Capture the Flag by Kate Messner

Rating: Not for me

Reading Level: Late Elementary, Middle School

Three kids work together to find a stolen American heirloom. They each have family ties to a secret society that protects art & artifacts.

Possible concerns:

• Cancer. One boy’s mom died of cancer three years ago. His dad is remarrying, and they are moving away from the home with all his memories of his mom.
• Remarriage. A widower is remarrying three years after the death of his wife. His son struggles with the changes.
• Immigration reform. SPOILER ALERT!!! A villain senator in a coyboy hat is making a presidential bid. part of his platform is anti-immigration. A sympathetic character in the same political camp explains to her Mexican-American friend, “He just wants to make sure there are enough jobs for Americans.” The Mexican-American friend is not so convinced. The villain ends up trying to frame foreigners for the stolen artifact.
• References to a Mayan goddess. The heroes are born into a secret society & become members at age 18. The society works to protect precious art & artifacts. Members wear jewelry with a silver jaguar. The jaguar is the symbol of a Mayan goddess of creativity, so that is the reason for the jaguars.
• Recklessness & Disobedience. The children ignore parental instructions to stay out of the investigation. They enter restricted areas, and run away from parental/guardian supervision.

Overall, the kids don’t model behavior I’m excited about, and the whole Mayan goddess themed secret society is kind of weird/suspicious, but I admit you certainly could do worse.