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  • William Wenton and the Impossible Puzzle by Bobbie Peers
  • April Spisak
Peers, Bobbie William Wenton and the Impossible Puzzle; tr. from the Norwegian by Tara Chace. Aladdin, 2017 [272p]
Trade ed. ISBN 978-1-4814-7825-0 $16.99
E-book ed. ISBN 978-1-4814-7827-4 $10.99
Reviewed from galleys         R Gr. 5-7

In this Norwegian import, William, a brilliant code-breaking kid, has been told by his parents not to draw attention to himself by solving any codes or puzzles. He just can't resist, however, and soon he has been spotted by people who run a highly selective program for brilliant technophiles. Even among other geniuses, William stands out, and it turns out there's a reason for his talents that has to do with his grandfather, an intelligent metal called luridium, and a bunch of other secrets that pile up into a mystery that will take some unpacking in future volumes. It's overly convenient that William's mom and dad forbade him to do any puzzles without offering any explanation, but that aside, this series opener is a gripping story from early on, and the wonky twists and turns ramp up the excitement as readers learn more about William's family and this crazy metal at the core of the drama. Hopefully future novels will flesh out the characters a little, but any kid who likes ciphers and codes will be drawn in, and there's plenty here to lure them back for the next outing.

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