The Mysterious Benedict Society

This week I am reading the book The Mysterious Benedict Society. This book by Trenton Lee Stewart, is wonderfully written about four orphans, Sticky, Kate, Reynie, and Constance, who are pulled together by a mysterious man to fulfill a secret mission regarding the human minds of the world. In order to do this, the children must use their genius minds and put aside their differences to succeed.

The characters in the Mysterious Benedict Society and I have some things in common, but we are also very different. For one thing Reynie Muldoon, a puzzle-solving eleven year old boy prefers tea, over juice, as do I. Even though, we both like tea, there can be differences. He likes his tea with honey, whereas, I like mine with milk. Kate Wetherall, a resourceful twelve year old girl has something surprisingly in common with me. When she is nervous, she cannot sleep, as many people can't. The only difference is, after she falls asleep, she will arise very early, eager or not to start her day. I, on the other hand, like to sleep in as late as possible. Constance Contraire, a very stubborn, yet clever clever girl is like me, but only in size. Constance is the smallest member of the group, and I am the smallest girl in my class. The only difference is that Constance hates it, because she feels she cannot keep up with the group, because her legs are so short, and she feels out of place. I, on the other hand, do not feel out of place, and feel quite comfortable and content with my petite size and abilities.

Sticky Washington is a brilliant 11 year old boy who knows more than 3 college professors. Sticky and I both have good memories. He remembers everything he sees, reads, and hears. The only thing that sets us apart, is he remembers everything forever. The information he learns never escapes his head. Although I am able to remember things pretty well, sometimes I have to repeat it several times before I have it memorized, like the state capitals or multiple tables. Sticky knows it after only one time. That is pretty amazing.

In the end, I realized that I enjoyed this book because the characters are all so interesting and each one has something that I can relate to. I'm grateful that I am not an orphan like them, although it would be an exciting adventure to join a group like the Mysterious Benedict Society.