ESCAPE FROM MONTICELLO (BOOK 8 of The Virginia Mystery Series)

ESCAPE FROM MONTICELLO by Steven K. Smith

GREEN LIGHT with Caution

AGES: 4TH - 8TH GRADE

You'll have to forgive the fact that I'm reviewing Book 8 in The Virginia Mysteries series. I would have happily reviewed Book 1, but my daughter found this book while we were touring Monticello, and they didn't have the rest of the series, so Book 8 it is!

Before diving into the book itself, I want to spend a minute talking about the series. The series consists of 12 books based on true historical places located in Virginia, with a bit of history inserted into the story, tied up with a great bow of mystery to draw readers in. Historical sites included in the series are: Jamestown, Mount Vernon, St. John's Church, Belle Island, and many more. It's actually a brilliant way to get kids to learn about history and historical places.

Escape From Monticello is a fast-paced, engaging read following Sam, Derek, and Caitlin who stumble on a journal from Thomas Jefferson's granddaughters in an old box of books. Reading through the journal, they are beyond excited to learn it mentions a hidden treasure. Beginning to work their way through the journal to uncover the location, everything comes to a screeching halt when the journal is stolen. Now, they have two mysteries to solve, hopefully, before someone else finds the treasure. It's going to take some serious legwork as they travel between Monticello. the University of Virginia, and Jefferson's private retreat, Poplar Forest, trying to figure it all out. The clock is ticking and every step that brings them closer to the answer also brings them a step closer to serious danger.

The books does reference a situation that happened earlier in the series. It is possible to read this one and get an basic understanding of what happened, but it would be better to start the series from the beginning.

ALONGSIDE ACTIVITIES - This would be a fun read aloud if your family is heading to Monticello!

HEADS UP -

-At one point the trio's lives are in danger for a moment.

-They do lie to their parents about where they are going and who they are with which causes a serious complication for a moment. All comes out alright in the end.