The Tell-Tale Start

Authors: McAlpine, Gordon
Lexile: 850,
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
BISAC/Subject: JUV001000, JUV019000, JUV005000
ISBN: 9781101621332, Related ISBNs: 0142423467, 0385368062, 0385368070, 0385368089, 0385368097
Classification: Fiction
Number of pages: 208,
Audience: Children/juvenile
Synopsis: Meet Edgar and Allan Poe -- twelve-year-old identical twins, the great-great-great-great-grandnephews of Edgar Allan Poe. They look and act so much alike that they're almost one mischievous, prank-playing boy in two bodies. When their beloved black cat, Roderick Usher, is kidnapped and transported to the Midwest, Edgar and Allan convince their guardians that it's time for a road trip. Along the way, mayhem and mystery ensue, as well as deeper questions: What is the boys' telepathic connection? Is Edgar Allan Poe himself reaching out to them from the Great Beyond? And why has a mad scientist been spying on the Poe family for years?

With a mix of literary humor, mystery, a little quantum physics, and fun extras like fortune cookie messages, letters in code, license plate clues -- and playful illustrations thoughout -- this series opener is a perfect choice for smart, funny tweens who love the Time Warp Trio, Roald Dahl, and Lemony Snicket.
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