. My 9 year old daughter (who reads a lot) really liked it. She says "l really enjoyed it and it had a good plot!" She says that she would like to listen to it again. The grown ups were also very into the book. The writer did a good job creating multiple engaging plot lines that came together at the end.

I am a 13 year old male. I absolutely LOVED this book! There were so many intense and exciting chases, a lot of fun riddles and history about Edgar Allen Poe and other famous writers. The way the book went made it seem downhill for a bit (like they weren't going to succeed) before Emily or James solved a cypher or had exciting news. There were several neat facts about the many states Emily's parents moved to on their quest to live in ALL 50 states.

Great book! I particularly loved the references scattered throughout the story from my own childhood - long forgotten codes and even the treasure hunt book Masquerade I had not thought about for decades. I enjoyed reading about the setting of San Francisco. Kids will love reading about the challenge of this book hunt game. A treasure of a book!

This book has instantly become one of my all-time middle-grade favorites. It has mystery, humor, wonderful characters and friendships, fascinating puzzles, tantalizing literary references, and a perfectly-realized San Francisco setting. I really think that this is a book that kid and adult readers will enjoy in equal measure, making it a great choice for family or classroom reading.

In short, I loved everything about Book Scavenger, and am so excited that Emily and James's adventures will continue in a sequel! I'll be first in line for it.

I'm a huge fan of middle grade children's books that involve mysteries, puzzles, codes, and ciphers (think Mysterious Benedict Society, The Potato Chip Puzzles, Spy School, etc.). As a (soon to be) children's librarian from the San Francisco Bay Area, I especially loved the theme and setting of this book. Highly recommend it to children (and adults!) who like similarly themed stories.

This book was a fast paced reading adventure. Emily is new to San Francisco and laments yet again being the new kid. However she finds a new friend and treasure hunt that takes here all over the city.

my 11 year old daughter LOVED this book. This book talks about an actual game in the US where people hide books across the country and clues to find them. She says, "it has the right mix of mystery and teaching about what kids can actually do when they try (especially with older books and exciting clues)"

Although for a younger audience, I was hooked immediately. I called my aunt (we geocache together) and told her we had a new game to play!!! I know the book scavenger isn't EXACTLY like what is presented in the book, but what a fun idea!!

I was immediately drawn into the story and read the book in 2 gulps. It was so delightful that I have since bought the book for kids in my family while retaining my first copy for my own library. Especially if you have a reader in your family, and absolutely for bibliophiles, you will want this book.

My family and I loved this book. The story was entertaining and the young readers in my family really enjoyed it. We like the characters, and were interested to see where the story would take them. We are all hoping for a 2nd book, since we feel very connected to the characters. Also love the fact this is in SF, the kids get a kick out of knowing the places in the book.

my 11 year old daughter LOVED this book. This book talks about an actual game in the US where people hide books across the country and clues to find them. She says, "it has the right mix of mystery and teaching about what kids can actually do when they try (especially with older books and exciting clues)"

Although for a younger audience, I was hooked immediately. I called my aunt (we geocache together) and told her we had a new game to play!!! I know the book scavenger isn't EXACTLY like what is presented in the book, but what a fun idea!!

I was immediately drawn into the story and read the book in 2 gulps. It was so delightful that I have since bought the book for kids in my family while retaining my first copy for my own library. Especially if you have a reader in your family, and absolutely for bibliophiles, you will want this book.

My family and I loved this book. The story was entertaining and the young readers in my family really enjoyed it. We like the characters, and were interested to see where the story would take them. We are all hoping for a 2nd book, since we feel very connected to the characters. Also love the fact this is in SF, the kids get a kick out of knowing the places in the book.

I love it put it on your reading list for sure but,AT THE TOP IT IS LITERALLY THE BEST ITS LIKE MR.LEMONCELLOS LIBRARY BOOK SERIES IF MR.LEMONCELLO MET MR.GRISWOLD GRWAT THINGS WOULD HAPPEN THEY EVEN MENTION ESCAPE FROM MR.LEMONCELLOS LIBRARY?????????????????????

There are kids book that adults ove as much as the kids, then there are kids books that the adults can skip. This is more of the latter, in my mind. I do think kids will like it, and I love the concept of a scavenger hunt for books. But at more than halfway through, I just can't keep my interest going. It's too slow and the stakes are not high enough -- I simply don't care if James has to cut off his cowlick, for example. The main character thinks through each clue in a plodding way, and then we must endure a slow, dull journey (I took a bus, then walked, then took a streetcar, yawn) to follow each hunch she has to see if it leads to another not-terribly-exciting clue.

Having said all that, I could see this becoming popular with kids, I just don't think it will have crossover appeal for adults. For recently published books that definitely do, I'd recommend the Lockwood and Co. series by Jonathan Stroud (spooky thrilling fun!) The Witch's Boy by Kelly Barnhill (rich world building), or the Tyme series by Megan Morrison (smart, super enjoyable fairy tale retelling).

This book has been reccommended to me tons of times, and when I started reading it, it was impossible to put down. I will continue to read it as a paperback, as will I attempt to persuade my dad to buy and download it on my kindle. Thank you Benjamin Siegel, ccms panthers rock! ANDREW MICHAEL FAN

An outstanding book with beatiful writing. I read this book for a book competition and I adored it. The characters are easy to connect to and the codes are fun to crack. Ride along through the exciting twists and turns and leaves you begging for more.

I loved this book, and read it before I'm giving it to my kids. It reminded me a lot of the classics I loved growing up, but has the fast pacing to keep today's reader turning pages. My favorite parts: the setting in San Francisco, the puzzles, Mr. Griswold's game, and the charming humor. You know it's a great book when you don't want it to end. When wished that world really existed. So happy to see there will be a sequel! And I love the real book scavenger game - we'd play but I don't want to give up the book!

I absolutely loved BOOK SCAVENGER! Fun characters, tight plot, cool puzzles and ciphers--what's not to love? My kids are excited about the game aspect of it too. (Check out bookscavenger.com to play.) Such an awesome premise and so well executed! We can't wait for the sequel.

This was a cute, clever little book that I read through in a day. A magical bakery where the treats solve any problem you may have and are, incidentally, delicious? Yes, please! Who wouldn't want to be a part of the Bliss family? The eldest daughter, Rosemary, that's who.

I can understand her point. Her parents keep the "secret" magical recipes closely guarded and none of their offspring are allowed to have anything to do with the special baked goods they produce. Except Rosemary, who is given the unenviable task of babysitting her younger siblings and fetching all the non-magical ingredients from town.

Older brother Ty (short for Thyme) is a gorgeous hunk that all the females in town, young and old alike, are gaga over. Younger brother Sage is sassy and clever, the type of child adults just shake their heads and smile at when he's actually being a complete brat. And the youngest, little sister Leigh (short for Parsley), is just too cute to be believed. Which leaves Rosemary as the Girl Friday nobody appears to notice.

It's understandable that they're all enchanted when their parents leave town for a week and their fabulous and exciting Aunt Lily roars in on her motorcycle. The boys are instantly twitterpated, and even Rose can't help being impressed with Lily's worldly ways. So, although all the siblings are aware that the magical cookbook is a secret and they are forbidden to touch it, it's no surprise when they start trying to cook up special recipes to impress Lily. It's even less of a surprise when we figure out (which is almost immediately) that Lily is only there to get her hands on the book while the adults are away.

The story is fun and fast paced, but I did get rather tired of Rose's constant carping on how ugly and unwanted she is, Ty's laziness and self-centered posing, and Sage's relentless butting in where he shouldn't. I would have enjoyed the story more if I weren't told anew in each chapter why the children were falling for Lily's nonsense and the story just unfolded.

Sour grapes aside, this was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a little magic in their life.

I really enjoyed this book and when I finished it I wanted more. The genre of this book is Realistic Fiction. This book is the first book in the book scavenger series. You would really enjoy this book if you like books, puzzles, and ciphers. This book is about a game called book scavenger where you collect books for points. Emily’s family is very different from many. Her mom and dad have a dream of living in every state. Emily comes home one day and to her surprise they are moving to San Francisco! Home of her idol! While three of the main characters (Emily, James, and Matthew) are book hunting they find a book that isn't necessarily meant for book scavenger. Some people find out what they are doing and things don’t go as planned. How will everything tie together??
-Tayah

I love this book so much! I think it’s one of the best things I’ve ever read!v I 100% recommend this book. I give this book 5 stars! But I’m really bummed about the bookscavenger website. Because I scavenged 3 books and they where not there. But I really love the book!