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Book Scavenger #3
The Alcatraz Escape
Sleuthing duo Emily and James tackle their most challenging mystery yet set on the haunting Alcatraz Island in Book 3 of the New York Times bestselling Book Scavenger series!
Legendary literary game-maker Garrison Griswold is back in action―this time with “Unlock the Rock.” For his latest game, Griswold has partnered with the famous--and famously reclusive--mystery writer Errol Roy to plan an epic escape room challenge on Alcatraz Island.
Emily and James are eager to participate, but the wave of fame they are riding from their recent book-hunting adventures makes them a target. Threatening notes, missing items, and an accident that might not have been an accident have the duo worried that someone is trying to get them out of the game at any cost.
When Emily’s brother is caught red-handed and blamed for all the wrong doings, Emily is certain Matthew is being framed. With Matthew’s record on the line, Emily and James can’t afford to leave this mystery uncracked.
A Christy Ottaviano Book
Legendary literary game-maker Garrison Griswold is back in action―this time with “Unlock the Rock.” For his latest game, Griswold has partnered with the famous--and famously reclusive--mystery writer Errol Roy to plan an epic escape room challenge on Alcatraz Island.
Emily and James are eager to participate, but the wave of fame they are riding from their recent book-hunting adventures makes them a target. Threatening notes, missing items, and an accident that might not have been an accident have the duo worried that someone is trying to get them out of the game at any cost.
When Emily’s brother is caught red-handed and blamed for all the wrong doings, Emily is certain Matthew is being framed. With Matthew’s record on the line, Emily and James can’t afford to leave this mystery uncracked.
A Christy Ottaviano Book
Audible Audio
First published May 1, 2018
157 people are currently reading
2070 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
14 books687 followersJennifer Chambliss Bertman is the New York Times bestselling author of the Book Scavenger series and SISTERHOOD OF SLEUTHS, forthcoming in Fall 2022. Book Scavenger was an Indie Next Top Ten pick, an Amazon Book of the Year, a Bank Street College Book of the Year, an NCTE Notable Book, and has been nominated for over twenty state award and honor lists, among other accolades. The series is being translated into more than a dozen languages. Jennifer’s debut picture book, A GOOD DEED CAN GROW, illustrated by Holly Hatam, will be published in 2023. She holds an MFA in creative writing and has worked in a variety of roles with children and in publishing. A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Jennifer now lives in Colorado with her family. More information can be found about her and her books at jenniferchamblissbertman.com and bookscavenger.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 259 reviews
December 20, 2020
I had so much fun writing this third Book Scavenger mystery, and I hope readers enjoy it too!
April 14, 2021
این کتاب سه جلدی میتونه بهشتی باشه برای عاشقان کتاب و معما و ماجراجویی اونم از نوع تینیجریش😍
بسیار کیوت و دوست داشتنی و حال خوب کن
بدون توجه به سنتون بخونیدش و به خودتون حال خوب هدیه بدید💜
بسیار کیوت و دوست داشتنی و حال خوب کن
بدون توجه به سنتون بخونیدش و به خودتون حال خوب هدیه بدید💜
June 26, 2018
Sometimes it’s a challenge for me to know whether to give books 5 or 4 stars. I had been giving this series of books 4, but I like them more than some of my 5 star books and I always knew I’d have given them 5 stars if I’d read them at the targeted reading age (at ages 9 & 10 and maybe 11, etc. they’d have bee among my favorite books) so I did go back and I changed my 4 star to 5 star ratings – these books really are great – 4-1/2 stars rounded up. For me all that keeps them from being a full 5 stars is that I do find the mixture of fact and fiction jarring. However; I do enjoy and appreciate the author’s note(s) at the end that say exactly what the facts are and what exactly was fictionalized, and the reader is given a wonderful mini-history lesson which I love.
I know Goodreads is adamant about not having half stars and having a 1 through 5 rating system. I’ve always been in favor of half stars. Even better, for me, because that’s how I think of things, would be a 0 or 1 to 100 rating system. That would be the very best system for me, and I do wish that from May 2007 on I’d put my 1-100 rating in the body of all my reviews and added it in the review field to rated but not reviewed books. I have too many rated books to do that now, especially because I don’t remember every single book well enough to give it the “right” 1-100 rating. Too bad though.
This book’s/series characters are great. All of them. Emily and James of course, and the other main characters, but also all the minor characters. I liked that Matthew had a major role in this book and wish that James was in it a bit more, but Emily as usual was great, as were many of the other kids and many adults too.
This book was so much fun for me to read – I felt back at age 9-11; a great escape.
I loved the included puzzles, and especially love the math. These books are great for math phobic kids and also probably great for reluctant readers too. And for both girls and boys!
If I’d read these at ages 9-12 I think I’d have learned to like math more. Except for learning the abacus in sixth grade and basic arithmetic in the very low grades, I didn’t like math until college, and even then only statistics. Here there is some basic algebra, and it’s presented in such a fun way.
As with the earlier books, I found bits a tad scary, but not too scary for middle grade reading.
I know San Francisco, and the 1962 Alcatraz escape (attempt?) freaked me out. I was 8 and really frightened. I was reassured that the three men probably drowned and even if they did make it to shore, they likely wouldn’t come to my area of the city. Probably true, but I remained afraid. Now that I know their crimes I’d probably have been a tad less worried. I’ve been on two of the Alcatraz tours, the first time with a friend and her mother when the tours were new/fairly new, and then again with a friend and her young niece, a different tour by then. I know that now they offer multiple tours and to experience them all it’s necessary to go many times.
I’m lucky to live in a city and area with many independent bookstores but I so wish that Hollister’s bookstore was real, and that I lived in that part of the city, very close to it. I love Hollister and his store.
The illustrations are charming and add to the story. There aren’t very many of them but I’m glad that they’re included.
I know Goodreads is adamant about not having half stars and having a 1 through 5 rating system. I’ve always been in favor of half stars. Even better, for me, because that’s how I think of things, would be a 0 or 1 to 100 rating system. That would be the very best system for me, and I do wish that from May 2007 on I’d put my 1-100 rating in the body of all my reviews and added it in the review field to rated but not reviewed books. I have too many rated books to do that now, especially because I don’t remember every single book well enough to give it the “right” 1-100 rating. Too bad though.
This book’s/series characters are great. All of them. Emily and James of course, and the other main characters, but also all the minor characters. I liked that Matthew had a major role in this book and wish that James was in it a bit more, but Emily as usual was great, as were many of the other kids and many adults too.
This book was so much fun for me to read – I felt back at age 9-11; a great escape.
I loved the included puzzles, and especially love the math. These books are great for math phobic kids and also probably great for reluctant readers too. And for both girls and boys!
If I’d read these at ages 9-12 I think I’d have learned to like math more. Except for learning the abacus in sixth grade and basic arithmetic in the very low grades, I didn’t like math until college, and even then only statistics. Here there is some basic algebra, and it’s presented in such a fun way.
As with the earlier books, I found bits a tad scary, but not too scary for middle grade reading.
I know San Francisco, and the 1962 Alcatraz escape (attempt?) freaked me out. I was 8 and really frightened. I was reassured that the three men probably drowned and even if they did make it to shore, they likely wouldn’t come to my area of the city. Probably true, but I remained afraid. Now that I know their crimes I’d probably have been a tad less worried. I’ve been on two of the Alcatraz tours, the first time with a friend and her mother when the tours were new/fairly new, and then again with a friend and her young niece, a different tour by then. I know that now they offer multiple tours and to experience them all it’s necessary to go many times.
I’m lucky to live in a city and area with many independent bookstores but I so wish that Hollister’s bookstore was real, and that I lived in that part of the city, very close to it. I love Hollister and his store.
The illustrations are charming and add to the story. There aren’t very many of them but I’m glad that they’re included.
March 20, 2018
I loved the first two Book Scavenger books, and this one was just as exciting and fun. The author does such a wonderful job with incorporating puzzles into her stories, which encourages the reader to try and solve them alongside Emily and James. The Alcatraz setting is wonderful! Highly recommended!
Thank you to the publisher for sending me an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
February 24, 2023
AHHHHH, THIS BOOK WAS SOOOO GOOD! It was a page-turner and very fast paced, but also enjoyable. The storyline was extremely interesting and I found Alcatraz very fascinating. It gave me Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library vibes XD. Definitely the best book in the series!
The first book in the series is Book Scavenger.
The first book in the series is Book Scavenger.
October 18, 2025
My kids are all really loving this series. They all want to listen to the audio books together, which is a huge win in my book! The twist at the end of the book was really surprising and we all enjoyed the story as we learned a bit of the history of Alcatraz!
January 27, 2022
What a fun ending to the series! I've really enjoyed these books and want so badly for the book scavenger game to be real. Maybe I'll try to start one? This final book was exciting and had a great setting at Alcatraz. We got to see Emily and James team up again to solve a final puzzle, along with Matthew, Mr. Quisling, and some friends from school. The friendship is definitely my favorite part, watching everyone come together for a common goal.
Part of this is rooted in real events which made it even better. This has definitely made me want to learn more about Alcatraz, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Mark Twain. I hope the author has more books to come because I would love to check them out!
Part of this is rooted in real events which made it even better. This has definitely made me want to learn more about Alcatraz, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Mark Twain. I hope the author has more books to come because I would love to check them out!
April 9, 2024
➳ 4 ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚
why do i always like the third book in a trilogy the most?
this was my absolute favorite of this series and i loved the alcatraz setting which was really fun and the history was interesting. sad to see my babies go though 😌
୧ ‧₊˚ 🍓 ⋅ ☆
why do i always like the third book in a trilogy the most?
this was my absolute favorite of this series and i loved the alcatraz setting which was really fun and the history was interesting. sad to see my babies go though 😌
୧ ‧₊˚ 🍓 ⋅ ☆
April 8, 2018
The school I work at read Book Scavenger for One School One Book and the author was generous enough to send us and Advanced Reader Copy of this third book in the series.
What a great book, and great book series.
I have enjoyed all three books, and this one might even be better than the 2nd book.
Highly recommend the entire series.
March 12, 2018
Thank you to the author for an ARC of this book!
I am a puzzle fanatic and so the Book Scavenger series is right up my alley. I LOVE this series! This third installment does not disappoint. This time, we find Emily, James and company on Alcatraz solving a mystery. This is a fun, fast-paced middle grade book sure to please fans of the series. I hope there is more to come!
I am a puzzle fanatic and so the Book Scavenger series is right up my alley. I LOVE this series! This third installment does not disappoint. This time, we find Emily, James and company on Alcatraz solving a mystery. This is a fun, fast-paced middle grade book sure to please fans of the series. I hope there is more to come!
June 30, 2018
I loved this one just as much as the first two in the series. I hope the author keeps them coming because they are so much fun to read. I gave the first book in the series to my 10 year old neighbor and she immediately sat down and started reading it. Three hours later she came back to tell me she finished it and can't wait to go to the library to get the next two!
July 6, 2022
Everyone at school is eager for Garrison Griswold's new game, Unlock the Rock, an escape room game on Alcatraz. Emily, however, is feeling dejected because she can not solve the code to get into the game. How can this be? She feels dejected and worried she won't be able to solve the code. A few golden tickets are available throughout the city but can Emily get there in time? Meanwhile, Mr. Griswold is approached by the reclusive writer Errol Roy who offers to write the story for the game. Errol is so mysterious that not even Garrison Griswold knows the storyline. As the game night approaches, Emily finds threatening notes warning her off the game. That only makes her more determined to play but when things start going missing and someone tries to frame Matthew for theft, Emily isn't so sure she should have come after all. Can Emily, James and their friends focus and figure out the code before something else goes wrong?
I couldn't put the book down but the plot ended up being a real let down. It doesn't have the same sense of urgency or excitement as the previous two . Emily's code was so simple even I could see it. I forgot about order of operations, if I ever heard of it, so I didn't come up with the correct answer but I knew where to look to figure it out. I didn't learn anything new about San Francisco. There were some tantalizing hints about the history of Alcatraz before it was a prison but the kids don't want to stop and hear it. There's an intriguing secondary mystery that goes nowhere and a surprising plot twist that comes out of the blue. I wasn't surprised by the antagonists in this story. They were obvious.
Emily is a little more likable in this novel. She's stopped being so arrogant and is now filled with doubts. I disliked her musings on winning by default because you were the only player. That's exactly what she did with The Gold-Bug! I'm a little uncomfortable that her parents let her be in the media so many time and now everyone knows where she goes to school and what she looks like. That's creepy. It also makes her something of a celebrity with all the pitfalls that entails. She's a celebrity now and that puts expectations on her shoulders. She still loves the challenge of solving codes but it's harder now. I almost feel bad for her. Almost. I thought she was dumb about the first code challenge and rude to try to find a golden ticket just in case. I was proud of her for doing the right thing eventually. I disliked how she kept ignoring the clues someone kept trying to pass along and how focused they were on solving the code. I think they forgot to have fun.
James is barely in the story. He's kind of gotten lost. No Steve either. Matthew comes along for the fun. He's trying hard to be a better brother but Emily is snotty and snippy with him. She doesn't talk to him now even after she wanted him to be more fun and pay attention to her. Now Maddie is a friend along with Nisha, Vivian and the twins. I'm glad Emily has friends now but they don't seem all that close. Maddie can still be snippy. She's VERY VERY competitive. Vivian is pretty uptight and methodical. Nisha is the sweetest but she has an irrational fear of ghosts. Most kids that age I know LOVE ghost stories and would love to visit Alcatraz. I like Nisha the best though. She's nice to everyone. A new character, Fiona, a teenage girl, is not a nice girl. She's one of those fake mean girl types who is eager to suck up to someone famous. Her mom is worse. She's ghastly and I can tell she wants her daughter to win at all costs. Boockacuda is a shark. He's a bully and a braggart. I knew kids like him and they were always trouble. Emily is smart to stay clear of him and not get into anything but I think he will try. His behavior is inexcusable but
Garrison Griswold still seems a little manic to me. I'm not sure I'd want to go play this game. Hollister is wonderful as always. He's rebounding from the fire nicely and still optimistic. Errol Roy is mysterious and reclusive. He never talks to his neighbors and his only companion is his cat. Errol sought neither fame nor success with his books and his favorite is the one no one likes and vice versa. I get the impression from the opening chapter than he's possibly going to cause trouble with the game and maybe do something bad. Lucy Leonard is a Mark Twain conspiracy theorist and fangirl. I don't trust her at all. She's up to something and using Emily and the kids to find it.
The adult characters are pretty flat too. It's nice to see Mr. Quisling in a different setting. He's still intense but balanced out by his girlfriend, Ms. (Miss?) Linden. She's fun and lighthearted. As a librarian she knows how to steer people in the right direction for information and not give it to them. She tries but she can't make them listen. I like her a lot.
This book is a little lackluster compared to the previous two but I would have read more if there were others. I liked trying to solve the codes and learning about San Franscisco!
I couldn't put the book down but the plot ended up being a real let down. It doesn't have the same sense of urgency or excitement as the previous two . Emily's code was so simple even I could see it. I forgot about order of operations, if I ever heard of it, so I didn't come up with the correct answer but I knew where to look to figure it out. I didn't learn anything new about San Francisco. There were some tantalizing hints about the history of Alcatraz before it was a prison but the kids don't want to stop and hear it. There's an intriguing secondary mystery that goes nowhere and a surprising plot twist that comes out of the blue. I wasn't surprised by the antagonists in this story. They were obvious.
Emily is a little more likable in this novel. She's stopped being so arrogant and is now filled with doubts. I disliked her musings on winning by default because you were the only player. That's exactly what she did with The Gold-Bug! I'm a little uncomfortable that her parents let her be in the media so many time and now everyone knows where she goes to school and what she looks like. That's creepy. It also makes her something of a celebrity with all the pitfalls that entails. She's a celebrity now and that puts expectations on her shoulders. She still loves the challenge of solving codes but it's harder now. I almost feel bad for her. Almost. I thought she was dumb about the first code challenge and rude to try to find a golden ticket just in case. I was proud of her for doing the right thing eventually. I disliked how she kept ignoring the clues someone kept trying to pass along and how focused they were on solving the code. I think they forgot to have fun.
James is barely in the story. He's kind of gotten lost. No Steve either. Matthew comes along for the fun. He's trying hard to be a better brother but Emily is snotty and snippy with him. She doesn't talk to him now even after she wanted him to be more fun and pay attention to her. Now Maddie is a friend along with Nisha, Vivian and the twins. I'm glad Emily has friends now but they don't seem all that close. Maddie can still be snippy. She's VERY VERY competitive. Vivian is pretty uptight and methodical. Nisha is the sweetest but she has an irrational fear of ghosts. Most kids that age I know LOVE ghost stories and would love to visit Alcatraz. I like Nisha the best though. She's nice to everyone. A new character, Fiona, a teenage girl, is not a nice girl. She's one of those fake mean girl types who is eager to suck up to someone famous. Her mom is worse. She's ghastly and I can tell she wants her daughter to win at all costs. Boockacuda is a shark. He's a bully and a braggart. I knew kids like him and they were always trouble. Emily is smart to stay clear of him and not get into anything but I think he will try. His behavior is inexcusable but
Garrison Griswold still seems a little manic to me. I'm not sure I'd want to go play this game. Hollister is wonderful as always. He's rebounding from the fire nicely and still optimistic. Errol Roy is mysterious and reclusive. He never talks to his neighbors and his only companion is his cat. Errol sought neither fame nor success with his books and his favorite is the one no one likes and vice versa. I get the impression from the opening chapter than he's possibly going to cause trouble with the game and maybe do something bad. Lucy Leonard is a Mark Twain conspiracy theorist and fangirl. I don't trust her at all. She's up to something and using Emily and the kids to find it.
The adult characters are pretty flat too. It's nice to see Mr. Quisling in a different setting. He's still intense but balanced out by his girlfriend, Ms. (Miss?) Linden. She's fun and lighthearted. As a librarian she knows how to steer people in the right direction for information and not give it to them. She tries but she can't make them listen. I like her a lot.
This book is a little lackluster compared to the previous two but I would have read more if there were others. I liked trying to solve the codes and learning about San Franscisco!
June 24, 2018
The third in a series, the Book Scavenger tweens work on a mystery event held at Alcatraz, to benefit their favorite book store owner. Along the way, they must solve puzzles, which the reader can also try to solve before the solutions are given. Just as entertaining as the previous two books, this series has strong characterizations, with a nice balance of male and female tweens, as well as nonstereotypical adult characters. Perfect for a tween book discussion club, this would also be a fun classroom readaloud before a field trip to Alcatraz.
March 27, 2018
4.5 stars
July 15, 2023
I enjoyed this book as much as the other two, but I have been interested in Alcatraz ever since visiting. Again, a fun read without feeling like a history lesson! The end was a compete surprise! I loved it and I kinda wish it wasn't fiction!
December 9, 2022
Ugyanolyan kiváló szórakozás, mint az első két rész. Érdekes feladatok, rejtvények, jó kis háttértörténet. Mi kell még?
April 2, 2025
Una historia entretenida muy similar a las dos anteriores de los buscadores de libros. Es ideal para un público juvenil, por el enfoque y los acertijos que se plantean pero también hace disfrutar a los más mayores.
En mi caso he podido conocer un poco más de la historia de Alcatraz.
En mi caso he podido conocer un poco más de la historia de Alcatraz.
February 26, 2022
اول: کتاب های نوجوان همیشه منو به دنیاهای موازی یا متقاطع شگفت انگیزی میبرن که هیچ کتاب جدی و مهم دیگه ای نمیتونه.
دوم:
"امیلی باورش نمیشد واقعا آنجاست."
چیزی که راجب کتاب بازها دوست دارم اینه که امیلی یه بچه صد در صد عادی بود که معما و کتاب رو دوست داشت، و هیچکس هیچوقت فکر نمی کرد یه روز اونقدر زندگیش جالب بشه که بشه تو یه کتاب راجبش خوند. حتی خودش.
ولی شد، و تونست، و تو فرار از الکاتراز چیزیکه پررنگه اینه که خودش هم هنوز اینو باورش نشده.
سوم: این جلد خیلی قشنگ، کوتاه و جمع و جور بود. شبیه یه داستان کوتاه از ماجرای کتاب بازها تو دنیای کتاب بازها. واقعا شیرین بود، و ایکاش بیشتر همچین جلدهایی نوشته بشه.
دوم:
"امیلی باورش نمیشد واقعا آنجاست."
چیزی که راجب کتاب بازها دوست دارم اینه که امیلی یه بچه صد در صد عادی بود که معما و کتاب رو دوست داشت، و هیچکس هیچوقت فکر نمی کرد یه روز اونقدر زندگیش جالب بشه که بشه تو یه کتاب راجبش خوند. حتی خودش.
ولی شد، و تونست، و تو فرار از الکاتراز چیزیکه پررنگه اینه که خودش هم هنوز اینو باورش نشده.
سوم: این جلد خیلی قشنگ، کوتاه و جمع و جور بود. شبیه یه داستان کوتاه از ماجرای کتاب بازها تو دنیای کتاب بازها. واقعا شیرین بود، و ایکاش بیشتر همچین جلدهایی نوشته بشه.
November 28, 2018
Of the three in this series, this was my favorite! A quick, exciting read.
August 9, 2019
Me ha encantado está tercera parte de buscadores de libros
Los cambios de acontecimientos y personajes
Los cambios de acontecimientos y personajes
April 29, 2018
Interest Level: 5-8; Reading Level: 5.6
What if you were used to being a "behind the scenes" person and all of the sudden you are in the spotlight? That is exactly what happened to Emily Crane. She has moved so many times in her lifetime that she is used to being invisible. All of that changed when her family moved to San Francisco, the home of her book idol, Garrison Griswold. She finally made a best friend who enjoyed breaking codes as much as Emily does. After Emily, James, and Matthew (Emily's brother) solve several of Mr. Griswold's games they are thrust into the Book Scavenger limelight. When Mr. Griswold announces his newest game, Unlock the Rock, which will take place on the famous island of Alcatraz, Emily is uncomfortable with all of the fame her previous wins have gotten her. Everyone thinks that James and Emily have an unfair advantage in this newest game, some even going as far as leaving ugly notes in their lockers that they shouldn't even be in the game. Emily is uncomfortable but that is not going to stop her from participating in Unlock the Rock. When they get to the island Emily thinks that all of her apprehension will fade away but it seems with every step her and her team makes things start to unravel. The team begins to argue, one of the teammates is accused of stealing, and Emily herself falls into danger. Will Emily and James' team be able to pull it together and solve the puzzles? Will they even make it off of The Rock? Read the third book in the Book Scavenger series that will have you on the edge of your seat!
They say that the third time is the charm and that is so true with Jennifer Chambliss Bertman's latest Book Scavenger book. The fiction story is so great but I love the way she weaves in some real facts also. This is a great story to read aloud to a class and have an extensive study and conversations about the real life people of Alcatraz. Jennifer also does a fantastic job of describing Alcatraz, so much so that visiting The Rock is definitely on my bucket list now!
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What if you were used to being a "behind the scenes" person and all of the sudden you are in the spotlight? That is exactly what happened to Emily Crane. She has moved so many times in her lifetime that she is used to being invisible. All of that changed when her family moved to San Francisco, the home of her book idol, Garrison Griswold. She finally made a best friend who enjoyed breaking codes as much as Emily does. After Emily, James, and Matthew (Emily's brother) solve several of Mr. Griswold's games they are thrust into the Book Scavenger limelight. When Mr. Griswold announces his newest game, Unlock the Rock, which will take place on the famous island of Alcatraz, Emily is uncomfortable with all of the fame her previous wins have gotten her. Everyone thinks that James and Emily have an unfair advantage in this newest game, some even going as far as leaving ugly notes in their lockers that they shouldn't even be in the game. Emily is uncomfortable but that is not going to stop her from participating in Unlock the Rock. When they get to the island Emily thinks that all of her apprehension will fade away but it seems with every step her and her team makes things start to unravel. The team begins to argue, one of the teammates is accused of stealing, and Emily herself falls into danger. Will Emily and James' team be able to pull it together and solve the puzzles? Will they even make it off of The Rock? Read the third book in the Book Scavenger series that will have you on the edge of your seat!
They say that the third time is the charm and that is so true with Jennifer Chambliss Bertman's latest Book Scavenger book. The fiction story is so great but I love the way she weaves in some real facts also. This is a great story to read aloud to a class and have an extensive study and conversations about the real life people of Alcatraz. Jennifer also does a fantastic job of describing Alcatraz, so much so that visiting The Rock is definitely on my bucket list now!
Follow me:
Facebook - Laurie’s Library Place - https://www.facebook.com/LauriesLibra...
Instagram - laurieslibrary - https://www.instagram.com/laurieslibr...
Twitter - https://twitter.com/lauriepurser27
Goodreads - Laurie Purser - https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...
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January 8, 2021
Emily and James, famous Book Scavenger players and sleuths, are excited about Garrison Griswold's latest adventure: a puzzle-solving game in Alcatraz, done in concert with Errol Roy, the country's most popular and most reclusive mystery writer. Emily and James' fame, though, has led to lots of sour grapes and even some threats, warning them not to participate. But because the game will benefit their favorite book seller, Hollister, and his newly-repaired shop, and because they love games, they do join the group at Alcatraz. But there's a lot more going on than just the game. The threats keep coming, Emily's brother Matthew is accused of theft, and there's another famous writer skulking around for what reason Emily doesn't know. How will it all end?
I enjoyed the other two books in the series, but not this one so much. I didn't understand the puzzle/game at Alcatraz at all--were there three puzzles, as was mentioned at one point? Then why did there seem to be so many more? How could anyone tell if they'd solved the intended puzzles? And if they solved them, how did that help them solve everything? So confusing. And Alcatraz, as described by Emily, is dark, depressing, unwelcoming, and a pretty terrible place to try to do something fun, so that sucked a lot of the fun out of it, too. I also lost track of the characters, since there were so many. I think fans of the series will like this one, but otherwise, not so much.
I enjoyed the other two books in the series, but not this one so much. I didn't understand the puzzle/game at Alcatraz at all--were there three puzzles, as was mentioned at one point? Then why did there seem to be so many more? How could anyone tell if they'd solved the intended puzzles? And if they solved them, how did that help them solve everything? So confusing. And Alcatraz, as described by Emily, is dark, depressing, unwelcoming, and a pretty terrible place to try to do something fun, so that sucked a lot of the fun out of it, too. I also lost track of the characters, since there were so many. I think fans of the series will like this one, but otherwise, not so much.
September 10, 2020
Best Book Scavenger book yet!
Also the shortest Book Scavenger book yet, which works in its favor. The escape room premise cleanly cuts out most of the the school-related filler plots, so the story flew by. I cared about every storyline in the book pretty much equally, and they all support a great main story. I love reading about games, and it was nice for Emily and James to face competition from more than just Scooby-Doo type villains.
This in turn made me like the full cast of characters a lot better. When Emily and James's friends are actually participating in the mystery rather than derailing the plot, it turns out that they're fun characters! It's great to watch Emily and James work as part of a larger team. I also loved their teacher's role in this story. He's more involved than he was in the first book, but not as uncomfortably involved as he was in the second.
Emily's personal arc stood out, too. The stress of living up to past success is really the perfect internal conflict for a third book in a series. It was a very natural progression for her character, and it tied into the main plot enough that it didn't feel like we were taking a break from the action for character moments.
Every plot line and character arc ties together nicely, and there's basically no filler. This book is by far the tightest of the series.
Also the shortest Book Scavenger book yet, which works in its favor. The escape room premise cleanly cuts out most of the the school-related filler plots, so the story flew by. I cared about every storyline in the book pretty much equally, and they all support a great main story. I love reading about games, and it was nice for Emily and James to face competition from more than just Scooby-Doo type villains.
This in turn made me like the full cast of characters a lot better. When Emily and James's friends are actually participating in the mystery rather than derailing the plot, it turns out that they're fun characters! It's great to watch Emily and James work as part of a larger team. I also loved their teacher's role in this story. He's more involved than he was in the first book, but not as uncomfortably involved as he was in the second.
Emily's personal arc stood out, too. The stress of living up to past success is really the perfect internal conflict for a third book in a series. It was a very natural progression for her character, and it tied into the main plot enough that it didn't feel like we were taking a break from the action for character moments.
Every plot line and character arc ties together nicely, and there's basically no filler. This book is by far the tightest of the series.
April 6, 2018
Bertman, Jennifer. The Alcatraz Escape. Henry Holt, 2018
Emily, James, and their friends are going to try an escape room set up by Grizwald himself, set on Alcatraz Island. Once they reach the island, though, there are more mysteries to solve than just the puzzles that are a part of the game. Will they be able to solve the puzzles in time to win the grand prize, and can they do it in time to guarantee that the bookshop receives its large donation?
This is a fantastic middle grade mystery/adventure story, perfect for fans of the previous two installments or Chris Grabenstein's Lemoncello books. The puzzles and the mysterious events keep the reader turning pages to find out what will happen. There is suspense and some mildly scary situations, but this is a clean read that I could wholeheartedly recommend to any child.
What stood out to me the most was a discussion that some of the characters had near the end of the story, where one character says, "If you love something, like a book or a movie, and then you find out the person who created it did something awful or wasn't a very good person--is it still okay to love what they created?" Bertman doesn't provide an answer to this timely question, beyond that "people are complicated," which is certainly true.
I highly recommend this book for kids who like puzzles, for teachers who like to have read-alouds for their classroom, and for those who want their kids to read "clean" stories but still provide them with a challenge.
Recommended for: middle grade and tweens
Red Flags: mild bullying
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars
Read-Alikes: Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library, Greenglass House, I Kill the Mockingbird
I received a complimentary copy of this book through the publisher for the purposes of review.
Emily, James, and their friends are going to try an escape room set up by Grizwald himself, set on Alcatraz Island. Once they reach the island, though, there are more mysteries to solve than just the puzzles that are a part of the game. Will they be able to solve the puzzles in time to win the grand prize, and can they do it in time to guarantee that the bookshop receives its large donation?
This is a fantastic middle grade mystery/adventure story, perfect for fans of the previous two installments or Chris Grabenstein's Lemoncello books. The puzzles and the mysterious events keep the reader turning pages to find out what will happen. There is suspense and some mildly scary situations, but this is a clean read that I could wholeheartedly recommend to any child.
What stood out to me the most was a discussion that some of the characters had near the end of the story, where one character says, "If you love something, like a book or a movie, and then you find out the person who created it did something awful or wasn't a very good person--is it still okay to love what they created?" Bertman doesn't provide an answer to this timely question, beyond that "people are complicated," which is certainly true.
I highly recommend this book for kids who like puzzles, for teachers who like to have read-alouds for their classroom, and for those who want their kids to read "clean" stories but still provide them with a challenge.
Recommended for: middle grade and tweens
Red Flags: mild bullying
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars
Read-Alikes: Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library, Greenglass House, I Kill the Mockingbird
I received a complimentary copy of this book through the publisher for the purposes of review.
March 2, 2023
Can I just say how refreshing it is to read a book and have a positive outcome that doesn’t result in the same people who have won every contest up to this point winning every contest at every point? It’s good to see the MCs trying to live up to the pressures placed on them and even see what it would be like if they responded to the pressure negatively. I liked it as much if not more than the previous reads. It was a great book with a fun surprising ending. ❤️
April 18, 2019
I absolutely loved this book. Sometimes sequels and trilogies can get tired, or you can tell the author is running out of ideas. Not the case with Bertman. This book was AMAZING, and might even be my favorite of the Book Scavenger trilogy yet! I love the Alcatraz history and that twist, my goodness! PERFECTION.
March 22, 2023
مثل دو جلد قبل عالی و قشنگ بود.
داستان این جلد یه کم جدی تر میشه انگار و دوز هیجانش بالاتر میره.
روابط شخصیت ها دو خیلی دوست داشتم
شروع و پایانش هم خیلی دلنشین بود
«کتاب بازها؛ جلد سوم» را از طاقچه دریافت کنید
https://taaghche.com/book/102387
داستان این جلد یه کم جدی تر میشه انگار و دوز هیجانش بالاتر میره.
روابط شخصیت ها دو خیلی دوست داشتم
شروع و پایانش هم خیلی دلنشین بود
«کتاب بازها؛ جلد سوم» را از طاقچه دریافت کنید
https://taaghche.com/book/102387
July 15, 2023
Well, I guess I shouldn’t have started this one at 9 pm. I couldn’t put it down, and five hours later, I am finished! This was a very exciting middle grade read. I do love the puzzles and mystery and intrigue and history of Alcatraz.
July 16, 2024
J'aime beaucoup le caractère historique/informatif de ces romans. Dans celui-ci, les énigmes étaient souvent dessinées et je tentais de les résoudre avant de lire la solution. J'ai aussi apprécié cet aspect.
June 2, 2018
This book was amazing. I have read all the books in the series and this was by far the best.
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