The Messengers: The Greystone Secrets, Book 3
Kids crack codes on coins in clever series conclusion.
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Margaret Peterson Haddix's The Messengers concludes the trilogy begun in The Strangers. The Greystone children -- Chess, Emma, and Finn -- have rescued their mother from a frightening alternate world, but there's still a lot of scary work to do to stop the spreading of evil. Their best chance of success lies with mysterious coins with codes written on them. Violent scenes are understated and infrequent. Groups of brain-washed citizens march through the streets, menacing those who don't join them. Secret police break into homes, destroy property, and commit murder off-scene.
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What's the Story?
At the start of THE MESSENGERS, Chess, Emma, amd Finn have rescued their long-missing mother from the alternate world. But when mysterious coins with messages on them begin falling from odd places, the Greystones know they must go back to the other world, to keep its evil from spilling into their own.
Is It Any Good?
It is hard to maintain tension over the course of three big books, but this tale of parallel universes comes to an exciting conclusion before it has worn out its welcome. After cranking up the suspense as The Mayor unveils his dastardly scheme, author Margaret Peterson Haddix ties up loose ends with flair, giving readers plenty to root for as the Greystone kids attempt to repair their family. Chess, Emma, and Finn are as charming as ever. Middle-grade readers will be satisfied by the conclusian of this clever set of puzzles.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how The Messengers depicts mind control. Do politicians in our world try to make people believe things that aren't true?
Why are secret codes useful? Why do people go to jail for revealing what coded messages say?
Do you think watching too much TV is harmful? Does the media ever spread falsehoods?
Book Details
- Author: Margaret Peterson Haddix
- Genre: Adventure
- Topics: Adventures, Brothers and Sisters, Great Boy Role Models, Great Girl Role Models
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
- Publication date: April 6, 2021
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 8 - 12
- Number of pages: 416
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: April 29, 2021
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