We the Children (Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School) [Hardcover]

Andrew Clements (Author), Adam Stower (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School

Benjamin Pratt’s school is about to become the site of a new amusement park. It sounds like a dream come true! But lately, Ben has been wonder if he’s going to like an amusement park in the middle of his town—with all the buses and traffic and eight dollar slices of pizza. It’s going to change everything. And, Ben is not so big on all the new changes in his life, like how his dad has moved out and started living in the marina on what used to be the "family” sailboat. Maybe it would be nice if the school just stayed as it is. He likes the school. Loves it, actually. It’s over 200 years old and sits right on the harbor. The playground has ocean breezes and the classrooms have million dollar views…MILLION DOLLAR views. And after a chance—and final—run-in with the school janitor, Ben starts to discover that these MILLION DOLLAR views have a lot to do with the deal to sell the school property. But, as much as the town wants to believe it, the school does not belong to the local government. It belongs to the CHILDREN and these children have the right to defend it! Don’t think Ben, his friend Jill (and the tag-along Robert) can ruin a multimillion dollar real estate deal? Then you don’t know the history and the power of the Keepers of the School. A suspenseful six book series, book one, We the Children, starts the battle on land and on sea. It’s a race to keep the school from turning into a ticket booth and these kids are about to discover just how threatening a little knowledge can be.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Amazon Best Books of the Month, April 2010: Sixth-grader Benjamin Pratt is weathering a few different storms in We the Children, Andrew Clements's newest series for the middle-school set. His parents have just split up, his school--a landmark in his old New England sailing town--is about to be torn down, and the janitor sneaks him a mysterious gold coin...hours before he dies unexpectedly. The coin, of course, sets the story in motion, leading Ben and his friend Jill towards untold adventures. It's the perfect read for kids who dig school and aren't too shy (yet) to admit it. --Anne Bartholomew

From School Library Journal

Grade 3–6—Sixth-grader Ben is racing off to class when he finds the janitor, Mr. Keane, in severe pain. The man gives him a gold coin from 1783 that has been passed down through the years by loyal janitors and can be traced to the first man hired by the founder of Captain Duncan Oakes School. It reads, "First and always/My school belongs to the children./Defend it." A few hours later, he is dead. The town council has sold the school to a big company to build a theme park, and there's something very fishy about the deal. With the words on the coin as his first clue, Ben studies the history of his school, which is 50 feet from the water's edge in a Massachusetts coastal town, and he convinces his friend Jill to help him explore it. Meanwhile, Ben is adjusting to his parents' separation and living at home with his Mom and on the sailboat with his dad. Expressive, dynamic full-page and spot illustrations rendered in pen and ink heighten the action. An exciting ending sequence features Ben participating in a sailboat race and becoming a reluctant hero. There are many questions to be answered in the next book. Good writing by an experienced author, likable characters, and a mystery to be solved make this a solid choice.—Debbie S. Hoskins, Grand Rapids Public Library, MI
(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (April 6, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416938869
• ISBN-13: 978-1416938866
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #480,421 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Most of my characters are fairly normal people who are dealing with the basics of everyday life--getting along with others, finding a place in the world, discovering talents, overcoming challenges, trying to have some wholesome fun along the way, and getting into some scrapes and a little mischief now and then, too. I guess I hope my readers will be able to see bits and pieces of themselves in the stories, particularly the novels that take place in and around school. School is a rich setting because schools and education are at the heart of every community. The stories that are set in school seem to resonate with kids, teachers, parents, librarians--readers of all ages. Everyone's life has been touched by school experiences. And I also hope, of course, that kids and others will enjoy reading, enjoy the use of language, enjoy my storytelling.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fast, great read ... but barely begins the series, April 6, 2010

By 

litaddiction (Chicago) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: We the Children (Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School) (Hardcover)

Although the seaside Oakes School was dedicated to the children of Edgeport, Massachusetts in 1783 by Captain Duncan Oakes, the town council now plans to demolish it and develop the land into a nautical theme park. When 6th-grader Ben Pratt happens to help the school's old janitor who's experiencing a medical emergency, the janitor presses a gold coin into Ben's hand and recruits him into a mysterious, centuries-long quest, begun by the Captain himself, to forever keep the school for the children. The janitor gives Ben some warnings but then dies, leaving Ben to pair his curiosity and citizenship with his friend Jill's smarts -- and to hope that, together, they can save the school.

It's a quick, exciting read, clue-driven and with the promise of danger. Texture comes from subplots involving friendships, school rivalries, divorcing parents, and life in a seaside community (including sailing and living on a boat). Illustrations accent the text every five (or so) pages.

But to be clear -- this book is the first installment of a new six-book series, and it seems like little more than some opening material (mostly introducing the characters, setting, plot/subplots) and without the story arc or resolution that defines a stand-alone volume. If the entire series were published as a single book, I'd likely rate it 5 stars (this first installment is that promising); if all of the installments in the series were to be released in quick succession, maybe 4 stars. But with Book 2 not due out until Fall 2010, it's a very long wait -- and a very long time to read -- what appeals most as a very fast story.

(Review based on an advance reading copy provided by the publisher.)

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good characters, good story, but... a bit thin., April 6, 2010

By 

Cathy G. Cole (Phoenix, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: We the Children (Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School) (Hardcover)

First Line: As the ship's bell clanged through the school's hallway for the third time, Ben ran his tongue back and forth across the porcelain caps that covered his front teeth, a nervous habit.

Ben Pratt's parents are going through a divorce, so the last thing he needs is the school janitor acting weird and insisting that, not only is Ben the only one who can save the school, but he needs to keep a strange gold coin and trust no one. Ben would just chalk Mr. Keane's behavior up to being old, but the next thing Ben knows Mr. Keane is dead and there's a very strange replacement janitor hanging around. The school, founded by a sea captain in the eighteenth century, is slated for the wrecking ball; the land to be used for a new amusement park. Mr. Keane's death makes Ben wonder if there really is something going on, and he soon enlists the help of his friend, Jill Acton.

This skinny little volume moves very quickly. I love piecing together clues on coins and maps and blueprints, and the book truly comes to life when Ben goes sailing. Perhaps I'm used to the meaty satisfaction of a volume about Harry Potter, but We the Children was just too short. Ben and Jill are interesting characters, and the storyline is engaging. Unless each volume is published one right after the other-- quickly-- I can see both young and old readers losing interest in what is a very intriguing story. I hope that doesn't happen.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars We the Keepers, September 7, 2010

By 

S. J Parker (Edmond, Ok) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: We the Children (Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School) (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

My 11 yr old grandson read this book. He's not the most talkative child & described the book as "weird & quirky" (I believe he was referring to the creepy janitor). As he got into it said he enjoyed it & would recommend it.

Benjamin Pratt & The Keepers of the School is perfect for the 3rd-6th grade mystery reader