The Emperor's Code (The 39 Clues Series #8) »

Gordon Korman is one of the most beloved contemporary authors of today with more than 40 middle-grade novels to his credit. He published his first book at the wee age of fourteen, which turned into the Bruno and Boots series- still in print! Also a tireless self-promoter, Gordon travels across the country and even travels abroad to promote his books. Originally from Toronto, Gordon and his wife, a teacher, now live on Long Island with their little boy.

Amy and Dan must steal a Clue guarded by thousands of the world's best-trained soldiers. With their enemies closing in, the brother and sister are separated. Now how will ...

Children's Literature

This is Book Eight in "The 39 Clues" series starring Dan and Amy Cahill, privileged kids who are chasing 39 clues to the secret of becoming the most powerful and influential human in the world. The continuing story features clans with colors and crests, innumerable nasty conniving relatives, and jet-lagged journeys to all corners of the earth. In this adventure, Dan, a pre-teen who wants to be hip, and Amy, a history-loving 14-year-old, take off from London on a jet to China in search of another clue. A reader who has not read the other volumes had better go back to Book One or else go directly to the Internet to sort it all out. Actually, this is not really a book; it is more a written storyboard for an animated action film. Graphics could do much more with the contrived and superficial characters, wildly improbable situations, and whirlwind trips through tourist attractions, this time skimming Tiananmen Square, a kung fu academy, and the Great Wall. The siblings end up on top of Mount Everest in a whisper-weight helicopter—luckily they did not have to make the climb! Unfortunately, the frantic fakeness of it all makes Book Eight boring. Readers looking to join the game, "Read the Books, Play the Game, Win the Prizes," must register on the website, buy the books and clue cards, and complete online missions with the possibility of winning "a chance to compete" for $10,000. If they are looking for a good story, kids will have to hunt elsewhere—maybe in a library. Reviewer: Barbara L. Talcroft