Thursday 27 October 2016

We Hold These Truths - Andrew Clements - Benjamin Pratt & Keepers of the School Book 5

We Hold These Truths
Benjamin Pratt & Keepers of the School Book 5
Andrew Clements
Adam Stower (Illustrator)
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
A Division of Simon and Schuster

ISBN 9781416938903
eISBN 9781442498983
ASIN B00BSAOJ6W



I have now read 13 books by Andrew Clements in about 6 months. And this is the only series of his I have read. I thought this series was good while reading through the 5 volumes but after finishing this one I really think it is an awesome series.  These 5 books span 28 days and each book follows directly after the other. They really do pack a lot of action, adventure, and personal growth.  

If you have been following these reviews starting with Fear Itself, then We the Children, followed by The Whites of Their Eyes, and then In Harm's Way you will know that Ben was entrusted with a gold coin and made a promise to protect the Oakes School. As time has gone on, he has enlisted the help first of Jill and later Robert. With an encounter with a former janitor they start adding adults to their team. And by the beginning of this book there are 13 keeps. With some quick thinking Ben adds 7 more students to their ranks. So we have twenty keeps working against the two agents from the Glennley  Group and the massive corporate threat they are up against.



Captain Oakes had left clues, 5 riddles that will each reveal something that could save the School. But with just a few days to go the Keepers are getting desperate. Ben, Jill and Robert find the 4th clue and though it is incredible, they know it is not enough to save the school at this late date. For his clues warned "Seek the final safeguard ONLY IF YOU MUST-for once it is found, our school will change forever. And the large iron key they'd found in the same place? Almost the same words were scratched into the metal: USE ONLY IF YOU MUST." But they were at the point where they must. And with an elaborate plan with many adults playing roles, and even roping in the librarian they go after the 5th and final clue right under the noses of the Gleenley goons, Mr, Lyman and Wally.

The way this series build is great. They tension between our three main characters and their own personal growth is interesting to watch. Especially when set against the back drop of trying to save their historic school. And believing they have been called across time to take up the mantel of being keepers of the school.

As mentioned I have read 13 of Clements books over the last 6 months and already have a few more than that in my current to be read pile. I can highly recommend him as one of the best middle grade authors currently writing books. And this series is pretty awesome. In Many ways it reads like the National Treasure movies with a trio of children thrust into the role of saving the historic and bringing what has been hidden back into the light. An awesome series!


Books by Andrew Clements:
Bird Adalbert
Noah and the Ark and the Animals
Santa's Secret Helper
Temple Cat
Mother Earth's Counting Book
Billy and the Bad Teacher
Who Owns the Cow
Bright Christmas: An Angel Remembers
Frindle 
(Adapter)Philipp's Birthday Book
Riff's BeBop Book
Real Monsters Go for the Mold
Things That Go EEK on Halloween
Real Monsters Stage Fright
Music Time, Any Time
Double Trouble in Walla Walla
Workshop
Gromble's Haunted Halloween
Hey Dad, Could I Borrow Your Hammer
The Landry News
Look Who's in the Thanksgiving Play
The Mouse Family
The Janitor's Boy
Circus Family Dog
The Christmas Kitten
The School Story
Things Not Seen 
The Jacket 
A Week in the Woods
Slippers at Home
Naptime for Slippers
The Report Card
The Last Holiday Concert
Slippers at School
Slippers Loves to Run
A Million Is a Lot of Dots
Lunch Money
Things Hoped For
Room One: A Mystery or Two
No Talking
Things That Are
Lost and Found
Extra Credit
Troublemaker
About Average
The Map Trap
The Friendship War
The Losers Club
...

Pets to the Rescue Series
Ringo Saves the Day!
Brave Norman
Tara and Tiree, Fearless Friends
Delores and the Big Fire

Jake Drake Series
Jake Drake Know-It-All
Jake Drake, Bully Buster
Jake Drake, Teacher's Pet
Jake Drake, Class Clown

Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School Series
We the Children
Fear Itself
The Whites of Their Eyes
In Harm's Way
We Hold These Truths

Reading program Books
Karen's Island
Three Wishes for Buster
Bill Picket: An American Original, Texas Style
Hurricane Andrew
Ham and Eggs for Jack
Life in the Desert
Desert Treasure
Inventors: Making Things Better, Steck-Vaughn
Milo's Great Invention







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