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The Secret Box Book Summary and Study Guide

Detailed plot synopsis reviews of The Secret Box


When Jaqueline "Jax" Malone receives a mysterious black box for her 12th birthday and her mother insists upon confiscating it, Jax decides she must obtain it and find out more about it. When her mom takes it and arranges to return it at the post office, Jax promptly recruits her cousin and side-kick Ethan to help her. Jax is constantly looking for a way to "help" Ethan find his way into trouble with her - not that she means to; it's just that her idea of adventure usually requires help, and usually isn't too popular with parents. Ethan somehow always abandons his better judgement to join her - partly because she's his only friend (he's quiet and shy and nervous around groups), and partly because he is always curious to see what happens.
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The two manage to gain possession of the box and find out that it has an internal GPS that, when activated, tells the reader how far they are from a pre-programmed "correct" location. They also discover that the box is from Jax's great-aunt Juniper, an archeologist they have never met because she and Jax's mother had an argument when Jax was a baby. Next stop: Tyler's room for academic and encyclopedic information. Tyler is Ethan's older brother. They don't get along very well, but they need his help. Jax bribes Tyler to help them figure out where the "correct" location is. He does so.

With a short trip on the train and some map inspection, Jax and Ethan figure out they need to go to Washington DC. Time for more manipulation. They figure out a scheme to convince Tyler to drive them to Washington DC for a non-existant geocaching competition, and convince their parents to let them take the road trip alone. Somehow it works. By the time they arrive in Washington DC, they have a suspicious-looking couple on their heels and have stopped by Aunt Juniper's house for more information. She has been kidnapped, but they find papers indicating the box holds a valuable and dangerous archaeological treasure, as well as clues about who the suspicious couple really is - former colleagues of Juniper's named Mr. and Mrs. Camel from a very nearly ill-fated archaeological expedition.

Tyler, who upon discovering the real direction of the trip is at first rather peeved, eventually becomes interested, and it turns out that his extensive knowledge of Greek mythology is pretty useful. The treasure itself turns out to be Pyrra's jar. (Pyrra was Pandora's daughter.) The jar sucks away all hope when opened except for those touching it. Women are drawn to the jar, and too much exposure has an effect similar to wearing the One Ring in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Useful knowledge once they manage to get the box to the correct location - the Lincoln Memorial - with the Camels on their heels with Juniper as their captive. They empty the box before the couple is close enough to see, stick the jar in their backpack, and keep the box out as an offering to get Juniper back before the trick is discovered.

It works enough for them to get away with Juniper, but the Camels soon begins to chase them. To finally shake them completely, Jax must open the jar for about a second to immobilize their enemy. Tyler has become enough a part of their team now that, even though he's not close enough to touch the jar and is therefore victim to its dangers as well, he encourages them to open it. The Camels are taken to jail, Tyler recovers in the hospital, and Juniper takes the box to wherever mysterious place it needs to go next. Tyler, Jax, and Ethan have learned to get along better than before. And Jax's mother gives her a clue to another part of her past: her father's name. The moment that name is off her mother's lips, Jax knows what her next adventure is going to be.
Best part of story, including ending: The adventure and pace of the story is good. Some of the character's faults are a bit annoying.

Best scene in story: The best scene is where Tyler encourages Jax to open Pyrra's jar even though he knows he will be hit by its powers as well. It shows how his relationship has changed with his brother and cousin. It is also the climax, and comes from the only chapter in the book written from Tyler's perspective.

Opinion about the main character: Jax is annoying and is a little too good at finding troublesome and unrealistic ways of trying to solve her quandaries.

The review of this Book prepared by Carol Lambert a Level 5 American Goldfinch scholar

Chapter Analysis of The Secret Box

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Plot & Themes

Composition of Book Descript. of chases or violence 10%planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives 30%Feelings, relationships, character bio/development 30%Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places 30% Tone of book    -   very upbeat FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?    -   fantasy story on current Earth Tech./$$$/Info hunt    -   Yes Stealing/recovering/destroying    -   magical artifact Is this an adult or child's book?    -   Kid's book (ages 7-14)

Main Character

Identity:    -   Female Profession/status:    -   unemployed Age:    -   a kid

Setting

Earth setting:    -   current (early 21st century) Takes place on Earth?    -   Yes

Writing Style

Accounts of torture and death?    -   generic/vague references to death/punishment How much dialogue?    -   roughly even amounts of descript and dialog

Books with storylines, themes & endings like The Secret Box

Whitaker Ringwald Books Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
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