The Tell-Tale Start (The Misadventures of Edgar & Allan Poe)

Meet Edgar and Allan Poe -- twelve-year-old identical twins, the great-great-great-great-grandnephews of Edgar Allan Poe. They look and act so much alike that they're almost one mischievous, prank-playing boy in two bodies. When their beloved black cat, Roderick Usher, is kidnapped and transported to the Midwest, Edgar and Allan convince their guardians that it's time for a road trip. Along the way, mayhem and mystery ensue, as well as deeper questions: What is the boys' telepathic connection? Is Edgar Allan Poe himself reaching out to them from the Great Beyond? And why has a mad scientist been spying on the Poe family for years?

With a mix of literary humor, mystery, a little quantum physics, and fun extras like fortune cookie messages, letters in code, license plate clues -- and playful illustrations thoughout -- this series opener is a perfect choice for smart, funny tweens who love the Time Warp Trio, Roald Dahl, and Lemony Snicket.

• Once Upon a Midnight Eerie: Book #2 (The Misadventures of Edgar & Allan Poe)
• The Pet and the Pendulum (The Misadventures of Edgar & Allan Poe)
• All Four Stars
• The Scavengers
• Who Was Edgar Allan Poe?
• Poetry for Young People: Edgar Allan Poe
• We Are Not Eaten by Yaks (An Accidental Adventure)
• A Single Shard
• My Near-Death Adventures (99% True!)
• Masterminds