By Sam Hay (author) Part of the Questers Academy series
"Ideal for mystery novel enthusiasts, this code-cracking middle grade museum adventure is likely to unlock a love of fast-paced fiction in non-fiction fans."
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The London Eye Mystery meets Night at the Museum , but with a high-stakes treasure hunt and quest to save its protagonist’s dad, Sam Hay’s The Box of Locks , first book in the Questers Academy series, is a puzzle-packed trove of magical adventure.
While waiting for his family outside the Natural History Museum, Tom, a boy with an uncanny ability to remember faces, encounters energetic, sharp-witted Leesha, whose aunt Chloe works at the museum. “There’s been a break-in,” she tells him. Soon after, Tom’s facial recognition ability enables him to identify the intruder who stole a mythical firebird, which leads to Leesha telling him about the Questers Academy, which is part of the Questers Agency that “finds and protects all the rare things in the museum. The dangerous things!”.
Among these dangerous things is the Box of Locks. Containing the ominously-named doom stone, the firebird thief has the box AND twenty-nine of its thirty keys. Adding to the peril, agency boss Edward reveals, “If we fail to find the box… the world as we know it will be changed”. At the same time, the situation has put Tom’s father in grave danger, which means the stakes couldn’t be higher as the duo embark on a London-wide quest to find the last key, deciphering codes as they go.
The first-person, present-tense narrative makes the story immediately arresting, with an urgency that’s sure to keep mystery-loving 8+-year-olds turning the pages. In addition, The Box of Locks explores themes of confidence, courage and friendship, and is a great way to ignite a love of fiction in kids who tend to prefer puzzles and non-fiction.
Tom Friday was never meant to be a magic-guarding, artefact-finding, ultra-brave secret agent. But on a visit to the Natural History Museum he gets embroiled in the world of the Questers Academy - protectors of mythical treasures from around the world.
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Questers student Leesha is determined to be the youngest ever agent for Questers, but first she'll need to prove her worth. That's where Tom comes in. Tom is a super-recogniser, someone with the ability to pick out people from a crowd after barely glimpsing them for a moment. Together Leesha is sure they can solve a complex and intriguing quest: to find the key to the mythical Box of Locks, before it falls into the wrong hands.
Faced with a bunch of complicated ciphers and coded clues, the new friends must learn to trust each other in order to beat the forces of darkness and save the world from potential apocalypse.
A gripping, fast-paced adventure story perfect for fans of The London Eye Mystery and The Adventures on Trains series.
'A thrilling page turning adventure set in London around The Natural History Museum. ' Julie Pike
'Mystery and intrigue abound in Questers Academy - Box of Locks.’ Jasbinder Bilan
'Secret societies, sinister villains and a thrilling treasure hunt. All the elements for a fantastic adventure.' Claire Fayers
Sam Hay is the author of more than fifty books for children, including the Undead Pets and Spy Penguins series, and the award-winning picture book Star in the Jar , which has been translated into a dozen languages and was adapted for stage by the Pied Piper Theatre Company. Sam was long-listed for the UKLA award for her novel Billy Angel . Before becoming a writer, Sam worked as a journalist for the BBC in London. She still believes working on daily live television is the perfect brain-trainer for life! Sam grew up in Scotland and now lives in South Wales.
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The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Questers Academy: The Box of Locks and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
Questers Academy: The Box of Locks features in the following genres: Featured Books for 9+ readers, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Recommendations, Star Books, Adventure Stories, Crime & Mystery, Fantasy / Magical, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), Children’s / Teenage fiction: Magical realism / Magical fantasy, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Mythic fantasy / Mythic fiction, Children’s / Teenage emotions: Courage, bravery, hope, Children’s / Teenage fiction: General, modern and contemporary fiction, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Emotions, moods, feelings and behaviours
Paperback. £8.09, down from the £8.99 cover price. In Stock.
Questers Academy: The Box of Locks was written by Sam Hay and published by Firefly Press
Questers Academy: The Box of Locks has 229 pages
Yes it is part of Questers Academy series
£8.09, reduced from £8.99. In Stock.
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