The 39 Clues
 | |
| |
| Author |
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|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | |
| Publisher | Scholastic |
| Published | 2008—present |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
The 39 Clues is a series of adventure novels written by a collaboration of authors, including Rick Riordan, Gordon Korman, Peter Lerangis, Jude Watson, Patrick Carman, Linda Sue Park, Margaret Peterson Haddix, Roland Smith, David Baldacci, Jeff Hirsch, Natalie Standiford, C. Alexander London, and Jenny Goebel. It consists of four series, The Clue Hunt, Cahills vs. Vespers, Unstoppable, and Doublecross. They chronicle the adventures of two siblings, Amy and Dan Cahill, who discover that their family, the Cahills, has been the most influential family in history. The first story arc concerns Dan and Amy's quest to find the 39 Clues, which are ingredients to a serum that can create the most powerful person on Earth.[1] This series' primary audience is age 8–12. Since the release of the first novel, The Maze of Bones, on September 9, 2008, the books have gained popularity, positive reception, and commercial success. As of July 2010, the book series has about 8.5 million copies in print and has been translated into 24 languages.[2] The publisher of the books is Scholastic Press in the United States. Steven Spielberg acquired film rights to the series in June 2008, and a film based on the books will be released in 2016.[3] The series also originated tie-in merchandise, including collectible cards and an interactive Internet game.
The Clue Hunt
The first series revolves around orphans Amy and Dan Cahill, who discover upon their grandmother's death that the Cahill family has shaped most of world history. Amy and Dan pursue the Clues while evading the sabotage of other Cahills. Each book chronicles one location which Amy, Dan, and their au pair Nellie travel to and focuses on one historical character associated with a Clue.
The Maze of Bones
The Maze of Bones is the first book in the series, written by Rick Riordan and published on September 9, 2008.
Amy and Dan's grandmother, Grace Cahill, changes her will shortly before her death. At her funeral, her lawyer, William McIntyre, tells Dan, Amy, and their other relatives, of a choice between one million dollars and a chance to participate in the Clue hunt, a treacherous path to power. Amy and Dan enter the Clue hunt, competing against more experienced Clue hunters: the Holts, Alistair Oh, the Starlings, the Kabras, Jonah Wizard, and Irina Spasky. Pursuing clues hidden in Grace's library lead to the Franklin Institute. There, Dan and Amy discover Benjamin Franklin has hidden a clue in Paris. An explosion stop an assault from the Starling triplets by trapping them in rubble. After convincing their au pair, Nellie, to chaperone their trip, Amy and Dan travel to Paris, where they follow a trail of ciphers into the catacombs. Then, at an old church, they find the clue in a vial. The Kabras steal the vial, but Dan solves the puzzle and discovers the clue: "iron solute". Amy's Internet searches lead to the probable location of the second Clue: Vienna, the home of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
One False Note
One False Note, second book in the series, was written by Gordon Korman and published on December 2, 2008.
En route to Vienna, the Holts steal from Amy, Dan, and Nellie sheet music, a code that leads to the Clue, forcing them to rely on Dan's photographic memory. They go to an archive to find the diary of Mozart's sister, Maria Anna "Nannerl" Mozart, only to discover that Jonah Wizard has been stolen it. They steal the diary back. The diary leads them to Salzburg, Mozart's birthplace; their search there ends in an explosion. Dan, Amy, and Nellie then go to Venice, where Dan and Amy sneak into a museum. Ian and Natalie Kabra attack them and play the harpsichord, triggering a booby trap that knocks Ian out. Natalie gets hit with a dart from her dart gun from Amy. She and Dan find the second clue, tungsten, and a pair of Japanese swords, a hint for their next destination.
The Sword Thief
The Sword Thief is the third book in the series. It was written by Peter Lerangis and published on March 3, 2009.
A pair of tungsten swords from Vienna leads Amy, Dan, and Nellie to Japan for a clue related to Japanese warrior Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Teaming up with Alistair Oh and the Kabras, the three follow a trail of clues to Korea, where they stay at Alistair's house. A book in Alistair's secret library leads them to a mountain called Pukhansan. The group finds an entrance to a cave that hides Hideyoshi's treasure, and the third clue, gold. Dan decodes an anagram and tricks the Kabras, who escape and seal everyone else in the cave. After escaping, Dan, Amy, and Nellie head for Egypt, as hinted in the anagram.
Beyond the Grave
Beyond the Grave is the fourth book in the series. It was written by Jude Watson and published on June 2, 2009.
Dan, Amy, and Nellie arrive in the Hotel Excelsior, a stronghold built by Bae Oh, Alistair's uncle. Bae finds them in the hotel's stronghold and traps them. They find the fourth clue, half a gram of myrrh, through a Sakhet statue Grace left them. They barely escape with Nellie and their cat Saladin's help. Jonah Wizard later traps them in a deserted island on the Nile. Some local fisherman save them and return them to Egypt.
The Black Circle
The Black Circle is the fifth book in the series. It was written by Patrick Carman and published on August 11, 2009.
After receiving a telegram from the mysterious "NRR", Dan and Amy leave for Russia. Upon their arrival, another hint from NRR leads them to a credit card and false passports belonging to their dead parents. NRR states she is Nataliya Ruslanova Radova, the daughter of the last Romanov, a Cahill. She escaped to live with a low profile. A blood disorder stops her from joining the Clue hunt. Allying with the Holts, Amy and Dan infiltrate a stronghold. It reveals the next clue, amber.
In Too Deep
In Too Deep is the sixth book in the series. It was written by Jude Watson (who also wrote Beyond the Grave) and published on November 3, 2009.
Dan and Amy head to Sydney, Australia, to learn about what their parents knew about the 39 Clues from their dad's cousin, Shepard Trent. They discover that Ian and Natalie's mother, Isabel Kabra, has joined the hunt. Isabel tries to feed Amy to sharks, but Hamilton Holt foils her plot. The siblings survive Isabel's second assassination attempt and follow a clue to Krakatau (the ring of fire), where they meet Alistair. Isabel sets fire to their hut. Irina Spasky dies while saving Amy, Dan and Alistair. After the fire, Alistair show Dan and Amy a message by Richardson Cahill Henderson, revealing the clue, water. Near the end of the book, they suspect that Nellie is spying on them for someone else.
The Viper's Nest
The Viper's Nest is the seventh book in the series. It was written by Peter Lerangis and published on February 2, 2010.
The morning after the fire that killed Irina Spasky, Dan and Amy discover that Irina's last words are a song, which points them to their next destination: Pretoria, South Africa. They infiltrate a stronghold, and the Holts chase them. As Dan and Amy leave South Africa, the Kabras capture them. Flying Grace's old plane The Flying Lemur, the siblings escape with a vial of green liquid. During a quarrel, the vial breaks, and the green liquid, a Kabra poison, spills onto Dan's arm. To save Dan, they fly to Grace Cahill's home in Madagascar, where they find out that the clue is aloe and their parents were Madrigals, an organization Amy and Dan have learned to fear, meaning that they themselves are Madrigals.
The Emperor's Code
The Emperor's Code is the eighth book in the series. It was written by Gordon Korman and published on April 6, 2010.[4]
Amy and Dan go to China to find the next clue. They split up following an argument but reunite at Mount Everest, where they find a Janus vial left by British mountaineer George Mallory. They battle Eisenhower Holt and Ian Kabra over a partial serum. Ian falls, and Amy sacrifices the serum to save him. When Dan thinks they have lost the clue, Amy shows him the poem on a silk fabric they found in Beijing and tells him the next clue is raw silkworm secretion. They realize that a formula on the silk means that four partial serums add up to one master serum. Dan shows Amy the locket he found at a Shaolin temple, which contains an inscription of the name of the pirate Anne Bonnie. They decide their next destination is the Caribbean.
Storm Warning
Storm Warning is the ninth book in the series. It was written by Linda Sue Park and published on May 25, 2010.
Amy and Dan continue their hunt in the Bahamas and Jamaica. They distrust Nellie after discovering that she works for William McIntyre. They head out to the Port Royal excavation site with a friend, Lester, and find a box Grace donated that can fit the objects they collected. They cannot open the box, and after Lester, who knew nothing about the Cahills, dies, the siblings quit the hunt. Instead of driving them to the airport, Nellie stops at Moore town and gives the box to a mysterious man who has been following Dan and Amy. The man gives the siblings one hour to open the box. They figure out that on the strip they found is an unfolded Möbius strip. Amy inserts the strip to the final slit and the box springs open. It contains a poem by Madeleine Cahill and the clue of mace. The mystery man reveals his true identity as Fiske Cahill, Amy and Dan's great-uncle and Grace's younger brother. He reveals the existence of the Madrigal branch, a previously unknown part of the Cahill family, and grants the three active Madrigal status. After reading the poem, Dan concludes that the siblings' next stop is England.
Into The Gauntlet
Into The Gauntlet is the tenth and penultimate book in the series. It was written by Margaret Peterson Haddix and published on August 31, 2010.
All the Cahills go to the Globe Theater in London and fight over a note. Amy and Dan get most of the note, while others come out with nothing or a little hint. All the teams arrive at the home of the founder, Gideon Cahill, on an island. Isabel Kabra captures them and threatens to kill their loved ones if they do not reveal their clues. Amy smashes the serum over Isabel's head, knocking her out. Each teams gives them a list of everyone's clues, signaling the union of the Cahill factions.
Vespers Rising
Vespers Rising is the eleventh and final book in the original series, published on April 5, 2011. Rick Riordan, Peter Lerangis, Gordon Korman, and Jude Watson each penned a plot line. The first describes Cahill ancestor Gideon's discovery of the master serum and betrayal by his friend and first Vesper, Damien Vesper. The second recounts the life of Gideon's daughter, Madeline, and her attempt to reunite the Cahill family, protect her father's ring, and outwit Damien Vesper from acquiring it. The third tells of Grace's first mission to Casablanca, as she competes against Vesper agent General George S. Patton to retrieve Gideon's ring. The fourth passage describes Amy and Dan's retrieval of Gideon's ring that Grace bequeathed to Amy, while escaping Casper Wyoming, a Vesper agent.
Cahills vs. Vespers
Cahills vs. Vespers is the second series in The 39 Clues franchise. It revolves around the now united Cahill family fighting the Vespers.
The Medusa Plot
The Medusa Plot is the first book in the series.
Two years after the Clue hunt, all who succeeded in finding Gideon's serum recipe have united. The feud between the Cahills has ended, and the family unites to battle a new enemy: the Vespers, a secret organization led by Vesper One who have been the Cahills' enemies since the time of their ancestor Gideon. Members of the Cahill family are kidnapped and will be returned only if Dan and Amy follow Vesper One's instructions.
A King's Ransom
| Author | Jude Watson |
|---|---|
| Series | Cahills vs. Vespers |
| Published | December 6, 2011 |
| Preceded by | The Medusa Plot |
| Followed by | The Dead of Night |
A King's Ransom is the second book in the series. It was written by Jude Watson and published on December 6, 2011.
Amy and Dan are in Santa Maria Novella train station in Florence when they come across a girl named Vanessa Mallory, who is Cheyenne Wyoming in disguise, and use her as a distraction to get into the train for Lucerne, Switzerland, where Vesper One is sending them for their next mission: find the De Virga world map. From information translated from German de Virga map archives, Amy concludes that they have to search Neuschwanstein Castle. Amy and Dan find a black notebook owned by Sparrow, a.k.a. Jane Sperling, at the castle. Inside is a note that leads to the de Virga map.
Analysis comes from the Cahill Command Center about the notes: they refer to a Johannes Kepler book recovered from the castle. The Cahills go to the book's current location at the Library of Philosophy and Cosmology in Prague but cannot enter without a reference. After going to Sedlec Ossuary on a hunch from the Command Center, they discover a Vesper One report on a flash drive and the initials AJT, Arthur Josiah Trent, carved on the wall, which shocks Dan because Arthur was their father. Erasmus, a Cahill, explains that Arthur was initiated into the Vespers but later cut off ties with them. After a Cahill helps Dan and Amy enter the Library of Philosophy, they bump into Jake and Atticus, who help the siblings. Inside, Katja Mavel, the library director, gives them what they want. They find the map in the book. In Rome, a Vesper dressed like a waiter kills William McIntyre, who leaves a secret message in his shoe before he dies. Back in Prague, Amy and Dan tell Atticus what they are doing, and Atticus reveals his involvement as a Guardian, a separate family allied with the Cahills. Dan connects Il Milione and the map to Samarkand, Uzbekistan - their next destination. Vesper One asks them to drop off the package at the Astronomical Tower, near the statue of Jan Hus. They do, but the Vespers kidnap Atticus, who followed them. Vesper One now knows Dan and Amy have been hiding Marco Polo's epilogue and explains that Atticus was the price of keeping it from him. Minutes later, AJT sends another message to Dan's phone.
The Dead of Night
| Author | Peter Lerangis |
|---|---|
| Series | Cahills vs. Vespers |
| Published | March 6, 2012 |
| Preceded by | A King's Ransom |
| Followed by | Shatterproof |
The Dead of Night is the third book in the series. It was written by Peter Lerangis and published on March 6, 2012.
The Vespers have Atticus Rosenbloom and will kill him if Dan and Amy do not comply with their demands. Vesper One commands Amy and Dan to find a stale orb, an anagram for astrolabe. They fly to Samarkand, Uzbekistan, to find the astrolabe. Atticus escapes, and Dan suspects that his father murdered William McIntyre and is Vesper One. Ian goes to New York, suspecting Isabel to be Vesper One, and Isabel manipulates him into staying by saying that the other Cahills are not his friends. The hostages are rumored to be in Argentina because of a lizard Nellie holds in a photo. Dan has gathered seventeen ingredients of the thirty-nine for his own master serum. He has also been receiving texts from a Vesper claiming to be his father, so he texts back a question to confirm this and is shocked that the answer is correct.
Shatterproof
| Author | Roland Smith |
|---|---|
| Series | Cahills vs. Vespers |
| Published | September 4, 2012 |
| Preceded by | The Dead of Night |
| Followed by | Trust No One |
Shatterproof is the fourth book in the series. It was written by Roland Smith and published on September 4, 2012.[5]
Amy and Dan must steal the Golden Jubilee diamond from Berlin's Pergamon Museum to keep Vesper One from killing a Cahill. The Diamond is too well protected, but they escape from security. Vesper One reveals that they were merely a distraction, and he has what he needs. He tells them to find the "Apology", a Roman article written by a soldier. Jonah, Hamilton, and Erasmus work on tracking down Luna Amato, a Vesper, for information on William McIntyre's murder. Luna kills Erasmus, but Jonah kills her. The hostages try to escape, but the Vespers stop them. Phoenix, a hostage, falls off a cliff but survives and gets away. Before they escape, Casper and Cheyenne inform Amy and Dan of Phoenix's supposed death. Vesper Three is revealed to be Sinead Starling, who frames Ian.[6]
Trust No One
| Author | Linda Sue Park |
|---|---|
| Series | Cahills vs. Vespers |
| Published | December 4, 2012 |
| Preceded by | Shatterproof |
| Followed by | Day of Doom |
Trust No One is the fifth and penultimate book in the series. It was written by Linda Sue Park, the author of Storm Warning, and was published on December 4, 2012.[7] The novel features Isabel and takes place in Brazil.[8]
Vesper One tells Amy and Dan to go to Yale and steal the Voynich Manuscript, Folio 74. Evan finds out that Sinead is Vesper Three. She blocks Evan's messages, but Amy finds out, and the two fight before Sinead flees. Amy then apologizes to Ian, and they find that the folio is missing. After meeting Dave Speminer (a friend of the Rosenblooms' mother, Astrid), Atticus remember something that his mom said to him before dying: Missing Voynich with LaCher. Vesper One streams a video of Nellie, telling them of Alistair's death. They check Astrid Rosenbloom's email for clues about the folio's location. A coded email directs them to the Iguazu Falls in Brazil. During a capoeira performance, a capoeirista "accidentally" injures Atticus. At the Falls, a second attack occurs, and a blow dart coated with curare hits Dan, but a nearby doctor saves him from the poison. They realize Isabel Kabra orchestrated the attacks and that there will be one more.
A taxi driver takes them to Mabu Thermas Hotel and Spa and sees Dan's new wallpaper on his laptop, one of the "plumbing pictures" in the Voynich. At the spa, they meet LaCher Siffright, who has Folio 74. LaCher protects Atticus from the third attack: a man who throws a knife and a skewer at Atticus. They find the folio and realize that Archimedes plays a part in the Vespers' master plan. They suspect Isabel to be Vesper One and ask Hamilton and Jonah to find out more about Archimedes. Amy is tricked into giving Vesper One Gideon's ring, which Grace entrusted her with. They find out the Vespers' master plan: to build the Machina Fini Mundi, a doomsday device. Traumatized by her betrayal, Amy hides in her own mind, blocking out the real world. Dan decides that the team should go to Attleboro. He believes that to combat a doomsday device, he needs the serum which he recently created, and he drinks an unknown liquid an Ekaterina scientist manufactures.
Day of Doom
| Author | David Baldacci |
|---|---|
| Series | Cahills vs. Vespers |
| Published | March 5, 2013 |
| Preceded by | Trust No One |
| Followed by | Nowhere to Run |
Day of Doom is the sixth and final book in the Cahills vs. Vespers series. It is written by David Baldacci and published on March 5, 2013.
Continuing from the last chapter of Trust No One, Dan drinks the "serum" that he made with the help of an Ekaterina scientist, but Amy reveals that she replaced the real serum with a mixture of vegetables. Amy tells Dan that Isabel Kabra is Vesper Two, not Vesper One, and that she is flying to Washington, D.C. Following a clue from Astrid, Amy and Dan go to the National Museum of Natural History, which houses the largest collection of Lewis and Clark items. On the train, Vesper One sends them a video of the hostages. Atticus realizes that Ted is blinking Morse code and decodes the message: Riley McGrath is Vesper One. At the museum, they find out that Isabel wanted to see Lewis and Clark's compass. Dan sees numbers and letters scratched onto the back of the compass. Evan and Ian receive a call from Phoenix from a motel in Washington state and head there with Hamilton and Jonah, whom Sandy, Casper, and Cheyenne follow. Disguised as a waitress, Cheyenne forces them into a van, taking them to the Rocky Mountains. Dan decides to take a train to the Cascade Mountain Range, where they believe the hostages and the Machina Fini Mundi are. Atticus grows suspicious of Dave and finds out that Dave Speminer is an anagram of Damien Vesper, the founder of the Vespers. Dan learns that Isabel had been posing as his father and sending the text messages. Isabel kidnaps Atticus, steals the serum in Dan's bag, and escapes. Amy discovers that Isabel modified the coordinates etched on the compass's reverse. The location of the hostages and the Machina Fini Mundi turns out to be on the Rocky Mountains.
The Vespers move the hostages from the Cascades to the Rockies. En route, the hostages break free and incapacitate Sandy, Casper, and Cheyenne and meet up with Amy, Dan, Atticus, and Jake. They find the Machina Fini Mundi and battle the Vespers. The Vespers fatally shoot Evan, while the device electrocutes Natalie. Amy turns the Machina Fini Mundi into a giant electromagnet. When the Vespers come, the device disarms and electrocutes them. Sandy and Damien arrive and hand out stone weapons. Isabel, having drunk Dan's serum and seeking revenge for her children, arrives and tries to stop Damien from inserting the final piece. The device activates, but Isabel destroys it. Damien melts into the device, causing an explosion, which kills Damien and Isabel. In the aftermath, Amy, Sinead, and Dan discuss how they will return to their normal lives.
Unstoppable
Unstoppable is the third series in The 39 Clues franchise. It was revealed in Publishers Weekly on October 25, 2012. Jude Watson wrote the story arc for the series.
Nowhere to Run
| Author | Jude Watson |
|---|---|
| Series | Unstoppable |
| Published | October 1, 2013 |
| Preceded by | Day of Doom |
| Followed by | Breakaway |
Nowhere to Run is the first book in the series.
J. Rutherford Pierce, a presidential candidate, attacks Amy and Dan and steals the serum from the safekeeper, Sammy Mourad, to use its power to conquer the world. Using the serum he makes himself a media empire he uses to attack Amy and Dan's reputation. This leads the siblings to go to a safehouse in Ireland where they find a book written by Gideon's wife Olivia, which contains the serum's antidote. Friends and family help Amy and Dan go to Troy where they find six whiskers of an Anatolian leopard, the antidote's first ingredient. Meanwhile, Pierce kidnaps Sammy, a Cahill student who made the serum with Dan in Trust No One, as part of his plan to mass-produce the serum and build an army for world domination. Nellie disguises herself as a chemist to be hired by Pierce and rescue Sammy from Trilon Labrotories.
Breakaway
| Author | Jeff Hirsch |
|---|---|
| Series | Unstoppable |
| Published | January 28, 2014 |
| Preceded by | Nowhere to Run |
| Followed by | Countdown |
Breakaway is the second book in the series.
Countdown
| Author | Natalie Standiford |
|---|---|
| Series | Unstoppable |
| Published | April 29, 2014 |
| Preceded by | Breakaway |
| Followed by | Flashpoint |
Countdown is the third and penultimate book in the series.[9]
Flashpoint
| Author | Gordon Korman |
|---|---|
| Series | Unstoppable |
| Published | August 26, 2014 |
| Pages | 224 |
| Preceded by | Countdown |
| Followed by | Mission Titanic |
Flashpoint is the fourth and final book in the Unstoppable series.[10]
Doublecross
On April 26, 2014, at the New Hampshire Worlds Collide event, Scholastic announced a fourth series titled Doublecross. [11]
Mission Titanic
| Author | Jude Watson |
|---|---|
| Series | Doublecross |
| Published | February 24, 2015 |
| Pages | 224[12] |
| Preceded by | Flashpoint |
| Followed by | Mission Hindenburg |
Mission Titanic is the first book in the series. It was published on February 24, 2015.[12][13]
Mission Hindenburg
| Author | C. Alexander London |
|---|---|
| Series | Doublecross |
| Published | July 28, 2015 |
| Pages | 192[14] |
| Preceded by | Mission Titanic |
| Followed by | Mission Hurricane |
Mission Hindenburg is the second book in the Doublecross series. It was published on July 28, 2015.[14][15]
Mission Hurricane
| Author | Jenny Goebel |
|---|---|
| Series | Doublecross |
| Published | January 26, 2016 |
| Preceded by | Mission Hindenburg |
| Followed by | Mission Atomic |
Mission Hurricane is the third book in the Doublecross series. It was published on January 26, 2016.
Mission Atomic
| Author | Sarwat Chadda |
|---|---|
| Series | Doublecross |
| Published | June 28, 2016 |
| Preceded by | Mission Hurricane |
| Followed by | Superspecial, Book 1 |
Mission Atomic will be the fourth and final book in the Doublecross series. It will be published on June 28, 2016.
Amy, Dan, and Co. race against time to stop the final disaster that could lead to mass destruction on an atomic level. It all comes to a head when they come face to face with the enemy as the Outcast's true identity is finally revealed.
Superspecial
Superspecial is the fifth series in The 39 Clues franchise. The first book will be released on September 27, 2016. It will be written by C. Alexander London, who wrote Mission Hindenburg in the previous series.[16]
Characters
Supplementary works
Scholastic has expanded the 39 Clues universe with several books. In 2010 Scholastic published Agent Handbook, which explores the techniques that the clue hunters in the series use to find clues, and The Black Book of Buried Secrets, which provides more information about events in the series.[17][18] In the last week of December 2011, the Scholastic editorial team released seven short stories as part of The 39 Clues: Rapid Fire e-book series.[19] The editorial team has also released "The Cahill Files", which includes Operation Trinity, Spymasters, and four e-books. As part of the multimedia interactive experience to promote the series, Scholastic includes six cards in each book of the 39 Clues series. Each card leads to one online clue, which readers can unlock by entering the code on the cards on their 39 Clues account online.[20]
Cards
The 39 Clues uses collectible cards expand readers' experience of the series. In the first series of books, The Clue Hunt, each book came with six game cards. These cards all shared the same code and once added online would unlock the clue in that book. Alongside the first series of books, Card Packs were sold. These card packs contained 16 random cards out of a total of roughly 50 that were not available in the books. The card packs were:
| Card Pack | for books 1, 2 and 3 |
| Card Pack 2: Branch vs. Branch | for books 4, 5 and 6 |
| Card Pack 3: Rise of the Madrigals | for books 7 and 8 |
| Ultimate Card Pack | for books 9 and 10 |
In the second series each book again came with six cards. However, unlike the first series, the cards were needed to unlock the online missions. Cahills vs Vespers also had two card packs. These card packs all contained the same 16 game cards, which would unlock the online extreme missions. The card packs were:
| The Marco Polo Heist | released with book 1 |
| The Magellan Heist | released with book 4 |
In the third series Unstoppable, each book contains six game cards. These cards unlock an extra game in their corresponding online missions.
In the fourth series Doublecross, each book will contain six virtual cards.
Overall, the cards form a key part of the series. Players on the online website can only collect all the clues through the use of the cards, and in later series can only unlock the missions by having the cards. The cards in the first series often had puzzles and riddles to solve.
Additional cards have been released over the course of the series, and the cards are only virtual. Scholastic developed a game involving the cards, Doublecross, in which players physically use their cards to battle their opponents.
Themes
The 39 Clues series consists of adventure novels; however, the novels also fall within the genre of historical fiction. The stories switch back and forth between different characters' points of view.[21] Each novel focuses on one historical figure and geographical location as Dan and Amy explore a clue related to a prominent Cahill family member in an exotic location.[17]
One theme of the series is the relationship between talent and success. Each branch of the Cahill family has specific talents in a certain area; for example, the Ekaterina branch specializes in inventions and technology. Amy and Dan's competitors' talents give them an advantage, yet Amy and Dan consistently are ahead in the hunt and are viewed as the main threats. Over the course of the books, Amy and Dan discover their own talents.[22]
Origins
An editorial team in Scholastic came up with idea of an interactive series with online games and asked Rick Riordan to write the first book.[23] Riordan agreed because he thought it was a good idea, and as a middle school teacher, he loved making history enjoyable for younger readers.[24][25] The project was kept secret for about two years.[26]
Reception
Awards
As of June 11, 2010, The 39 Clues series has been on the New York Times bestseller list of Children's Series books for 48 weeks.[27] Books in the series have also appeared on the USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists.[17]
Critical reception
Critical reception of the 39 Clues has been mostly positive. The first book was met with positive reviews and spawned optimism for the rest of the series. The books have been very popular among kids.
Film
Steven Spielberg acquired film rights to the series in June 2008. Spielberg and Scholastic Media president Deborah Forte will produce the series,[28] while Brett Ratner expressed interest in directing the first film. Screenwriter Jeff Nathanson was hired to write the script in September 2008.[29] In May 2012, Shawn Levy, the director of the Night at the Museum movies, acquired the rights to direct the movie.[30] The movie, The 39 Clues: The Movie, was said to be released in 2014, but as of December 2015, the movie has not entered production.[3][31][32] The movie rights were taken by Universal, in August 2013.[33]
See also
References
- ↑ Riordan, Rick (September 9, 2008). The Maze of Bones. Scholastic. p. 23. ISBN 978-0-545-06039-4. OCLC 192081902.
If you accept, you shall be given the first of thirty-nine clues. These clues will lead you to a secret, which, should you find it, will make you the most powerful, influential human beings on the planet.
- ↑ Lodge, Sally (July 22, 2010). "The Success and Grand Finale of The 39 Clues". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved April 29, 2012.
- 1 2 "The 39 Clues (2014)". MovieWeb. Retrieved September 23, 2014.
- ↑ Yin, Maryann (September 23, 2010). "David Baldacci Joins Several Authors to Write the 2nd Wave of '39 Clues' series". GalleyCat. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
- ↑ Smith, Roland. "The 39 Clues Message Board: Book 4 Cover Reveal". Scholastic Inc. Retrieved February 24, 2012.
- ↑ Linda Sue Park (2012-07-12). "Book 5 Cover Reveal!". Scholastic, 39 Clues Message Board. Retrieved 2012-07-15.
- ↑ Sneak peek at Book 5 of Cahills vs. Vespers Linda Sue Park on Twitter. 2012-06-13. Retrieved 2012-07-15.
- ↑ "The 39 Clues: Unstoppable Book 3: Countdown by Natalie Standiford | 9780545521451 | Hardcover | Barnes & Noble". Barnesandnoble.com. 2013-12-04. Retrieved 2014-01-30.
- ↑ "Title And Cover Revealed For 39 Clues: Unstoppable, Book 4 – Flashpoint". Retrieved September 23, 2014.
- ↑ "The 39 Clues Message Board". Retrieved September 23, 2014.
- 1 2 "The 39 Clues: Doublecross: Book 1". Scholastic. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
- ↑ "The 39 Clues: Doublecross Book 1: Mission Titanic: Jude Watson: 9780545747813". Amazon.com. Retrieved September 23, 2014.
- 1 2 "The 39 Clues: Doublecross: Book 2". Scholastic. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
- ↑ "Mission Hindenburg (The 39 Clues: Doublecross, Book 2): C. Alexander London: 9780545767439". Amazon.com.
- ↑ "The 39 Clues: Superspecial, Book 1". Scholastic. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
- 1 2 3 "The 39 Clues Online Press Kit". Scholastic Media Room. Scholastic.
- ↑ Jordan, Tina (April 5, 2010). "'The 39 Clues': Exclusive on final two titles, covers!". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
- ↑ Minzesheimer, Bob (November 11, 2011). "Scholastic to publish '39 Clues'-inspired e-book stories". USA Today. Retrieved April 29, 2012.
- ↑ Sekeres, Diane Carver; Christopher Watson (June 4, 2011). "New Literacies and Multimediacy: The Immersive Universe of The 39 Clues". Children's Literature in Education 42 (3): 256–273. doi:10.1007/s10583-011-9133-4. Retrieved April 23, 2012.
- ↑ Culham, Ruth. "Decoding Writing with The 39 Clues" (PDF). Scholastic. Retrieved April 29, 2012.
The 39 Clues story is narrated from several different characters’ points of view.
- ↑ Stockwell, Laura. "Curriculum Guide for The 39 Clues series". Retrieved 2010-06-09.
- ↑ "Rick Riordan Author of the Month Transcript". Scholastic. Retrieved April 29, 2012.
Scholastic came to me with the basic idea and I thought it sounded cool. I like history, puzzles, and games, so the 39 Clues seemed like a perfect thing to write.
- ↑ "Rick Riordan Interview". Scholastic. July 2008. Retrieved April 29, 2012.
- ↑ Staskiewicz, Keith (August 30, 2010). "'The 39 Clues' round-robin interview". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 29, 2012.
- ↑ Karen W. (September 9, 2008). "Rick Riordan in the House! (Part 1)". Ink Splot 26. Retrieved April 29, 2012.
for two years, no one on the team was allowed to say anything about the project to anyone.
- ↑ "Children's Books". The New York Times. June 11, 2010. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
- ↑ Michael Fleming (June 24, 2008). "Steven Spielberg follows '39 Clues'". Variety. Retrieved September 3, 2008.
- ↑ Tatiana Siegel (September 2, 2008). "Jeff Nathanson to write '39 Clues'". Variety. Retrieved September 3, 2008.
- ↑ Trumbore, Dave (May 10, 2012). "Shawn Levy to Direct Adventure Novel Series Adaptation The 39 Clues for DreamWorks". Collider.com. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
- ↑ "The 39 Clues". Retrieved September 23, 2014.
- ↑ Eleanor Barkhorn (July 18, 2011). "The Next Harry Potters: Where Are They Now?". The Atlantic. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
- ↑ "Universal Could Take ‘The 39 Clues’ From Steven Spielberg and Dreamworks | /Film". Slashfilm.com. 2013-08-21. Retrieved 2014-01-30.
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