The Secret Keepers

The Secret Keepers by Trenton Lee Stewart

When Reuben discovers an extraordinary antique watch, he soon learns it has secret power and his life takes an intriguing turn. At first he is thrilled with his new treasure, but as one secret leads to another, Reuben finds himself torn between his innately honest nature and the lure to be a hero. Now he is on a dangerous adventure, full of curious characters, treacherous traps, and hairsbreadth escapes as he races to solve the mystery before it is too late. Even with fearless Penny, mighty Jack, and the wise Mrs. Genevieve on his side, can Reuben outwit and outmaneuver the sly villain called The Smoke and his devious defenders the Directions and save the city from a terrible fate?

The Good

Reuben is an ordinary kid who cares for his mom. Once he finds an antique watch, he immediately thinks of ways to use it in order for her to work fewer jobs. He soon discovers the watch’s secret and realizes that this is bigger than he is. Mrs. Genevieve, an elderly watch maker, is a kind woman who helps Reuben make good decisions. Finding out more about the watch’s history, Reuben also discovers friends who help him end the evil the watch created.

The Bad

Reuben decides not to tell his mom about the watch because he knows it will worry her. He lies to her that he is spending the night at a friend’s house. While this is not a good decision, not every person is perfect. Reuben also scouts out the pirate’s cave on his own without asking the Meyer family’s advice. Afterwards he apologizes and tells all that he knows to Reuben’s mom and the Meyer family. The Smoke is not evil, he just is looking for something.

Ages

Ages 9+ is an appropriate age for this book.

My Take

Trenton Lee Stewart is really an incredible author. He does a great job with clues and riddles. The characters are super interesting. His mythical histories are very detailed and it is obvious that he put a lot of work into them. Readers can identify with Reuben and ask themself the question: Is knowing a secret a gift or a curse? I highly recommend you read this book. It’s one of my favorites.

Review by Kaitlyn