Review: Ms Pennypickle's Puzzle Quest - Chris Grabenstein

Review: Ms Pennypickle's Puzzle Quest - Chris Grabenstein - October 2025

Oh, this one had me grinning from the first page. You know how some books just feel like summer? Like the literary equivalent of a road trip with the windows down and a cooler full of snacks? That's exactly what Chris Grabenstein has served up with Ms. Pennypickle's Puzzle Quest, and I am absolutely here for it.

Think The Amazing Race but make it tween fiction, Route 66, and absolutely brimming with riddles.

At the heart of this romp are brothers Ben and Ethan Broderick, who couldn't be more different if they tried. Twelve-year-old Ben is the kind of kid who'd rather spend a Saturday mastering a retro arcade game than breathe fresh air, while older brother Ethan is all sports, friends, and cool. The one thing they do share? An equal and very relatable resentment of being dragged on a family road trip. (Honestly, same.)

But here's where the magic kicks in. At the most wonderfully quirky diner imaginable - the sort of place that smells like pie and possibility,  the boys stumble onto a clue kicking off a coast-to-coast puzzle race for a million-dollar prize. Suddenly, it's not just the Brodericks on the road; five other families join the chase along the legendary Route 66, and the competition is on.

The riddles are clever without making you feel thick for needing a moment, the banter between the brothers is pitch-perfect, and the whole book crackles with that rare energy that keeps middle-grade readers (and, ahem, their parents sneaking chapters after bedtime) properly hooked. It's funny. Genuinely, warmly, snort-laughing funny.

Beneath all the silliness, though, there's real heart. Watching Ben and Ethan learn to actually see each other to lean on their wildly different strengths is quietly lovely. No lecturing, no heavy-handed lessons. Just two brothers figuring it out one riddle at a time.

This is the perfect summer read for the 9–13 crowd, especially those who love games, puzzles, and stories that move at a great pace. Pop it in a holiday bag and thank me later. 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4rhEnvp