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The Map Trap
This map-tastic middle grade story from Andrew Clements gives the phrase “uncharted territory” a whole new meaning!
Alton Barnes loves maps. He’s loved them ever since he was little, and not just for the geography. Because maps contain more information than just locations, and that’s why he likes to draw maps as well as read them. Regular “point A to point B” ones, sure, but also maps that explain a whole lot more—like what he really thinks about his friends. And teachers. Even the principal.
So when Alton’s maps are stolen from his locker, there’s serious trouble on the horizon…and he’ll need some mad cartographic skills to escape it.
From “a genius of gentle, high-concept tales set in suburban middle schools” (The New York Times), this stand-alone story is off the charts.
Alton Barnes loves maps. He’s loved them ever since he was little, and not just for the geography. Because maps contain more information than just locations, and that’s why he likes to draw maps as well as read them. Regular “point A to point B” ones, sure, but also maps that explain a whole lot more—like what he really thinks about his friends. And teachers. Even the principal.
So when Alton’s maps are stolen from his locker, there’s serious trouble on the horizon…and he’ll need some mad cartographic skills to escape it.
From “a genius of gentle, high-concept tales set in suburban middle schools” (The New York Times), this stand-alone story is off the charts.
145 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 22, 2014
69 people are currently reading
559 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Clements
193 books2,152 followersI was born in Camden, New Jersey in 1949 and lived in Oaklyn and Cherry Hill until the middle of sixth grade. Then we moved to Springfield, Illinois. My parents were avid readers and they gave that love of books and reading to me and to all my brothers and sisters. I didn’t think about being a writer at all back then, but I did love to read. I'm certain there's a link between reading good books and becoming a writer. I don't know a single writer who wasn’t a reader first.
Before moving to Illinois, and even afterwards, our family spent summers at a cabin on a lake in Maine. There was no TV there, no phone, no doorbell—and email wasn’t even invented. All day there was time to swim and fish and mess around outside, and every night, there was time to read. I know those quiet summers helped me begin to think like a writer.
During my senior year at Springfield High School my English teacher handed back a poem I’d written. Two things were amazing about that paper. First, I’d gotten an A—a rare event in this teacher’s class. And she’d also written in large, scrawly red writing, “Andrew—this poem is so funny. This should be published!”
That praise sent me off to Northwestern University feeling like I was a pretty good writer, and occasionally professors there also encouraged me and complimented the essays I was required to write as a literature major. But I didn’t write much on my own—just some poetry now and then. I learned to play guitar and began writing songs, but again, only when I felt like it. Writing felt like hard work—something that’s still true today.
After the songwriting came my first job in publishing. I worked for a small publisher who specialized in how-to books, the kind of books that have photos with informative captions below each one. The book in which my name first appeared in print is called A Country Christmas Treasury. I’d built a number of the projects featured in the book, and I was listed as one of the “craftspeople”on the acknowlegements page, in tiny, tiny type.
In 1990 I began trying to write a story about a boy who makes up a new word. That book eventually became my first novel, Frindle, published in 1996, and you can read the whole story of how it developed on another web site, frindle.com. Frindle became popular, more popular than any of my books before or since—at least so far. And it had the eventual effect of turning me into a full-time writer.
I’ve learned that I need time and a quiet place to think and write. These days, I spend a lot of my time sitting in a small shed about seventy feet from my back door at our home in Massachusetts. There’s a woodstove in there for the cold winters, and an air conditioner for the hot summers. There’s a desk and chair, and I carry a laptop computer back and forth. But there’s no TV, no phone, no doorbell, no email. And the woodstove and the pine board walls make the place smell just like that cabin in Maine where I spent my earliest summers.
Sometimes kids ask how I've been able to write so many books. The answer is simple: one word at a time. Which is a good lesson, I think. You don't have to do everything at once. You don't have to know how every story is going to end. You just have to take that next step, look for that next idea, write that next word. And growing up, it's the same way. We just have to go to that next class, read that next chapter, help that next person. You simply have to do that next good thing, and before you know it, you're living a good life.
Before moving to Illinois, and even afterwards, our family spent summers at a cabin on a lake in Maine. There was no TV there, no phone, no doorbell—and email wasn’t even invented. All day there was time to swim and fish and mess around outside, and every night, there was time to read. I know those quiet summers helped me begin to think like a writer.
During my senior year at Springfield High School my English teacher handed back a poem I’d written. Two things were amazing about that paper. First, I’d gotten an A—a rare event in this teacher’s class. And she’d also written in large, scrawly red writing, “Andrew—this poem is so funny. This should be published!”
That praise sent me off to Northwestern University feeling like I was a pretty good writer, and occasionally professors there also encouraged me and complimented the essays I was required to write as a literature major. But I didn’t write much on my own—just some poetry now and then. I learned to play guitar and began writing songs, but again, only when I felt like it. Writing felt like hard work—something that’s still true today.
After the songwriting came my first job in publishing. I worked for a small publisher who specialized in how-to books, the kind of books that have photos with informative captions below each one. The book in which my name first appeared in print is called A Country Christmas Treasury. I’d built a number of the projects featured in the book, and I was listed as one of the “craftspeople”on the acknowlegements page, in tiny, tiny type.
In 1990 I began trying to write a story about a boy who makes up a new word. That book eventually became my first novel, Frindle, published in 1996, and you can read the whole story of how it developed on another web site, frindle.com. Frindle became popular, more popular than any of my books before or since—at least so far. And it had the eventual effect of turning me into a full-time writer.
I’ve learned that I need time and a quiet place to think and write. These days, I spend a lot of my time sitting in a small shed about seventy feet from my back door at our home in Massachusetts. There’s a woodstove in there for the cold winters, and an air conditioner for the hot summers. There’s a desk and chair, and I carry a laptop computer back and forth. But there’s no TV, no phone, no doorbell, no email. And the woodstove and the pine board walls make the place smell just like that cabin in Maine where I spent my earliest summers.
Sometimes kids ask how I've been able to write so many books. The answer is simple: one word at a time. Which is a good lesson, I think. You don't have to do everything at once. You don't have to know how every story is going to end. You just have to take that next step, look for that next idea, write that next word. And growing up, it's the same way. We just have to go to that next class, read that next chapter, help that next person. You simply have to do that next good thing, and before you know it, you're living a good life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 184 reviews
August 18, 2014
There is so much I really liked about this book starting with how Alton got his name and how his family played in to helping him learn to love maps. I loved the creativity that Alton showed in designing his maps and I found Alton's character, even in a tight spot, refreshing. But the twist in the book, finding out that it was the teacher who sent the"blackmail" notes, ruined the book for me. I know teachers are human but I hate to believe that a teacher, even a young one, would show such a lack of judgement. It just gave me an "icky" feeling and completely took the fun out of the book for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2014
A friend mentioned on Facebook that this one had stuck with her for days after reading it and I wanted to see what it was all about. It's wonderful. I love the way Clements balances the perspective of students and adults, giving both equal weight without really putting them at odds with each other. The heart of the story is taking ownership for the mistakes that you made, whether it's misjudging a potential friend or including someone in a map that was meant to never be seen.
For teachers, this pairs really well with map skills. I know I am going to try and use it as the theme for my unit with the fourth graders this winter.
For teachers, this pairs really well with map skills. I know I am going to try and use it as the theme for my unit with the fourth graders this winter.
May 19, 2015
Since Frindle, Andrew Clements has been a favorite author, and I love the school story genre. He had a few misses in recent years, Above Average for example, but this is a solid book.
Alton Zeigler loves maps, and draws all kinds. He likes to go geocaching and is a neat character. But when his maps, containing potentially embarrassing maps about classmates and teachers go missing, Alton must fess up.
A fun read for upper elementary kids.
Alton Zeigler loves maps, and draws all kinds. He likes to go geocaching and is a neat character. But when his maps, containing potentially embarrassing maps about classmates and teachers go missing, Alton must fess up.
A fun read for upper elementary kids.
March 20, 2023
Multiple changes in point of view early on give The Map Trap a different feel from other Andrew Clements novels, but a few chapters in we're back to the single-lens focus of a student's perspective. Sixth-grader Alton Ziegler is a worthy main character, his lifelong fixation on maps enough to set him apart as offbeat, but with a good nature that makes him easy to sympathize with as we follow his story. He's loved studying and designing maps since early grade school, taping them to every open inch of wall and ceiling in his bedroom, doing school reports on maps and wearing map-themed shirts, but his most interesting topographical achievement is his only secret one: the maps he's drawn about the social landscape at school and the kids themselves. Who belongs to which clique, and what topics do they discuss? Which students are tallest and shortest? What do particular teachers talk about most that isn't directly related to the subject at hand, and can Alton use that to create a schematic of their brain? This map project has always been secret, but Alton breaks his code of silence after Quint Harrison, one of the cool kids, shows interest in Alton's mapmaking. Surely he could bring his secret file to school and show Quint, if he agreed to keep its contents quiet. Quint might even be impressed and want to be friends with Alton.
Quint is tickled by the humorous maps analyzing the school faculty and student body, but Alton regrets bringing his secret file into the light of day when it disappears from his locker. If those maps end up in the wrong hands, dozens of kids will be furious, thinking Alton's intent was to lampoon them. "Ransom" notes show up in his locker, demanding that Alton perform certain awkward tasks to get his maps back one at a time or have the whole cache be published for the school to see. Can Alton count on Quint to help track down the mapnapper, or is he in on the heist? Will Alton ever be able to resume his unobtrusive pastime of studying teachers and peers and drawing maps that playfully depict who they are?
The Map Trap isn't as thematically tight as Andrew Clements's best books, nor does the story make as much sense, but the characters are likable and fun. Alton is smart, and funnier than he knows, and Quint is funny, and smarter than he knows. Becoming friends with Quint shows Alton that there's more to other kids than he realizes; the information in his social maps isn't comprehensive. The superficial look you get from a map won't tell you what's under the surface. You have to dig deeper to discover that. I'll rate The Map Trap one and a half stars. It's not on the same level as Extra Credit or the Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School series, but if you enjoy quality characters and plot unpredictability, pick up a copy of this book. At the very least, you'll be entertained.
Quint is tickled by the humorous maps analyzing the school faculty and student body, but Alton regrets bringing his secret file into the light of day when it disappears from his locker. If those maps end up in the wrong hands, dozens of kids will be furious, thinking Alton's intent was to lampoon them. "Ransom" notes show up in his locker, demanding that Alton perform certain awkward tasks to get his maps back one at a time or have the whole cache be published for the school to see. Can Alton count on Quint to help track down the mapnapper, or is he in on the heist? Will Alton ever be able to resume his unobtrusive pastime of studying teachers and peers and drawing maps that playfully depict who they are?
The Map Trap isn't as thematically tight as Andrew Clements's best books, nor does the story make as much sense, but the characters are likable and fun. Alton is smart, and funnier than he knows, and Quint is funny, and smarter than he knows. Becoming friends with Quint shows Alton that there's more to other kids than he realizes; the information in his social maps isn't comprehensive. The superficial look you get from a map won't tell you what's under the surface. You have to dig deeper to discover that. I'll rate The Map Trap one and a half stars. It's not on the same level as Extra Credit or the Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School series, but if you enjoy quality characters and plot unpredictability, pick up a copy of this book. At the very least, you'll be entertained.
October 13, 2016
The Map Trap by Andrew Clements is about this kid named Alton. He has always loved maps since he was young. He loved them so much he started drawing maps and paying attention to small little details. He put all his secret maps that he liked the most into a folder and he showed no one except himself. When the cool kid named Quint looks at his maps he is interested in them and says their cool he shows them to him and the bell rang and they rush out and Alton forgets his folder. Now it is a race to get it back.
I really liked this book. I liked how it the author made the book get suspenseful. The author also did a good job hooking me into this book. The book was also very funny. I rate this book five stars.
I recommend this book to people who have read other books by Andrew clement. Overall I really liked this book and I hope you do to.
I really liked this book. I liked how it the author made the book get suspenseful. The author also did a good job hooking me into this book. The book was also very funny. I rate this book five stars.
I recommend this book to people who have read other books by Andrew clement. Overall I really liked this book and I hope you do to.
June 17, 2016
As usual when I read Andrew Clements, I was not disappointed. I was twice-thrilled to discover that not only did this young many love maps, he was a geocacher, and this was described and mentioned throughout the book. Very cool! Geocaching is the next-best-thing to letterboxing (IMHO) and I've never seen it mentioned in a book before. Alton is a polite, thoughtful young man who instantly drew me in. The (very) young teacher in this book is so unlike me, but I loved her, as well as Alton's friend (whose name I've already forgotten). Short, fun read. This was on just two cds and read by the very talented Keith Nobbs. NOTE: I think there are some cool illustrations in this book that I missed out on by listening and not reading.
February 18, 2018
"Mapmakers don't make stuff up. They present facts. Because a map isn't really a map if it doesn't deal with facts."
Alton Robert Ziegler was destined to be obsessed with maps. After all, his name came right off an Illinois state map. And his love of maps made him a "very precise thinker and very careful observer.” So, it was only natural that he observed his fellow classmates. What wasn't quite as natural is the idea that he created maps based on those observations. "His secret maps weren't about geography or politics or the environment. They were mostly about the kids and teachers at Harper School." Alton created maps about which girls liked which boys and vice versa and how many times the principal said Um during morning announcements. He even had a Venn diagram of where all the cliques sat at lunch - though he's not sure about its accuracy. "From way out there, it's all guesswork about the popular kids. Because your circle and my circle? They never cross - they don't even come close." And, he had a map of Miss Wheeling's brain ... and that's where all the trouble started.
Had he never shown these maps to anyone else, they wouldn't have caused a problem. But one day, in an attempt to impress Quint, one of the popular kids, Alton showed him his map of Miss Wheeling's brain. Quint thought it was very cool. And that inspired Alton to bring his folder of secret maps out of its hiding place and take it to school. He knew he probably shouldn't show his maps to Quint. "Some people would feel embarrassed -- or maybe even feel like he was attacking them." But he could trust Quint with his secret, couldn't he?
So when the folder disappears, Alton is frantic and knows he must get it back before other people see those maps. He's sure that Quint has just taken it home to get a better look at the maps, but when that proves to be incorrect, Alton has to deal with the possibility that someone else has them. Then, to confirm his greatest fear, he receives a note in his cubby: “Is something missing? Do what ur told - or else. u'll hear from me."
How will Alton ever make this right again? A quick read and some great discussion points. Might make a good guided reading book or read aloud. I love his description of the Venn Diagrams about the different cliques in the school.
Alton Robert Ziegler was destined to be obsessed with maps. After all, his name came right off an Illinois state map. And his love of maps made him a "very precise thinker and very careful observer.” So, it was only natural that he observed his fellow classmates. What wasn't quite as natural is the idea that he created maps based on those observations. "His secret maps weren't about geography or politics or the environment. They were mostly about the kids and teachers at Harper School." Alton created maps about which girls liked which boys and vice versa and how many times the principal said Um during morning announcements. He even had a Venn diagram of where all the cliques sat at lunch - though he's not sure about its accuracy. "From way out there, it's all guesswork about the popular kids. Because your circle and my circle? They never cross - they don't even come close." And, he had a map of Miss Wheeling's brain ... and that's where all the trouble started.
Had he never shown these maps to anyone else, they wouldn't have caused a problem. But one day, in an attempt to impress Quint, one of the popular kids, Alton showed him his map of Miss Wheeling's brain. Quint thought it was very cool. And that inspired Alton to bring his folder of secret maps out of its hiding place and take it to school. He knew he probably shouldn't show his maps to Quint. "Some people would feel embarrassed -- or maybe even feel like he was attacking them." But he could trust Quint with his secret, couldn't he?
So when the folder disappears, Alton is frantic and knows he must get it back before other people see those maps. He's sure that Quint has just taken it home to get a better look at the maps, but when that proves to be incorrect, Alton has to deal with the possibility that someone else has them. Then, to confirm his greatest fear, he receives a note in his cubby: “Is something missing? Do what ur told - or else. u'll hear from me."
How will Alton ever make this right again? A quick read and some great discussion points. Might make a good guided reading book or read aloud. I love his description of the Venn Diagrams about the different cliques in the school.
September 2, 2015
Alton Zeigler loves maps. His parents chose his name from a list of towns on a map before he was born, and it just started from there. He grew up with maps on his walls and map-related items as presents from friends and family. He likes to draw maps of all kinds, and he even has a secret folder of maps displaying information that others at school might get upset about, like a topographical map of the heights of those in the sixth grade with the tallest girl displayed as a mountain and the smallest boy displayed as a valley. He also drew a map of his teacher's brain showing what she thought about most when she wasn't teaching, and a map showing how many times the principal says "um" in the morning announcements each day of the week. Then Alton's secret folder of maps goes missing, and he starts to receive ransom messages.
I loved all the details about maps and the creative ways they can be used! Hopefully this will inspire some kids to look at maps in different ways and maybe become map nuts themselves. All the geocaching parts were very well done, too.
My one problem with the book was the end and how the map thief was sort of revealed but not really. I was left with more questions than answers. Some of the "mapnapper's" actions didn't make sense to me. I think one more chapter at the end from one of the adult's point-of-view would have greatly improved the ending.
I loved all the details about maps and the creative ways they can be used! Hopefully this will inspire some kids to look at maps in different ways and maybe become map nuts themselves. All the geocaching parts were very well done, too.
My one problem with the book was the end and how the map thief was sort of revealed but not really. I was left with more questions than answers. Some of the "mapnapper's" actions didn't make sense to me. I think one more chapter at the end from one of the adult's point-of-view would have greatly improved the ending.
October 28, 2014
I've read a number of Andrew Clements' books and really enjoyed them. Frindle and No Talking are great books, so I was looking forward to this one. But I was disappointed.
The story has a great premise but falls short on delivery. The mystery was over just a few days after it began although Alton still had a little bit of doubt. We get a summary of his entire school year and then the mystery is definitively cleared up.
Alton's interactions with the "mapnapper" did not seem realistic and I thought the author was trying too hard to make it seem like the "thief" was not the thief. But he/she (I won't spoil it!) was and their reaction didn't make sense.
The many different types of maps were cool and could spark kids' interest in maps and graphs, but I wish there had been a bit more info on how Alton made the maps.
The story has a great premise but falls short on delivery. The mystery was over just a few days after it began although Alton still had a little bit of doubt. We get a summary of his entire school year and then the mystery is definitively cleared up.
Alton's interactions with the "mapnapper" did not seem realistic and I thought the author was trying too hard to make it seem like the "thief" was not the thief. But he/she (I won't spoil it!) was and their reaction didn't make sense.
The many different types of maps were cool and could spark kids' interest in maps and graphs, but I wish there had been a bit more info on how Alton made the maps.
August 1, 2016
I am not sure if it was my dyslexia playing a trick on me, but when I picked up this book I thought the title was "The Man Trap" and I wondered where Andrew Clements was going to take us or what lesson he was going to teach in this book. And that is the title I saw until I actually started reading it. This is the seventh book by Andrew Clements I have read in as many weeks. And to be honest I am pacing myself, there is nothing I would like more than to read his whole canon, and yet I am showing restraint and limiting myself to one a week. But I will be honest and say it is hard not to jump right away to another of his books. They are so well written.
This book focuses around Alton Barnes and his fascination for maps. It all started when he was a baby and his fascination with maps just kept expanding. Alton loves making maps, in fact he makes maps about everything, who is popular vs who is on the fringes, how many times the principal says um during morning announcements, he has even drawn mind maps based on what people say and do. Making the maps is not Alton's problem, the problem is that they get stolen and soon he is being blackmailed. Not a fun spot to be. He immediately realized that if the maps got out without explanation a lot of people could be hurt. But thankfully Alton is a very smart boy, and soon he is working his way through the issues related to the Map Trap.
The illustrations by Dan were excellent, I only wish there were a few more. In a story about maps it would have been nice to have seen a few of the one's described, or even glimpses of them.
This was another very good read by Andrew Clements. Not my favorite but an excellent read. I love how he presented maps and map making. How he incorporated science, and human geography into the story. It was really fun to read, and see all the ways information could be used and presented.
Andrew Clements has become one of my all-time favorite middle grade authors. He writes wonderful books that really make readers think and hopefully grow. I can recommend this book and to be honest any of his books that I have read.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Andrew Clements.
This book focuses around Alton Barnes and his fascination for maps. It all started when he was a baby and his fascination with maps just kept expanding. Alton loves making maps, in fact he makes maps about everything, who is popular vs who is on the fringes, how many times the principal says um during morning announcements, he has even drawn mind maps based on what people say and do. Making the maps is not Alton's problem, the problem is that they get stolen and soon he is being blackmailed. Not a fun spot to be. He immediately realized that if the maps got out without explanation a lot of people could be hurt. But thankfully Alton is a very smart boy, and soon he is working his way through the issues related to the Map Trap.
The illustrations by Dan were excellent, I only wish there were a few more. In a story about maps it would have been nice to have seen a few of the one's described, or even glimpses of them.
This was another very good read by Andrew Clements. Not my favorite but an excellent read. I love how he presented maps and map making. How he incorporated science, and human geography into the story. It was really fun to read, and see all the ways information could be used and presented.
Andrew Clements has become one of my all-time favorite middle grade authors. He writes wonderful books that really make readers think and hopefully grow. I can recommend this book and to be honest any of his books that I have read.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Andrew Clements.
November 27, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. I LOVE 'school stories' and Clements books are some of my absolute favorites. I wish he wrote higher level books as well, maybe about older kids, middle school age. Most of his books are written about 6th graders in schools where 6th grade is the last year elementary school. The interest level here probably ranges from about 2nd or 3rd grade up to about 7th. Considering this, the reading level is about 3rd grade, maybe 4th. Clements should be writing some longer books geared toward the age level he writes about or higher, like books about 7th or 8th graders for that reading level.
Even so, this book was a really fun read. It is about a boy who gets interested in maps and begins making his own. Some of them are ones he doesn't want other people to see because they deal with kids, teachers, and other aspects of school. When these maps get stolen, he has to find a way to get them back.
The main character, Alton, was likeable and sympathetic. There was a lot of information about maps spread throughout the book which was interesting, as well as some drawings of Alton's maps. I loved the creatives things Alton mapped out and how maps made him think more clearly.
The only aspect of this book I didn't like was the ending. I wasn't happy with who ended up having the maps and sending the notes Alton received. It didn't seem logical that the person who sent the notes would write what they did on them. (I won't say what as this would spoil the story.) I also thought there could have been a little more about that in the end of the book, and that the story could be extended a little longer.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and found it very interesting.
Even so, this book was a really fun read. It is about a boy who gets interested in maps and begins making his own. Some of them are ones he doesn't want other people to see because they deal with kids, teachers, and other aspects of school. When these maps get stolen, he has to find a way to get them back.
The main character, Alton, was likeable and sympathetic. There was a lot of information about maps spread throughout the book which was interesting, as well as some drawings of Alton's maps. I loved the creatives things Alton mapped out and how maps made him think more clearly.
The only aspect of this book I didn't like was the ending. I wasn't happy with who ended up having the maps and sending the notes Alton received. It didn't seem logical that the person who sent the notes would write what they did on them. (I won't say what as this would spoil the story.) I also thought there could have been a little more about that in the end of the book, and that the story could be extended a little longer.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and found it very interesting.
July 31, 2015
Alton is more than a map maker; he is a map thinker--a natural result of how his parents chose his first name. Alton pays attention to everything around him, and when he notices patterns of behaviors or other information, he maps it. While the majority of his maps are geographical or topographical in nature, some have to do with people--what his homeroom teacher, Miss Wheeling, thinks about; the heights of his classmates; the correlation between the meals served in the cafeteria and the number of students making "quick trips" to the restroom; etc.
Unfortunately, when Alton decides to share his maps with one of his classmates, the folder they are in disappears and threats start to appear in his school things. That's when they set a "map trap" to uncover the map thief.
I was intrigued by this book. Alton's brain works very differently from mine. I found it interesting how much math he was doing to work out his various maps and how easily he did it. It made me wonder if that kind of approach would have helped me make sense of math more easily than all the traditional approaches I experienced in my schooling.
The book is a quick and easy read. Alton and his friend are both engaging and people I think it would be interesting to get to know. The adults in the book are also well defined--especially considering they are actually minor characters. I think this is a good example of the writing I have come to expect from Andrew Clements. It will certainly appeal to intermediate and middle grade readers and could be successfully used as a class read aloud.
(16-17: I-0, II-1, III-1)
Unfortunately, when Alton decides to share his maps with one of his classmates, the folder they are in disappears and threats start to appear in his school things. That's when they set a "map trap" to uncover the map thief.
I was intrigued by this book. Alton's brain works very differently from mine. I found it interesting how much math he was doing to work out his various maps and how easily he did it. It made me wonder if that kind of approach would have helped me make sense of math more easily than all the traditional approaches I experienced in my schooling.
The book is a quick and easy read. Alton and his friend are both engaging and people I think it would be interesting to get to know. The adults in the book are also well defined--especially considering they are actually minor characters. I think this is a good example of the writing I have come to expect from Andrew Clements. It will certainly appeal to intermediate and middle grade readers and could be successfully used as a class read aloud.
(16-17: I-0, II-1, III-1)
December 2, 2014
Lexile Level: 900L
Pages: 130
Summary:
Alton is a map geek; he absolutely loves maps and it can be traced back to the day he was born. His Mom and Dad had not picked a name for him yet and on the way to the hospital his Dad started giving names of places in Illinois and once he said Alton, his Mom said that is it that is his name. They framed the map and put it in his room. After his family members heard the story they bought him globes, map t-shirts, and any unusual maps they can find. Alton starts making maps, but not your ordinary maps. He actually made a map of his teacher’s brain and showed what percent was dedicated to her dog, her little brother, etc. These are maps that only he wants to see. However, in order to try and be cool, he shows his maps to Quint. However, after he shows the maps to Quint, he loses the folder and he and Quint are on the great Map Hunt. They check everywhere, and they even start getting ransom notes about what they HAVE to do to get one map back at a time.
Comments:
I really liked this book, and I flew through it a day. Not only is this a mystery that kids will love reading, because they want to find out who stole the maps. They will also want to read this book, because the information that Alton puts on his maps is very interesting, ex. How many times does the teacher say “Umm” during the morning announcements? Clements even describes geocaching in this book, in a way that children could really understand it.
4 out of 5 stars
Pages: 130
Summary:
Alton is a map geek; he absolutely loves maps and it can be traced back to the day he was born. His Mom and Dad had not picked a name for him yet and on the way to the hospital his Dad started giving names of places in Illinois and once he said Alton, his Mom said that is it that is his name. They framed the map and put it in his room. After his family members heard the story they bought him globes, map t-shirts, and any unusual maps they can find. Alton starts making maps, but not your ordinary maps. He actually made a map of his teacher’s brain and showed what percent was dedicated to her dog, her little brother, etc. These are maps that only he wants to see. However, in order to try and be cool, he shows his maps to Quint. However, after he shows the maps to Quint, he loses the folder and he and Quint are on the great Map Hunt. They check everywhere, and they even start getting ransom notes about what they HAVE to do to get one map back at a time.
Comments:
I really liked this book, and I flew through it a day. Not only is this a mystery that kids will love reading, because they want to find out who stole the maps. They will also want to read this book, because the information that Alton puts on his maps is very interesting, ex. How many times does the teacher say “Umm” during the morning announcements? Clements even describes geocaching in this book, in a way that children could really understand it.
4 out of 5 stars
December 2, 2014
Lexile Level: 900L
Pages: 130
Summary:
Alton is a map geek; he absolutely loves maps and it can be traced back to the day he was born. His Mom and Dad had not picked a name for him yet and on the way to the hospital his Dad started giving names of places in Illinois and once he said Alton, his Mom said that is it that is his name. They framed the map and put it in his room. After his family members heard the story they bought him globes, map t-shirts, and any unusual maps they can find. Alton starts making maps, but not your ordinary maps. He actually made a map of his teacher’s brain and showed what percent was dedicated to her dog, her little brother, etc. These are maps that only he wants to see. However, in order to try and be cool, he shows his maps to Quint. However, after he shows the maps to Quint, he loses the folder and he and Quint are on the great Map Hunt. They check everywhere, and they even start getting ransom notes about what they HAVE to do to get one map back at a time.
Comments:
I really liked this book, and I flew through it a day. Not only is this a mystery that kids will love reading, because they want to find out who stole the maps. They will also want to read this book, because the information that Alton puts on his maps is very interesting, ex. How many times does the teacher say “Umm” during the morning announcements? Clements even describes geocaching in this book, in a way that children could really understand it.
4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed By: Jen T.
Pages: 130
Summary:
Alton is a map geek; he absolutely loves maps and it can be traced back to the day he was born. His Mom and Dad had not picked a name for him yet and on the way to the hospital his Dad started giving names of places in Illinois and once he said Alton, his Mom said that is it that is his name. They framed the map and put it in his room. After his family members heard the story they bought him globes, map t-shirts, and any unusual maps they can find. Alton starts making maps, but not your ordinary maps. He actually made a map of his teacher’s brain and showed what percent was dedicated to her dog, her little brother, etc. These are maps that only he wants to see. However, in order to try and be cool, he shows his maps to Quint. However, after he shows the maps to Quint, he loses the folder and he and Quint are on the great Map Hunt. They check everywhere, and they even start getting ransom notes about what they HAVE to do to get one map back at a time.
Comments:
I really liked this book, and I flew through it a day. Not only is this a mystery that kids will love reading, because they want to find out who stole the maps. They will also want to read this book, because the information that Alton puts on his maps is very interesting, ex. How many times does the teacher say “Umm” during the morning announcements? Clements even describes geocaching in this book, in a way that children could really understand it.
4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed By: Jen T.
January 23, 2018
I wish there had been more illustrations of Alton's non traditional maps. They sounded very interesting.
I felt the behavior of the teacher, first year or not, was incredibly inappropriate and childish. If indeed she was the blackmailer, as Alton believed, she should be fired on the spot. What adult behaves in such a manner? What adult believes that it is appropriate to put a child through that level of stress and potential embarrassment? I had no sense that she had some "grand plan" to impart some sort of wisdom to Alton. Her behavior was childish and petty and not the behavior of an adult in a position of authority. In fact, she is abusing her authority over Alton through her behavior. She needed to be fired. The fact that there seemed to be both no repercussions for HER actions or even an apology for the emotional stress and embarrassment she put Alton through is unacceptable. What upset me the most is, whether the intention or not, I felt Alton may have some sort of high functioning ASD- to basically force him to change from a shirt he feels comfortable in and likes into a borrowed shirt that is both sleeveless and a bright color that calls attention to himself is cruel and abusive. And no, she may not have known that particular shirt was what he would be stuck with, I'm not sure what she expected him to be able to find mid-day at school.
Dropped one star Bc of this characterization.
I felt the behavior of the teacher, first year or not, was incredibly inappropriate and childish. If indeed she was the blackmailer, as Alton believed, she should be fired on the spot. What adult behaves in such a manner? What adult believes that it is appropriate to put a child through that level of stress and potential embarrassment? I had no sense that she had some "grand plan" to impart some sort of wisdom to Alton. Her behavior was childish and petty and not the behavior of an adult in a position of authority. In fact, she is abusing her authority over Alton through her behavior. She needed to be fired. The fact that there seemed to be both no repercussions for HER actions or even an apology for the emotional stress and embarrassment she put Alton through is unacceptable. What upset me the most is, whether the intention or not, I felt Alton may have some sort of high functioning ASD- to basically force him to change from a shirt he feels comfortable in and likes into a borrowed shirt that is both sleeveless and a bright color that calls attention to himself is cruel and abusive. And no, she may not have known that particular shirt was what he would be stuck with, I'm not sure what she expected him to be able to find mid-day at school.
Dropped one star Bc of this characterization.
September 25, 2014
Alton loves maps. His bedroom is wallpapered with them! He loves drawing them, too, but his own maps are different than road maps. He drew a map of his teacher's brain by noticing how often she talked about dogs, or the metric system, or her little brother, or vacations. He mapped the popularity of various brands of athletic shoes among his classmates, and he made a smell-map of the school: where you would find each of 29 different smells in the building. He made a popularity map of lunch room seating, and dozens more maps, and he kept them all secret, because he did not want to make people mad when they saw how much he watched them. Then someone stole his secret folder where he kept his maps, and is making demands that Alton knows will get him in trouble. How can he get his maps back?
Although not many kids love maps and charts, they all can relate to noticing how often someone says "um," or how many days in a row a teacher wears the same tie. They might not make a mountains-to-plains chart of the tallest and shortest kids in the class, but they do notice them. And they all will be curious about how Alton can extricate himself from an embarrassing situation.
Another great story from the popular middle-grade author of Frindle and No Talking. Ages 8-12.
Although not many kids love maps and charts, they all can relate to noticing how often someone says "um," or how many days in a row a teacher wears the same tie. They might not make a mountains-to-plains chart of the tallest and shortest kids in the class, but they do notice them. And they all will be curious about how Alton can extricate himself from an embarrassing situation.
Another great story from the popular middle-grade author of Frindle and No Talking. Ages 8-12.
September 22, 2014
Originally posted here at In the Senter of it All
How much do I love Andrew Clements’s books? Let me count the ways!
The cover is the biggest drawback to this book. It doesn't do the story justice.
Genre: Realistic
AR level: 5.3
Grade appropriate: 3rd and up
RATING BREAKDOWN:
Overall: 5/5--This is another home run from Andrew Clements.
Creativity: 5/5-- I loved the kid obsessed with maps and Andrew Clements’s teachers are always doing things you don’t expect!
Characters: 5/5-- I identified with Alton and liked him a lot! I liked his imperfect teacher and his friend Quint who speaks in way too much slang!
Engrossing: 5/5-- Finished in one day…
Writing: 5/5-
Appeal to kids: 5/5-- The cover might put them off. Kind of passive. But if we can get them to check it out I think they’ll be hooked!
Appropriate length to tell the story: 5/5-- Almost too short! I wasn’t ready for it to end.
CONTENT:
Language: none
Sexuality: none
Violence: none
Drugs/Alcohol: none
How much do I love Andrew Clements’s books? Let me count the ways!
The cover is the biggest drawback to this book. It doesn't do the story justice.
Genre: Realistic
AR level: 5.3
Grade appropriate: 3rd and up
RATING BREAKDOWN:
Overall: 5/5--This is another home run from Andrew Clements.
Creativity: 5/5-- I loved the kid obsessed with maps and Andrew Clements’s teachers are always doing things you don’t expect!
Characters: 5/5-- I identified with Alton and liked him a lot! I liked his imperfect teacher and his friend Quint who speaks in way too much slang!
Engrossing: 5/5-- Finished in one day…
Writing: 5/5-
Appeal to kids: 5/5-- The cover might put them off. Kind of passive. But if we can get them to check it out I think they’ll be hooked!
Appropriate length to tell the story: 5/5-- Almost too short! I wasn’t ready for it to end.
CONTENT:
Language: none
Sexuality: none
Violence: none
Drugs/Alcohol: none
September 26, 2014
Alton Ziegler (the name in this copy of The Map Trap) loves maps...he loves looking at them, studying them and making them. He has made some very interesting "maps" too...brain activity of his teacher, how the lunch on certain days affects bathroom migration, how many kids have divorced parents. He never planned to show these maps to anyone, but when his new best friend seemed interested, he brought them to school. And, then they were promptly stolen! Alton was beside himself looking for them, when he gets "mapnapper" ransom notes. YIKES! Someone wants him to pay for his map making.
Alton is worried, but then he realizes that the worst that could happen was that they were exposed. So, Alton goes to each person affected and apologizes in advance of the exposure. Even after all that he has not pieced enough clues together to figure out who stole them. But, as with any good mystery, the person is right in front of your face the whole time and the same is true for Alton. It's a map-mystery in Clements style.
Alton is worried, but then he realizes that the worst that could happen was that they were exposed. So, Alton goes to each person affected and apologizes in advance of the exposure. Even after all that he has not pieced enough clues together to figure out who stole them. But, as with any good mystery, the person is right in front of your face the whole time and the same is true for Alton. It's a map-mystery in Clements style.
January 10, 2022
Very clever.
This was a read aloud with my youngest son. He was completely drawn into the story. I know the story is working well for him when he begs and begs me to keep reading to him.
Alton, a 6th grade boy, is obsessed with maps. He wears shirts with maps on them, goes geocaching (Fun! If you've never tried it, I highly recommend it.), decorates his room with maps and other geographical paraphernalia, studies maps, and draws his own maps. Alton has a set of secret maps with revealing facts about people in the school. They are innocent enough in that he was just examining data from a neutral perspective and was not trying to make fun of anyone. The maps go missing, and Alton stresses. The next few days, he receives ransom notes from a secret "mapnapper." Alton and his friend Quint work together to solve the mystery.
This was a read aloud with my youngest son. He was completely drawn into the story. I know the story is working well for him when he begs and begs me to keep reading to him.
Alton, a 6th grade boy, is obsessed with maps. He wears shirts with maps on them, goes geocaching (Fun! If you've never tried it, I highly recommend it.), decorates his room with maps and other geographical paraphernalia, studies maps, and draws his own maps. Alton has a set of secret maps with revealing facts about people in the school. They are innocent enough in that he was just examining data from a neutral perspective and was not trying to make fun of anyone. The maps go missing, and Alton stresses. The next few days, he receives ransom notes from a secret "mapnapper." Alton and his friend Quint work together to solve the mystery.
July 27, 2016
I have loved all of Andrew Clements' books and I was looking forward to reading this one as well. I enjoyed the main character, Alton, who seemed like a nice 6th grade kid who loves maps. He made all kinds of maps, including some that were embarrassing, like a map of his teacher's brain and how many times his principal says "um" while reading the morning announcements. These maps he keeps hidden until he decides to show them to a boy in his class who he thinks might be his friend. Then the maps disappear. And Alton has to figure out who took them.
When I found out who had the maps and was blackmailing Alton, I was shocked. This ruined the whole story for me. Otherwise, this would be a good book for middle grade readers.
When I found out who had the maps and was blackmailing Alton, I was shocked. This ruined the whole story for me. Otherwise, this would be a good book for middle grade readers.
February 18, 2018
I like Andrew Clements a lot. This is a good one. Very short, quick read. Good characters. Nice illustration. Interesting way to look at the world, through maps. Good message without being heavy handed. I liked how Alton overcame his preconceived notion of the popular kid. I appreciated his figuring out to apologize first. I was interested to see that the authors chose to point out that teachers are just like kids too. I think this would make a good book club book for middle graders.
August 14, 2017
A cute, quick read with a little mystery and a little humor. I felt like it was bogged down somewhat by all the descriptions of maps and charts, but that's probably because I'm not all that interested in those things. (Or perhaps because I listened to the audiobook? Maybe the print version has illustrations?) I think it's a great upper-elementary/reluctant reader story, and I like that it has positive messages about not judging others and taking responsibility for your actions.
February 21, 2020
The best takeaway here is how good it feels to get ahead of a problem before it happens (like apologizing when you know something is about to go public). A fun read, not overly memorable, but still very relevant.
December 5, 2020
My family listened to this on a road trip. We love Clements' work. This particular book was good but not amazing. The resolution of this book didn't quite hold water for us, but we still enjoyed it, and one character in particular made us laugh.
March 11, 2018
This author understands kids. His books are good read alouds because the chapters are short and the story moves quickly. For a book set in a Chicago suburb, I would expect to see more diversity represented in the characters. It feels more like a small, rural town than a suburb. There are lots of good talking points though, and my son and I both enjoyed it.
April 18, 2025
A middle grade 4 stars.
Very cute. Another winning middle grade book from Andrew Clements. I love maps so this intrigued me. I’m wondering if Alton is supposed to be autistic because he sure seems like it. And some of his maps seem like they might be more like graphs but whatever. It’s clean and I like the element of kids not having cell phones.
You can let your kid read this with no fear.
Very cute. Another winning middle grade book from Andrew Clements. I love maps so this intrigued me. I’m wondering if Alton is supposed to be autistic because he sure seems like it. And some of his maps seem like they might be more like graphs but whatever. It’s clean and I like the element of kids not having cell phones.
You can let your kid read this with no fear.
December 28, 2018
This book was an interesting read. I chose this book because I just want a simple story that isn't really complex like teens and young adult books about drama, love, violence, etc. If you want a simple story, read it.
June 30, 2024
Very quick very cute,
Moral: don’t lie, just tell truth, it works out in the end!
Moral: don’t lie, just tell truth, it works out in the end!
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