First published 2013
Nicholas Benedict isn't like other nine-year-old orphans. Brilliant but physically fragile, with narcolepsy that strikes without warning, he arrives at a grim institution determined to survive. The orphanage's brutal hierarchy threatens to crush his spirit, but Nicholas discovers a generations-old mystery involving a hidden treasure that could change everything. Navigating treacherous social dynamics and battling the home's cruel staff, he assembles an unlikely team of allies to unravel the secret. Each clue brings him closer to understanding his own past—and potentially securing a future beyond the orphanage's suffocating walls. Nicholas must use his extraordinary intelligence to outmaneuver adults who see him as nothing more than a problem child.
Genres: 20th-century, adventure, coming-of-age, mystery
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, problem-child
Setting: Orphanage
Period: 20th-century
442 pages · Paperback · Chicken House