The Hidden Code

July 26, 2019

Gr 6 Up-Hannah hasn't seen her parents since they left for a trip abroad 11 years ago. They are presumed dead, and Hannah and her uncle are shocked when a letter appears from Hannah's mom filled with hasty explanations of her parents' mission to eradicate the Code of Enoch, an artifact that is rumored to be able to create or destroy life. Determined to uncover the truth behind her parents' disappearance, Hannah teams up with her uncle Randall, her best friend Lucas, and the mysterious Ethan Oliver for an extraordinary and dangerous quest to locate the Code. In this promising concept that falls short, Hoover pieces together a treasure hunt mystery with a slightly tropey cast of characters. Relationships, especially Hannah, Lucas, and Ethan's, lack defining moments to solidify believable reasoning behind their actions, resulting in a "go with the flow" attitude toward many plot points. Hannah often reads younger than her 16 years, which makes the book accessible for a wider range of youth but leaves Hannah feeling immature for older readers. That aside, there are some truly captivating moments as Hannah and her companions decipher artifacts, maps, and clues, conveying the thrill of chase when researching ancient legends. VERDICT This Indiana Jones-esque adventure is well suited for lower-level readers and larger library collections.-Emily Walker, Lisle Library District, IL

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2019
A girl sets out to find her long-vanished parents, tracing their path to a powerful artifact. Hannah Hawkins' geneticist parents disappeared 11 years ago. Since then, she's lived with her Uncle Randall at his opulent estate in Boston. Then a mysterious letter arrives from her mother, and she learns that her parents and their friends once sought an artifact called the Deluge Segment and, in doing so, had assembled a map to the Code of Enoch, which could create life and cure disease. Hannah's parents decided the Code was too dangerous and absconded to hide their piece of the Segment. Emboldened, Hannah sets out on a quest to find her parents, who she desperately hopes are still alive. But she isn't the only one interested in the artifact; her parents' old friend works for a nefarious pharmaceutical company that could benefit from the Code of Enoch, and his son, Ethan, will do anything to impress his father. Thrust together, Hannah and Ethan set out, trailed by dangerous men every step of the way. With nods to archaeological adventures like Indiana Jones, Hannah's journey features intermittent excitement and dips into intriguing myths and history. However, her wealth, luck, and uncanny athletic prowess make for a low-stakes adventure until the end delivers a more satisfying reveal. Major characters are presumed white. An uneven adventure too reliant on well-worn tropes and the protagonist's privilege. (Fiction. 14-18)

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