A cheeky narrator tells us about eight 6th graders who have accomplished an amazing feat of passing an extraordinary test and won an invite to the first meeting of the Super Secret Society of Octagon Valley. Eight participants at an institute featuring an octagon? A coinkidink? Not in my opinion. This has been favorably compared to "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and I can see the similarities. While there are some quests that end up eliminating a contestant here or there, it is the superpowers manifested by some that I found most intriguing. Who wouldn't want to have the ability to fly,use music to influence animal behavior, shoot literal laser beams from your eyes, or move things with your mind? Sounds like fun to me! Which super power would you choose? I am especially charmed by the music and animal connection. Could come in handy in a variety of situations!

Thank you to Disney Hyperion and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

It may be that I'm just not the right audience for this book, but I chose not to finish it halfway through. The characters are very over-the-top caricatures; I just didn't find any of them relatable and most were annoying.

The humor, in general, might be fun to a younger elementary reader, but to me, it seemed to be making a lot of low-ball, overdone jokes. There wasn't anything unique/clever about it. There was also a running joke about how "bullying doesn't exist anymore," but it actually still does and has been renamed, which gave me "anti-woke" vibes and just felt like a joke for older adults, not for children. [I'm a person who can absolutely see the absurdity in just changing words to try not to hurt someone's feelings, but when it's a sensitive issue, I'd rather debate civilly, not joke offhandedly about it to kids. I don't know. It just annoyed me.]

There were several very obvious parallels to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I kept waiting for children to start being eliminated. Since I didn't finish, I'm not sure if they get whittled down or not.

The Umbrella Academy meets Willy Wonka in this fun sci-fi middle-grade adventure!

Synopsis: Everyone wants a peek at genius bazillionaire Onasander Octagon's intriguing institute, but only the Extra-Ordinary will get a chance. Eight 6th-graders, the only kids across the country who aced Onasander's test, are crowned his "Octos", earning them a weekend at the institute with the eclectic reclusive himself. But not all is what it seems, and that wasn't the only test they're faced with. This diverse group must work together to solve each challenge they're thrown into -- everything from assassins to sirens to a huge labyrinth -- in order to reach the finish, and to survive the weekend. And when the little guys in tinfoil suits show up blasting green goo? Well, that's when things get really serious...

Thoughts: I absolutely adored this story! It reminded me so much of Johnny Depp's version of Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, complete with ridiculously strange rich genius adult hiding out in a high-tech and almost magical factory of sorts. Not to mention each of the 8 MCs has their own distinct personality, similar to CCF; there's the spoiled brat, the rich kid, the cool kid, the quiet genius, the gamer, even the one who shouldn't be there yet there they are. Not only was this story action-packed, it was written in a way that even non-sci-fi fans can wrap their heads around. It's perfect for middle-grade readers, and honestly, there are quite a few "humor nuggets" for us adult readers, too (e.g. sarcastic take on standardized testing). This was thoroughly enjoyable and I can't wait to order it and share it with my middle school students!

**Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.**

*Received as a free ARC*
As advertised, this reminded me a lot of the Mysterious Benedict Society, but it also had a lot of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory elements. The omniscient narrator was interesting, but could turn off some kids. All in all, I liked it, but felt that a little too much was trying to be done with one book, especially one aimed at kids. However, I can certainly think of some readers who would enjoy it.

This is a fun addition to the Willy Wonka-type books published in the last decade.

Eight students have been invited to the Octagon Society because they passed the exam for Super-Extraordinary Intelligence. In fact, the only way to pass was to see and answer the 108th question on the exam. The kids are expecting a three day weekend full of seminars and learning. Instead, they immediately are thrown into a series of puzzles that they must pass to survive!

In some ways, this book feels derivative of this which came before it. You aren't really surprised by anything. But it was fun to read, and I think kids will really enjoy it.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book.

Onasander Octagon is the most mysterious man in the world, so naturally, when he offers an assessment to every sixth grader in the United States, people are intrigued. Out of the thousands of students who sit the exam, though, only eight successful candidates are invited to spend an extended weekend at Onasander Octagon’s Octagon Valley headquarters in Montana. The excitement the children feel upon arriving is curbed nearly immediately, however, when they find themselves locked in a room that is slowly closing in on them. And this is only the first of several challenges the children face in an increasingly enigmatic environment. As the weekend continues, the children must resolve ever more dangerous situations in order to find their way out of their makeshift prison and to safety once again.

Fans of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library will thrill in the similar approach this book takes. With a complex, reclusive, and powerful man at the center of the action, this book places children in the crosshairs of a challenge set forth for an initially unknown purpose. A diverse group of students is connected through the Octagon Valley Assessment for the Extra-Ordinary, and the only thing they appear to have in common is their extraordinary intellects. While the characters themselves are bright, they are nonetheless approachable, recognizable, and engaging as the story unfolds. Ample dialogue and nonstop action maintain the forward momentum of the novel, and a wide range of middle grade readers will find the narrative to be at once accessible and enjoyable.

Though it takes a little while for the book’s foundation to be adequately established, getting to that point is highly entertaining. An omniscient and slightly unreliable narrator speaks to the reader and describes the characters and their antics in a conversational—and often humorous—way. This design gives readers a sense of what is the same in this futuristic society and what is not, while providing readers with a lens through which they can observe the children in the story. Recognizable character types and a familiar storytelling design make this a book that middle grade readers will readily absorb before eagerly awaiting the next installment. This is a fun addition to library collections for middle grade readers.

If you love The Mysterious Benedict Society series you are going to love this fast-paced book about some kids with mysterious abilities. A secret question on a test allows children to get a chance to go to the amazing Octagon campus run by none other then Onasander Octagon. It is here that he creates and finds some of the most amazing scientific discoveries. So, who wouldn’t want a sneak peak into his mind. Yet upon arriving the kids are thrown into a test. One that seems to have some real-life consequences. Can the kids pass the test, or is there something else going on?
This is a great read for kids looking for a fast-paced mystery. There are a lot of twist and turns in this book. As stated above it reads along the lines of The Mysterious Benedict Society meets Willy Wanka. I think that kids are really going to enjoy discovering all that really happens at the Octagon Campus. This will be a fun book to recommend.
Thank you to Disney Publishing and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book.

De La Cruz, Melissa The (Super Secret) Octagon Valley Society. Pgs. 320. Disney Publishing Group, 2023.

After taking an epic national assessment, 8 sixth graders are invited to join Montana’s prestigious Octagon Valley Institute for three days of lectures and workshops. Upon arrival, however, the institute’s founder, Onasander Octagon, tells them they must pass one more test. Designed as a scavenger hunt through top-secret areas of the institute, the 8 must rely on teamwork as well as their own individual skills to succeed. While searching for the clues, they face many challenges, including their ow

The plot is well-developed, magical, and humorous. Characters are likable, engaging, and help bring the story to life. The characters are ethnically diverse. A must-read for fans of The Mysterious Benedict Society, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and fantasy novels. 5 stars. Gr 4 to 6.

A good read, that will sell its own sequel to young readers. The interplay of the eight kids is fun to witness. The kids all react differently to a situation that is unexpected, because the pre-qualification of being extra ordinary was not in line with their feeling of having what they needed to be selected. The seminar leader was as unpredictable as everything else! The weekend becomes a survival story on all levels, and that will hook the readers.

3.5 stars

This was a fun one, but I think younger readers would enjoy this more than older readers. The outlines of the story are a lot of fun and reminded me a lot of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but instead of the chance to enter Willy Wonka's candy factory, these eight children passed a written test that allowed them to enter the Super Secret Octagon Valley Society. It also reminded me of Lemoncello, Alcatraz, Mysterious Benedict Society, and Series of Unfortunate Events, so I think fans of those series would likely like this. Each of the children have their back stories, although they spend a little more time with some of them than with others. Eventually, they focus on four of them, and while my favorite of the four is probably Edwin, I also ended up liking the other three a lot.

The narrator talking to us directly mostly works, and adds an element of humor to the story. Occasionally, I felt like it was disrupting the flow so that as you felt the suspense build, the narrator would inject with an observation that would bring down the tension almost immediately. But overall, I thought the narrator was an effective tool to add humor and understanding to what was going on.

The story became more and more interesting as it progresses, making me think that the second book might be even better than the first. The 8 kids are each very different, but the prevailing theme seems to be that they have to learn how to work together. Some of them are privileged brats, while others have been raised by a single (but loving) mother struggling to make ends meet. Some of them are considered nerds and the target of bullies in their old school, and others the "popular kids" who do the bullying. They each have their reasons for being there (including at least one who doesn't want to be there) and I found it interesting getting to know each of them.

Although several questions are answered by the end, and you get a sense of why the kids are there, this book very clearly sets you up for the next books.

Overall, I found this book to be fun, and a great way to introduce young and reluctant readers to a world of weird. I would definitely recommend this to fans of the books I mentioned above, but I think it works well for younger middle school readers (or older elementary school readers).

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you Net galley and the publisher for access to this book! It was a fun read and one kids will love. The adventure, mystery, and puzzles will fit right in with what many kids in the middle grades crave. Looking forward to the next one in the series.

The (Super Secret) Octagon Valley Society is a book about 8 kids who pass a super special test to win a weekend at a super high end research and invention facility run by the mysteriously recluse Onasander Octagon. Think Willy Wonka with science. Once there they get dropped into a maze of puzzles where they have to think their way out...

This was a fun, action filled book that I am sure kids will really enjoy. After you meet Edwin you think that all these kids are going to be super-geniuses because they passed the test, but you soon find that not everything is as it seems. The kids all struggle with their own issues and you see how their actions move them forward in the world (or not, depending on the kid). Onasander continues to be quirky and mysterious throughout the whole book which just paves the way for a second.

I did struggle with some strong similarities to some other books out there, but again, with the flashy cover and the more current elements I think this book will pull the kids in.

Ever read a book where you can just HEAR the narrator (and I don't mean an audio book!). Octagon Valley Society's like that - the voice in my head as I read the book had a slight British accent that matched the dry and slightly sarcastic sense of humor in the writing. I was pleasantly shocked as this book was very different in style, voice, and feel from what I expected when I saw that it was written by de le Cruz. I associate her with lighter, fun, Disney press titles. Octagon Valley Society is fun and packed with action, but the characters have some depth and there are some more serious issues addressed with a light and deft touch - mental health, bullying (not there is bullying in schools now - just unfortunate incidents), and entitlement just to name a few. None feel didactic and all feel relatable to a middle grade audience.
This would be great for readers who are maybe too young for Umbrella Academy or Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children.

What worked:
The cast of eight child characters comes from a variety of backgrounds with a wide range of personalities. Readers are immediately curious when the narrator hints that Harold really shouldn’t be included and another boy cheated on his contest test. Edwin comes from a one-parent home, is a hard-working, conscientious boy, and seems to be the most “normal”. A couple of the kids come from privileged families which is reflected in how they treat others. Some of the characters are motivated by power, some by curiosity, and one boy would rather be anywhere else but at the institute. Competitive and cooperative personalities are thrown together and readers are left to wonder exactly what’s going on within each character’s mind.
Obviously, learning to work cooperatively is a major issue but surprises await as the characters work their way through the institute. Edwin becomes the team leader but several members typically exchange ideas before decisions are made. However, one girl constantly suggests they leave someone behind while another boy wastes all of his trying to contact his father. All of the kids have personal issues to overcome as their intelligence has encouraged past teasing and bullying from their peers. The institute is the first time they’ve been around kids like themselves and they’re not sure how to behave or what to expect. They’re not used to having their voices heard or having their thoughts and suggestions seriously considered by others. Overcoming their past fears opens new possibilities.
The genre of the book is well-hidden until the kids face their first challenge. It appears to be realistic fiction until desperate situations arise and supernatural things begin to occur. There is a brief inkling that something supernatural is happening when the narrator mentions not every student can see the 108th question on the contest test. The children soon learn that the building is more of a maze or labyrinth than a structure full of rooms and laboratories. The settings they encounter will have readers scratching their heads trying to figure out how they’re possible. Desperate situations result in characters performing miraculous feats that help the team escape from potentially fatal dangers.
What didn’t work as well:
The first fourth of the book sets the stage for the Octagon Valley Society and introduces the eight kids but it doesn’t effectively connect with readers. The narrator alludes to what might be happening at the institute and gives vague information about what the kids will be doing. The story doesn’t focus on any one character or what’s happening so it’s a questionable way to hook readers.
The Final Verdict:
You can get a small sense of the narrator’s voice from the synopsis and it contributes humor to the story. The book becomes much more intriguing once the characters start exploring the institute and the author takes the events in unexpected directions. The conclusion leads right into a sequel and I recommend you give this book a shot.

If you enjoyed the series of The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart, you will enjoy this first book of The (Super Secret) Octagon Valley Society. The characters in the story are all super genius misfits attending middle school who take an exam and are invited to spend a weekend learning at the Octagon Valley Institute's 3-Day conference. The narrator's tongue in cheek asides along with the lack of adult supervision during the majority of the book make for a fun and creative way to show group dynamics and both the failure and successes of bonding during stressful situations. I can see this book becoming a favorite on "Battle of Books" lists.

This book started off as a fun, Willy Wonka-esque mystery, but then went a little off the rails for me.

Melissa De La Cruz never does any wrong in my eyes however, this may have been the first book I did not connect with and I am very sad. I thought I would love this book and the connections to characters because I have always been connected with De La Cruz characters but I had zero emotional attachment at all. I hope this book finds it target audience but I am not apart of that.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. I’m a fan of The Mysterious Benedict Society series and this was right up my alley, since it’s similar. This was action packed and a fun read!

I love the Mysterious Benedict Society and so I was intrigued when I read this was similar. Melissa de la Cruz is a fantastic writer as well. This book did not disappoint. It was funny, entertaining, creative and extraordinary!

A hilarious combination of Steve Jobs meets Elon Musk meets Willy Wonka - that gives you Onasander Octagon - billizionaire and founder of the Octagon Valley Society. Add in some extra-ordinary 6th graders, a puzzle to solve, some pirahnas and a dash of deadly sirens and the story is on its way. I love that this book is told from a narrator's perspective (reminded me of Rocky Horror) and there are fun references for the adults reading along - "they're not tests -this isn't 1985 -they're assessments." As well as one character doesn't have "Brene' Brown level emotional intelligence". Such a fun middle grade read. Will hook you from the first page!