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The Genius Files #4
From Texas with Love
The most exciting road trip in history continues! In this fourth book in the thrilling, New York Times bestselling adventure series, twelve-year-old twins Coke and Pepsi McDonald discover that everything really is bigger in Texas—including the danger! After their explosive escape at Graceland, twins Coke and Pepsi are ready to resume their trip across America—only now in a convertible instead of the RV. They travel through Arkansas and Oklahoma, visiting weird-but-true tourist stops along the way, and finally end up in Texas, home of the Weird Capital of the Country, Austin. The twins' many enemies—the bowler dudes, Mrs. Higgins, and Dr. Warsaw—all swear that they're done chasing Coke and Pepsi for good. But when the twins start receiving more codes and ciphers from a mysterious robotic voice, they know someone's after them. They just have to figure out who before the mystery villain finds them first. With Dan Gutman’s laugh-out-loud humor and featuring photos and weird-but-true American tourist destinations like the Museum of Weird, The Genius Files is a one-of-a-kind mix of geography and fun. Don't miss the next action-packed book, The Genius Files #5: License to Thrill!
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 28, 2014
204 people are currently reading
841 people want to read
About the author
Dan Gutman
364 books1,037 followersThe author of over 80 books in a little over a decade of writing, Dan Gutman has written on topics from computers to baseball. Beginning his freelance career as a nonfiction author dealing mostly with sports for adults and young readers, Gutman has concentrated on juvenile fiction since 1995. His most popular titles include the time-travel sports book Honus and Me and its sequels, and a clutch of baseball books, including The Green Monster from Left Field. From hopeful and very youthful presidential candidates to stunt men, nothing is off limits in Gutman's fertile imagination. As he noted on his author Web site, since writing his first novel, They Came from Centerfield, in 1994, he has been hooked on fiction. "It was fun to write, kids loved it, and I discovered how incredibly rewarding it is to take a blank page and turn it into a WORLD."
Gutman was born in New York City in 1955, but moved to Newark, New Jersey the following year and spent his youth there.
Gutman was born in New York City in 1955, but moved to Newark, New Jersey the following year and spent his youth there.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
May 12, 2023
My favorite villian makes another appearance in this book, we're waiting to see if my son's favorite villian is coming back or gone for good. Gret series!
February 6, 2014
My 13-year-old grandson has loved these books since he read the first one. several years ago It fed his fascination with maps and roadside attractions. He was looking forward to this one so much he talked me into pre-ordering it for him. However, he was disappointed with it. He found it repetitive: "The parents wait in the car. The kids go inside and get in trouble. Over and over." Maybe he's just growing out of this kind of formulaic escape fiction. I read it too, and I can see his point; but younger readers tend to like this kind of predictable plotting.
July 22, 2019
I really liked the first one. But it is just going downhill as the series progresses. Everyone is dumb or crazy. Absolutely no characters act realistically in any way. I’ve been reading it aloud to the boys but I skip as much I can because I’m tired of reading detailed car directions. The plot doesn’t make sense at all anymore. I read middle grade stuff a lot, and while I hardly ever write bad reviews, I just can not recommend this series. Which really bums me because it started well.
February 28, 2017
These books are HILARIOUS. The mom is a weird psycho. The two characters were chosen for a program that backfired. The people who run the program are chasing them across the country. I recommend this book to everyone.
August 28, 2014
I have been reading this book since it came out and I have read all the other one and I still enjoy it. This book is an action and adventure book that I think a lot of people should read.
Want to read
October 23, 2013Even though this book hasn't come out yet I know I will love it because it is filled with danger adventure action and almost DEATH
December 4, 2019
I continue to not enjoy these books, and my kids continue to really like them.
June 30, 2021
This was okay. I think I’m done with this formula.
March 2, 2014
Coke and Pepsi are back in their fourth book of the Genius Files. This time, they collect six different ciphers as they travel westward toward home. They are still harassed by the Bolwer Hat Dudes, Dr. Warsaw, and Mrs. Higgins, their PE teacher. Readers may just want to google along with the book; I found myself trying to put all the clues together before the end of the book myself! And if you are worried that the series is over, it is not! There will be a fifth book coming out. After all, when Dan Gutman leaves Coke and Pepsi in a tight spot, there has to be more!
April 14, 2014
The kids and I had fun reading this book. This is book #4 of the "Genius Files" series, and now we're wondering when book #5 will come onto the market since book #5 was just released this year. Coke and Pep, the 13-year-old McDonald Twins, are on a cross-country road-trip with their parents. In this episode, they continue their journey from Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee and end up in Roswell, New Mexico with lots of bad guys on their tails. They have to make it back home to San Francisco, California before the school year begins again.
April 17, 2014
I LOVE THIS SERIES!!!!!!!
June 27, 2015
Wow!!!! Great book. A lot of peril moments and a LOT of action. I could not put it down!
November 17, 2023
Sad that there is only one more book in this series.
Read
November 11, 2018Tony Robbins once said: "It's not about your resources, it's about your resourcefulness." This quotation is proven in the fictional novel, The Genius Files: From Texas with Love, as the two main characters, Coke and Pep are resourceful and save one another from death in result of that trait.
To shortly summarize, the book follows the across-country excursion--the parts when they are in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and obviously Texas--of Coke and Pep. They are twins who are forced into a secret agency, and when the agency is terminated, the kids, such as Coke and Pep, are meant to be terminated too. When they are on their trip there were at least twenty attempts to get them killed, but it is for you to figure out if they survive or not.
If or when you read this, expect to be thrilled. It is exciting and requires the reader to think about every possible outcome and whether the main characters' decisions were hurting or helping their chances of survival. There wasn't much I didn't like besides the fact that the series is quite long, as this is the fourth of five total parts. Also, although I enjoy fictional novels, if you're not the most comfortable with fiction books, this is relatively easy to read and to relate with.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book because of its enjoyable plot and important message/theme. As revealed in the beginning, the theme is the importance of resourcefulness. This is evident when one of the people trying to kill Coke and Pep says: “I never expected you two to make it this far… I thought I had gotten rid of you back in Cleveland… You are quite resourceful” (Gutman 74). This text shows the need for resourcefulness because even their killer was impressed with their resourcefulness and ability to live. All in all, I have really enjoyed this book and series, and I hope you give it a chance and I can almost assure you that you will enjoy it as well.
To shortly summarize, the book follows the across-country excursion--the parts when they are in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and obviously Texas--of Coke and Pep. They are twins who are forced into a secret agency, and when the agency is terminated, the kids, such as Coke and Pep, are meant to be terminated too. When they are on their trip there were at least twenty attempts to get them killed, but it is for you to figure out if they survive or not.
If or when you read this, expect to be thrilled. It is exciting and requires the reader to think about every possible outcome and whether the main characters' decisions were hurting or helping their chances of survival. There wasn't much I didn't like besides the fact that the series is quite long, as this is the fourth of five total parts. Also, although I enjoy fictional novels, if you're not the most comfortable with fiction books, this is relatively easy to read and to relate with.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book because of its enjoyable plot and important message/theme. As revealed in the beginning, the theme is the importance of resourcefulness. This is evident when one of the people trying to kill Coke and Pep says: “I never expected you two to make it this far… I thought I had gotten rid of you back in Cleveland… You are quite resourceful” (Gutman 74). This text shows the need for resourcefulness because even their killer was impressed with their resourcefulness and ability to live. All in all, I have really enjoyed this book and series, and I hope you give it a chance and I can almost assure you that you will enjoy it as well.
June 28, 2024
⭐⭐⭐
I found this book interesting for 2 reasons. The first reason is that it makes you wonder who is out to get Coke and Pepsi this time. It makes you want to know. There was only one problem with it. They revealed who it was too early.
I also found this book interesting because I couldn't figure out how the ciphers were connected. I could sit there for a good 5 minutes trying to figure it out every time they found out a new one.
I think this book is ok for (insert number here) reasons. The first is the small amount of places they visited. In this book, the McDonalds were coming home from the wedding. The book took place from Memphis, Tennessee to Roswell, New Mexico. They barely travel in this book compared to the others.
The other reason is the weirdness of the book. The book is filled with weird things. First, Mrs. Higgins has a crush on a robot! Also, Dr. Warsaw and his team just try to kill the twins in the weirdest ways. They tried killing them with bats, a drying machine, a Snickers bar machine, and steamers.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes fast-paced books.
I found this book interesting for 2 reasons. The first reason is that it makes you wonder who is out to get Coke and Pepsi this time. It makes you want to know. There was only one problem with it. They revealed who it was too early.
I also found this book interesting because I couldn't figure out how the ciphers were connected. I could sit there for a good 5 minutes trying to figure it out every time they found out a new one.
I think this book is ok for (insert number here) reasons. The first is the small amount of places they visited. In this book, the McDonalds were coming home from the wedding. The book took place from Memphis, Tennessee to Roswell, New Mexico. They barely travel in this book compared to the others.
The other reason is the weirdness of the book. The book is filled with weird things. First, Mrs. Higgins has a crush on a robot! Also, Dr. Warsaw and his team just try to kill the twins in the weirdest ways. They tried killing them with bats, a drying machine, a Snickers bar machine, and steamers.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes fast-paced books.
August 1, 2021
so this book is basically talking about pepe and coke having a holiday out side with there mom and dad. But in the middle they accidently kill dr warsaw's wife so he was so angry he have ignited the van that belong to the mcdonald family, and fortunatly the were all safe so hey have bought a ferarri for a purpose, and they have started there vacation. But at the middle of the holiday, dr warsaw have kidnap the kid for alot of time. For instance he have throw them in to a hot wash place and almost cook them but they have ascaped, and he have married a robot[which is very unbielievable and crasy]
And hey have kidnap them and threw them in the river, and made them in to chocalate etc.
And atlast they have successfully ascape from the bad guys and successfully tell the thing to the police and they have been arrested.
And hey have kidnap them and threw them in the river, and made them in to chocalate etc.
And atlast they have successfully ascape from the bad guys and successfully tell the thing to the police and they have been arrested.
September 23, 2017
3+ Coke and Pepsi 12 year old twins are on the wacky road again. This time dad, Dr. McDonald buys a Ferrari when their vehicle got destroyed. Story is laugh out loud funny. Not sure if 12 years olds get some of the humor but no doubt they will get most of it!
The narrator is a Lemony Snicket type of a story teller. Stops every once in a while to speak to the reader about past books in this series and also keeps giving map web sites so that readers can follow the trip. (What a great idea especially since most have no sense of geography.) Fun fast read!
Middle schooler who enjoyed Magic Tree House series will enjoy this series.
The narrator is a Lemony Snicket type of a story teller. Stops every once in a while to speak to the reader about past books in this series and also keeps giving map web sites so that readers can follow the trip. (What a great idea especially since most have no sense of geography.) Fun fast read!
Middle schooler who enjoyed Magic Tree House series will enjoy this series.
September 21, 2017
I loved this book because it has gadgets and I love gadgets.this book is perfect for readers of all ages that love gadgets. If you like spy books then you will love this book because it has gadgets like spy books.in the end coke and pep get abducted by aliens. Gutman continues to do what he does best entertain readers- publishers weekly.will the twins escape the aliens read the next book to find out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2018
Not much action as the other 3 books, and it really ruined it, still, it was a good book, Though i finished in 2 nights, it should be BIGGER .
It was good but bad book, but it was still fun to read, the ending was cool and mysterious it was VERY fun to read, though not better then the other three, I enjoyed. So Dan if your reading make Yo books BIGGER. (And please make a book six) 😉
It was good but bad book, but it was still fun to read, the ending was cool and mysterious it was VERY fun to read, though not better then the other three, I enjoyed. So Dan if your reading make Yo books BIGGER. (And please make a book six) 😉
November 5, 2017
This book was not the best in the series. It was still so action-packed and funny, but did not have that much important events like the first three books. So, I say if you are reading the series consecutively, then you should read it, but if you have read most of them and want to read this, it might not be as worth it as you might think.
May 11, 2020
RealRate- 4.5/5
This was SUCH an amazing book, and I just couldn't stop reading! Of course, all books have problems, and I find the more you read this series, the more the dialogue just seems the same as the other books. Honestly, all the books aren't too different altogether. I'm really excited to be starting to read the final book!
This was SUCH an amazing book, and I just couldn't stop reading! Of course, all books have problems, and I find the more you read this series, the more the dialogue just seems the same as the other books. Honestly, all the books aren't too different altogether. I'm really excited to be starting to read the final book!
May 30, 2025
I like that every time every time at the first chapter in the book It tells about Cokes to do list, but it says cokes to do list and what wasn’t on his to do list but even if it wasn’t on his todo list he’s going to do it anyways.
July 22, 2017
Great book!
August 15, 2017
Very well written !
Funny enjoyable and all around good one of my favorite books! You should read this book and all the others in that TGF series!
Funny enjoyable and all around good one of my favorite books! You should read this book and all the others in that TGF series!
October 12, 2017
my favorite thing about this book was coke being thrown into the washing machine. I also liked the pushing doominator out the widow
October 16, 2017
Ugh. I read this with my son, who is in 3rd grade. It appealed to him, but this was not one of those books that crosses the age gap well.
October 20, 2017
It was a really good book. A lot of suspence. I suggest reading it.
December 29, 2017
Booktalked this one to my class. The kids interest was piqued!
August 28, 2018
This was a fun installment, but I'm ready for them to go back home.
November 12, 2018
I love this series! This book adds to my love of the author's books!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews