A New York Times bestseller, and award winner, The Mysterious Benedict Society is the first novel in a book series by Trenton Lee Stewart. The novel follows the adventures of four gifted children selected after passing several puzzles and tests to assess their abilities. They are tasked to stop a global emergency as the world is receiving strange secret messages through the television and radio that affect people’s minds in a phenomenon called the “Emergency,” causing international panic. 

With the help of Mr. Benedict, the organizer of the tests, the children are enrolled undercover at an institute suspected of being the location in which the signals are coming from. They must use their unique abilities to help bring an end to the subliminal messages and find the truth.

The book’s science fiction elements combined with a real-life setting easily make way for a well-written and thought-out plot full of mystery-style suspense and the thrill of a high-stakes adventure. 

In addition to its engaging storyline, the themes present in The Mysterious Benedict Society are especially relevant as of late. The media can affect and control us in a large-scale format, similar to the inexplicable “Emergency” in the novel. The world is brought into a panic over issues that don’t even exist. The series has been translated into more than 10 languages, including Korean.

Pulling elements from the book series as well as giving a brand-new live-action take on The Mysterious Benedict Society is the TV show of the same name, now streaming its second season on Disney+. The second series is loosely based on the second novel. Despite the book’s original release in 2007, The Mysterious Benedict Society’s plot, message, and characters continue to captivate readers of all ages throughout the years. The Disney+ series has been well-received by fans and newcomers of all ages.