The Mysterious Benedict Society

A newspaper ad asks, "Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" and dozens of children arrive to take a series of baffling tests. Only four pass: Reynie Muldoon, a thoughtful orphan; Kate Wetherall, an athletic escape artist; Sticky Washington, a boy who remembers everything he reads; and Constance Contraire, a stubborn girl with hidden depths. The reclusive Mr. Benedict recruits them to infiltrate the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, a boarding school run by a man broadcasting secret messages into the world. Posing as students, the four must uncover the plot and stop it, relying on their odd gifts and their growing loyalty to one another.