Ruby, Laura York: The Shadow Cipher, 476
pages. Walden Pond Press (Harper Collins Publishers), 2017. $18. Language: G;
Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG.
The first book in a series, York
is set in an almost recognizable, slightly futuristic version of modern day
New York City. Twins, Tess and Theo Biedermann, set out to solve a mystery, the
Old York Cipher, left behind more than one hundred and sixty years earlier by
another set of twins, Theresa and Theodore Morningstarr. Tess and Theo must
solve the Cipher if they are going to save their apartment building from being
demolished by a real estate developer. Studying the Cipher is nothing new to
their family. Their grandfather is the past president of the Old York Cipher
Society and has been trying to solve the mystery his entire life. Along with
another eighth grader, Jaime Cruz, who also lives in their building, they
embark on a quest with cryptic clues, almost unbreakable codes, and, of course,
danger.
This entertaining book has well developed characters and keeps a good
pace from beginning to end. It mixes humor (feeling sorry for bugs while eating
a bugburger), history (with references to the Founding Fathers), and the
inevitable emotional experience of the tween age years in a way that keeps the
reader looking forward to the next chapter. Mostly a G-rated book, I gave it a
PG rating for the intensity and realism of some of the action sequences. Students
who read it will be lining up to read book two when it comes out. Well worth
adding to a middle school library.
MS – ESSENTIAL. LMA, Future elementary school teacher
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