The Maze of Bones facts for kids
The Maze of Bones
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| Author | Rick Riordan |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | The 39 Clues |
| Genre | Young adult fiction Adventure novel Mystery |
| Publisher | Scholastic |
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Publication date
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September 9, 2008 |
| Pages | 220 |
| ISBN | 978-0-545-06039-4 |
| OCLC | 192081902 |
| Followed by | One False Note |
The Maze of Bones is the first book in The 39 Clues series. It was written by Rick Riordan and came out on September 9, 2008. The story is about two young orphans, Amy and Dan Cahill. After their grandmother Grace dies, they learn a huge family secret. They are part of the powerful Cahill family!
The Cahills are always competing to find special "Clues." These clues are like secret ingredients for a mysterious serum. This book has been liked by many readers.
Contents
What is The Maze of Bones About?
The Cahill Family Secret
Imagine a family so powerful that many famous people in history were part of it! That's the Cahill family. They are known as "the most powerful family in the world." The main characters, Amy and Dan, live in Boston, Massachusetts. They stay with their Aunt Beatrice.
Many famous people were said to be Cahills. These include Marie Curie, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Napoleon Bonaparte, and George Washington. Each belonged to one of four main family branches.
- The Lucians: Known for seeking power.
- The Tomas: Strong and good at sports.
- The Ekaterinas: Very inventive and smart.
- The Janus: Creative and artistic.
There is also a secret group called the Madrigals. Amy and Dan are warned to "beware the Madrigals." But what the Madrigals are is a mystery in this first book. Most Cahills know their branch, but Amy and Dan do not know theirs yet.
The Great Challenge Begins
The story starts with Grace Cahill, Amy and Dan's grandmother, on her deathbed. She changes her will just before she passes away. After she is gone, a mysterious "man in black" talks with her lawyer, William McIntyre.
Amy and Dan Cahill are Grace's grandchildren. They go to her funeral at her big mansion with their Aunt Beatrice. At the funeral, they meet the Holts. This family includes parents Eisenhower and Mary-Todd, and their kids Hamilton, Madison, and Reagan. The Holts are a bit rough, even turning Dan upside down!
Later, many Cahills are called to a private meeting. This is for Grace's will to be read. Amy and Dan are there, along with the Holts and other powerful family members:
- The Kabras (also called the Cobras): Ian and Natalie.
- Alistair Oh: Famous for inventing microwaveable burritos.
- Irina Spasky: A former secret agent.
- The Starling triplets: Ned, Ted, and Sinead.
- Jonah Wizard: A famous rapper and TV star.
- Aunt Ingrid and Aunt Beatrice.
William McIntyre shows them a video of Grace. In the video, she tells them they are about to face their biggest challenge ever.
The Choice: Money or Adventure?
Mr. McIntyre then gives them a choice. They can take one million dollars. Or, they can try to become the greatest Cahill in history. They have five minutes to decide. Dan wants the money for baseball cards. Amy wants to make Grace proud by taking the challenge. The Kabras try to make them choose the money.
Mr. McIntyre tells them that famous people like Abraham Lincoln, Harry Houdini, and Lewis and Clark were also Cahills. In the end, Amy and Dan choose the adventure. They are the last ones to accept the challenge. The Holts, Alistair Oh, the Starlings, the Kabras, and Irina also accept.
Amy and Dan get a sealed envelope with a clue. It says: "Resolution: The fine print to guess. Seek out Richard S_."
The Mansion Fire and a New Friend
As Amy and Dan try to figure out the clue, the other Cahill teams leave. William McIntyre gives the kids Grace's last warning: "Beware the Madrigals." Amy searches the library but finds nothing. But Dan discovers a secret passage to Grace's hidden library! There, they find a copy of Poor Richard's Almanac. They give it to Alistair to look at.
Suddenly, the mansion catches fire! Amy and Dan barely escape through the vents. Dan grabs Grace's cat, Saladin. Amy takes Grace's box of jewels. They go home and convince their au pair, Nellie, to come with them. Nellie agrees to be their chaperone on their trip.
Clues in Paris
Their first stop is the Franklin Institute. They escape when it collapses, which injures the Starlings. Next, they head to France. There, they turn down an offer from Jonah Wizard. They then follow Irina Spasky, who now has the almanac. Irina traps them on an island. Luckily, the Holts unexpectedly save them. After their escape, Amy and Dan tell Nellie all about the 39 Clues. Nellie decides to help them.
With new information, the Cahills go to the Paris Catacombs. They find bones with numbers on them. It's a magic box number game, left by Benjamin Franklin. This game gives them the coordinates for the next Clue.
This leads them to a church. Inside, they find a room with a painting of the four original Cahills: Luke, Jane, Tom, and Katherine. The four Cahill branches are named after them: Lucian, Janus, Tomas, and Ekaterina. In the room, they find a small vial with scrambled words. Dan solves the puzzle. They realize they need to put the vial into a lightning rod, one of Franklin's inventions, to charge it.
Amy succeeds, but the Kabras steal the vial! However, Dan still has the original paper that was attached to the vial. He solves the puzzle for the clue: "iron solute." Amy's internet searches about Franklin also point them to the next Clue's location: Vienna, Austria. This is where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived.
See also
In Spanish: El laberinto de huesos para niños
