Hideout by Gordan Korman Book Review

Hideout by Gordon Korman 

Gordon Korman's new book Hideout features the return of the ultimate bad-guy, Wendell Palomino (also known as “Swindle” to Griffin and his gang of friends). In this 5th installment of the Swindle series, Swindle returns for the valuable Doberman Luthor, and threatens to exact revenge on the six teenagers who ran him out of town.

Somehow, the devious Swindle makes the documentation of Luthor’s adoption by Savannah disappear. She’s now faced with a court order to turn her dog over to the low-life man, which will only happen over her dead body! The kids, in an effort to outsmart the court order, shuffle the dog from summer camp to summer camp, only to find new and increasingly more challenging obstacles in their way.

Luthor only behaves for Savannah; which is an issue whenever she’s not around. Also, it’s a little hard to sneak around a 150-pound dog when people are watching your every move. To make matters worse, it’s as if Swindle predicts their every move – and with unknown henchmen sent to do Swindle’s dirty work, the kids must be wary of every adult they meet.

Can Griffin (a.k.a. The Man With The Plan), Ben (his narcoleptic best friend), Logan (the actor), Pitch (the climber), Savannah (the animal whisperer), and Melissa (the computer genius) be able to stop Swindle’s greedy paws from stealing the ferociously loved pooch? Read the book and find out! 

Watch the Hideout trailer.
Read chapter 1 of Hideout.

Are you a fan of the Swindle series? Don’t forget to let us know what you think of the gang’s latest adventure in the Comments.

—Elysse, STACKS Writer

SNEAK PEEK: The 39 Clues Medusa Plot

The 39 Clues Book 11, Vespers Rising is out in bookstores now, so it's already a great week, but there's more! We also have for you a SNEAK PEEK of the next 39 Clues book:

The 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers Book 1: The Medusa Plot by Gordon Korman  

After the mysterious Vespers kidnap Cahills around the globe, they order Amy and Dan to steal a priceless painting in exchange for the hostages. The siblings rush to Italy to execute a heist that rivals the most famous art thefts in history. There's just one problem -- the painting they steal is a fake. With the clock ticking, Amy and Dan have to track down the real painting before one of Cahill hostages pays the ultimate price. But Dan and Amy can't stop the Vespers alone.

Read the Prologue.

Nice, huh? Leave a Comment telling us what you think of the new book so far.

— Sonja, STACKS Staffer

Sneak Peek: Framed by Gordon Korman

If you loved Swindle and Zoobreak by Gordan Korman, then we have good news for you: The Man With The Plan (aka Griffin Bing) will be back this September in a new sequel, Framed. In this book, Griffin is accused of stealing an authentic Super Bowl ring from the school display case. He didn't do it of course, but all the evidence points directly to him. Somebody set Griffin up to take the fall. But who would do that and why? All Griffin knows is that he's being framed for a crime he didn't commit. Read on for a sneak peek at the book. . .

39 Clues LIVE CHAT with Gordon Korman

The 39 Clues Book #8: The Emperor's Code is here, and time is running out to read it before our live chat with the author, Gordon Korman!

WHO: Gordon Korman, author of The 39 Clues Book #2: One False Note and Book #8: The Emperor's Code
WHEN: Thursday April 8, 2010 6-7 PM E.T. (3-4 PM P.T.)
WHERE: THE STACKS (Read below for sign-in instructions.)
TOPIC: The 39 Clues!

While you're waiting, check out the chatter and make new friends on The 39 Clues Message Board.

And if you don't have Book 8 yet, here is a video preview from Gordon Korman.

We have fun Live Chats here every month. Sign up for our Live Chat reminders and we will send you an e-mail a couple days before all future chats to remind you to join!

— STACKS Staffers

 

---

 

This chat already happened, but you can enjoy reading the transcript.

39 Clues Live Chat with Gordon Korman

The 39 Clues Book #8: The Emperor's Code is here, and time is running out to read it before our live chat with the author, Gordon Korman!

WHO: Gordon Korman, author of The 39 Clues Book #2: One False Note and Book #8: The Emperor's Code
WHEN: Thursday April 8, 2010 6-7 PM E.T. (3-4 PM P.T.)
WHERE: THE STACKS (Read below for sign-in instructions.)
TOPIC: The 39 Clues!

While you're waiting, check out the chatter and make new friends on The 39 Clues Message Board. 

And if you don't have Book 8 yet, here is a video preview from Gordon Korman.

We have fun Live Chats here every month. Sign up for our Live Chat reminders and we will send you an e-mail a couple days before all future chats to remind you to join!

— STACKS Staffers

---

This chat already happened, but you can enjoy reading the transcript.

Create Your Own Agent Card for THE 39 CLUES

Thanks to all the fans of The 39 Clues, and congratulations on being top-level Clue-hunters! World domination doesn't come easy, does it? That's one of the first lessons Amy and Dan learn.

You may not have all 39 Clues yet, but you can still showcase your Clue-hunting prowess by designing your very own agent card on www.the39Clues.com. Check out my card right here.

First you have to create a Cahill alias. That's me – Desert Squall1. Then it's time to show off your skills.

There are tons of cool images to add to your card – background designs, animals, weapons, characters from the series, etc. And of course, a little bragging never hurts. You get to display all your Clue-hunting accomplishments. But the coolest part is this: your card will have a unique code. So when you send the code to your friends (and rivals?!) your card will be added to their card galleries. My code is P2DTMN4WXP.

Risky? Perhaps. There's no guarantee that your card won't fall into Madrigal hands. But let's face it – no guts, no glory. The Clue hunt is no place for wimps.

So when you create your agent card, rest assured I'll be watching. The bigger question is: Who else will be?

See you on the hunt! And if you haven't joined the hunt for the Clues yet, it's never too late to join!

— The 39 Clues Author, Gordon Korman (aka Desert Squall1, Card Code: P2DTMN4WXP)

THE FIVE: Sonja's Top Books of 2008

I tried to make a top five list of my favorite books of 2008, but it ended up being my top six because there isn't one book that I could drop from this list. They are all SO GOOD I couldn't limit myself to just five. So here they are in the order that I read them during the year:

1. Swindle by Gordon Korman

When I interviewed Gordon Korman last year before Swindle came out, he told me a little about it, and he made it sound so good I just had to read it. I was not disappointed. Swindle is the perfect combination of action and adventure, but it is also funny and true-to-life at the same time.

2. Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke

If you've read the Ink-world trilogy, then you know how excited I was for the third book to come out. If you haven't yet read Inkheart and Inkspell, then please turn your computer off right now and start reading. Trust me. I have to admit, though, the beginning of Inkdeath didn't grab me right away. It was so depressing and hopeless with Dustfinger gone. But once I got into it, I got REALLY into it, and — SPOILER ALERT! — even though I was rooting for Farid, I still loved the ending.

3. Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris by R. L. LaFevers

 

I am a huge Theodosia fan. Along with Lyra Belacqua and Hermione, she is one of my favorite girl characters of all time. So when I saw that R. L. LaFevers was signing copies of the sequel to Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos, I got right in line! Want to know what she wrote in my book? "For Sonja, Beware of mummies on the loose!"

4. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Ages 12 and up)

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE! READ IT! 'Nuff said. Okay, I'll say a little more. It's about a group of teenagers who are forced to participate in a reality TV show where they have fight each other to the death. Warning: you will not be able to put this book down for anything once you start it!

5. Trouble by Gary D. Schmidt (Ages 12 and up)

I think Gary D. Schmidt should win the Newbery Medal. I can't believe he hasn't won it yet. His last book,The Wednesday Wars, was really funny but had some serious undertones. This book, Trouble, is all seriousness. In the beginning of the book you find out that the main character's brother was hit by a car and killed. The person driving the car was a student in their high school, but there is much, much more to the story, including racism, bullying, and a deep secret that doesn't come out until the end of the book.

6. Masterpiece by Elise Broach
This book is just cute sweet fun. It's about a boy and a beetle who get involved in a plot to catch an art thief. I know it sounds a little corny, but this book is actually pretty suspenseful once the thief shows up and they have to stop him. If you liked Chasing Vermeer, I would definitely recommend Masterpiece.

So there you have my favorite books of 2008. Did I miss any of your favorites? Let me know what books you think I should read next!

— Sonja, Scholastic.com Editor

The 39 Clues Gordon Korman Webcast Highlights

Hey, everyone!

How awesome was that webcast? (So awesome!)

I was taking notes on a borrowed laptop and saving it to a borrowed flash drive, which didn't go so well, so if you want a full play-by-play, you'd be better off watching the archived video.

But if you want the highlights, here's what stood out to me — all exactly as I remember it:

• Whoopi Goldberg thinks Grace Cahill's hat is cute.
• Gordon's username on the39clues.com is GKAmadeus.
• Gordon is a member of the Janus branch.
• Gordon and his son are from different Cahill branches.
• Gordon is scared of the Lucian branch because they're sneaky spies.
• Kids from over 100 countries have already joined the quest to discover the secret of the Cahill family's power.
• The clues are being kept top-secret. The clue for Book 2 was delivered to Gordon's house in the middle of the night in an unmarked, black envelope. Gordon never saw the face of the person who delivered it. He's not even sure the messenger was entirely human!
• One of the special cards reveals that Hope Cahill, Amy and Dan's mother, had a chip with one of the clues implanted in her arm.
• Book 2 is about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his sister.
• Mozart loved potty humor. Once, when he quit his job, he told his old boss to use his contract for toilet paper.
• Mozart's sister, Nannerl, was just as musically talented as Mozart.
• Despite being the most notorious musician of his age, Mozart died broke. What was he spending his money on? Gordon thinks he was searching for the 39 clues!
• Since Mozart died poor, he was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave. To this day, no one knows where he was buried.
• Gordon's favorite character to write is Jonah Wizard because of his dialogue. Gordon thinks every character has a dialogue "fingerprint," meaning that the way each character speaks is completely unique. Jonah's boneheaded, teen mogul speech is Gordon's favorite.
• At the end, someone jumped on stage. It turned out to be Peter Lerangis, who is the author of Book 3. It's coming out in March. The title of Book 3 is The Sword Thief. The cover is red, with swords and ninja stars!

What did I miss? What was your favorite part?

And check back tomorrow for some behind-the-scenes pics from the webcast control room!

— Carly H., STACKS Staffer

Author SPLOTlight: Gordon Korman

If you have read the first book in The 39 Clues series, then I know you are dying to read the second book, which comes out on December 2nd. The title is One False Note by Gordon Korman, and this book is so top-secret that I couldn't even pull any strings to get an advance copy! No fair!

I did have the chance to interview Korman a couple of weeks ago, and I tried to get him to reveal some of the secrets! He didn't give anything away, of course, but one thing he told me is that he loves it when kids write new stories based on his books. He actually said it was one of the best gifts he ever gets from kids.

So, now it's your turn! Gordon Korman will be our December Author of the Month. Let Korman's books be a springboard for your imagination and write your own story. Publish your writing on the Message Board and maybe Gordon Korman himself will read it!

Need some inspiration? Watch this video to find out what Korman had to say about writing The 39 Clues Book 2: One False Note.

— Sonja, Scholastic.com Editor

Author SPLOTlight: Gordon Korman

Working on THE STACKS means that I've seen every single video on the Videos page.  And I want to point you to a video that I think is especially cool — from an interview with Gordon Korman.

He wrote his first book for a 7th grade English project! How awesome is that?

The book he wrote, This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall, is about two troublemakers, Bruno Walton and Melvin "Boots" O'Neal, and all the trouble they get into at a Canadian boarding school. (Korman is from Canada.)

Since then, Korman has written a ton of other books. There are the adventure series Island, Dive, and Everest. And he wrote On the Run, a series about two siblings who are trying to prove their parents' innocents and save them from a life in jail. Plus, Swindle and the second book in The 39 Clues series.

But I can't get over the story of his first book. It shows that becoming an author isn't magic, that it doesn't have to do with age or education; it's just a matter of sitting down and writing a good story.

So now I'm curious: are any of you writers? What great stories are you telling?

— Carly H., STACKS Staffer