Over my years as a book blogger, and as a general reader, I have come across many venues and locations that I would like to visit, ranging from castles to ships. But never before have I thought that a department store might be my choice if I ever had to pick. That was before being introduced to The Nine.

The World-Famous Nine is a shop like never before. With everything you could possibly imagine and then even more, it’s the perfect place for Zander to spend the weeks with his Grandmother while his parents are away for work. He quickly finds a loyal friend in Natasha, who swings from the roof of one of the many restaurants at The Nine, and together they set about tackling the only thing that might be set to put a downer on his stay: the return of an evil presence known only as Darkbloom.

The word games and complicated names did leave me struggling at some points due to my impaired brain function, but I think these will be great for middle grade aged children. They provide a challenge when it comes to the names and phonetic learning, and the riddles and word games will really engage children with trying to make sense of them.

As Zander and Natasha venture through the many levels of The Nine, they meet many of the staff, some of whom are more helpful than others on their mission. They support one another in the challenges they’re facing, and Zander’s Grandma Zina seems so genuinely invested in his life and well-being that you can’t help but feel warm and fuzzy. The book uses the absent parent trope, but still provides Zander with a support system in his Grandma, and I really loved to see that balance written.

The many levels of the store provide the two friends with plenty of possibilities, and this is a story of word games, mysteries, adventure, but most of all, friendship.

Prepare to enter a department store that makes even Harrod’s look small! Hidden beneath the awe and opulence of this nineteen story skyscraper department store lies legends and tales of intrigue and hidden treasures. Strange occurrences and even a physical assault leads Zander, grandson of the woman behind the fabled, world-famous Nine department store to dig deeper into the past to figure out what is behind these strange happenings. Mystery, magic, and magnificent adventures await. While this book is a fast paced, do not want to put down read, the author leaves no detail out and delivers rich descriptions of the Nine that brings the characters’ adventures alive in the reader’s imagination.

From A, age 11: I think the World Famous Nine was a brilliant and artistic piece of literary art. The heart racing moments, where mysteries unfold was truly an inspiring touch to the book. The characters were brave, but nervous like many of us would be in the same situation. As I read, I could - and still- feel the time and effort this magical book took.

The World Famous Nine was such a cute and fun mystery for younger readers. It has unique characters and settings. The plot twist is also wonderful. Definitely recommend this one,

If you have read Ben Guterson's previous book, Winterhouse, this book has a similar plotline to that book. It is a mystery book with a fantastic setting, full of surprises and danger, and also coded messages to be solved.

The story starts when Zander Olinga comes to his grandmother's spectacular nineteen-story plaza, called Number Nine Plaza. The Nine has everything imaginable, including a massive Ferris wheel on its rooftop, monorail tracks suspended from its ceiling, and twenty-five glass elevators. But there’s something evil looming in the shadows, and strange accidents start befalling the guests. When Zander and his friend Natasha come across a series of inscriptions hidden throughout the walls of The Nine, they discover that the clues will lead them to a magical object that protects the store’s very existence.

The World Famous Nine was such a cute and fun mystery for younger readers. It has unique characters and settings. The plot twist is also wonderful. Definitely recommend this one, not just for children but I think adults can enjoy it too.

During the summer break, Zander Olinga spends his time with his grandmother, who's the owner of Number Nine Plaza - a magnificent 19-story skyscraper that also serves as their family's department store, The Nines. However, strange events begin to occur at The Nines, and Zander, along with his sidekick Natasha, stumble upon a legend that could potentially bring doom to the beloved building. They race against time to uncover the secrets that Zander's uncle had left behind in the hopes of saving the building.

At The Nine, Guterson creates a whimsical world with a variety of rooms - The Magic Emporium, Sweets of the Nine, the 360 restaurant, and the Tube Room (control center) to name a few. The book's illustrations effectively bring Guterson's vision to life, making it perfect for young readers, especially those aged 8-12.

Zander and Natasha are terrific characters. Both are curious to unlock the mystery behind the magical stolen plates. The puzzles, word games, and mysterious inscriptions play into the old legends and Darkbloom, the evil spirit lurking in The Nine. And Zander and Natasha’s detective work oozes with Scooby-Doo vibes (those menacing kids). But unfortunately, no Scooby.

The cast of characters is vast. Luckily, Guterson provides a galley in the back of the book, along with a map of the floors. So I recommend reading the physical book so you fully immerse yourself in the world of The Nine. Perfect for fans of Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, or the board game Clue.

If you're looking for a mystery with a fantastic setting, surprises and danger throughout, and coded messages you can solve along with the characters, The World-Famous Nine hits the mark.

When Zander's parents are involved in a research trip for work, he gets to spend a few weeks at The Nine, his grandmother's amazing nineteen-story department store.

The Nine is an enchanting department store that feels more like a self-contained city peopled with interesting characters and places. Zander's family has owned the store for generations - I love that the women of the family have always run the store - and have built a caring community of employees and customers. Much of the story feels like a giant scavenger hunt as Zander and his friend Natasha scour the store seeking clues and collecting information. I loved getting out a pencil and paper to decode clues along with Zander. Students will be hungry for their own scavenger hunt and code-breaking activities after reading this engrossing mystery.

Thank you to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. I want to state upfront that I did DNF this book at 36%.

While I am not the exact intended audience for this book, I chose to stop reading because it seemed to read too similarly to the author's previous Winterhouse series. In both stories, there is: a magical building full of puzzles and secrets, a quirky sidekick friend, the mentor owner of the building who is in and out throughout the day, and magical-realism in the form of the antagonist. I loved the Winterhouse series and really hoped for something different with this story. I also found it hard to visualize the Nine, almost as if it wasn't fully fleshed out in the descriptions. Lastly, I was confused about the world this was set in. The city (state?) and names seemed to be other-worldly, but modern-day, US-related references threw me off.

Despite my personal experience with the story, I do think this would be a great fit for a middle grader who wants a fantastical mystery and unique setting. The character of Zander was really well drawn and I ultimately wanted more from the strong sense of place and mystery to solve.

A middle grade series which has my heart!

I was ecstatic to see a new addition to Ben Guterson's MG universe, one very reminiscent of Winterhouse 🤎 The World-Famous Nine takes place in a wondrous department store, of the same caliber as the magical hotel in the first few books. We have another detective duo this time, Zander and Natasha- and a hidden magical artefact with the power to spread goodness and protection. If you've read the Winterhouse books, you'll LOVE this one! If not but this sounds good, you can definitely jump in directly here! I think I will try to get my 10 year old hooked on this 🤭

I like mysteries to be solved by more than one character. A boy and and girl follow clues in an enclosed space like a house, hotel, or this case a department store. There is history to unveil, different characters to meet, mysteries and clues to be solved and evil characters to be stopped. The boy is an artist bookworm who will overcome his fears and the girl is a fun, energetic chatty girl. Every chapter is exciting to the very last paragraph.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this e-ARC.

In 2012, young Zander Olinga gets to spend a week with his grandmother at her fabulous department store The Number Nine Plaza. Started in the 1800s, the store has been in the family for a long time, and run by only four women in the family. It's located in Novatrosk, and is not only architecturally significant, but also has an amazingly wide range of products as well as a fascinating history. Zander's mother was never interested in the store, and is happy to be a college professor; she and Zander's father are spending time on a research trip while he is with his grandmother. There are a lot of employees who have been at the store for a long time, and we also meet Natasha Novikov, whose step father, Mr. Lukovsky, does plumbing in the building. She swings high above the heads of the diners in several of the store restaurants, which amazes Zander, who has a decided fear of heights. One of the symbols of the store is the mandala; there are several around the premises, although Zander finds out that it is approaching the 90th anniversary of when the most important one went missing. There is some suspicion that it was stolen by Vladimir, who was under the dark force of Darkbloom. There are some odd clues scattered throughout the store, and when bad things start happening, Natasha and Zander set out to find the plaque and uncover the mystery. This, of course, means that Zander has to travel all over the store and get to know its fascinating departments, such as the penguin exhibit, the Sew What You Want department, the Tube Room (for the pneumatic communication tubes!) and the employee lounge, where a quiet man will wake up employees if they are taking a break. As near tragedies like a Ferris wheel malfunction and electrical disturbances continue, and clues are left with "the crimson stitch", Zander singles out Fenton Herpolsheimer, who retired years ago but who has been seen in the building. There is also the suspicious Ludmilla and Sergei, who met at the Dnipropetrovshchyna Art Institute. Will Zander and Natasha be able to make sense of the family history they've uncovered in order to find the lost plaque and stop the attacks on their beloved department store?
Strengths: I was just thinking about malls and department stores before I read this; my mother adored the mall, and actually worked in a department store where the payments were sent to the office in pneumatic tubes. I also have a friend whose parents ran a department store in a small town, and I spent a year working at the downtown Cincinnati Lazarus, so this made me feel nostalgic. I can't think of any other middle grade books that are set in department stores, but they are rather magical places. The Nine is even more so, with it's fascinating departments for art and odd items, and the building deserves to have a map on the end papers. I loved the history, especially the addition of nine floors, and didn't get to see nearly enough of the penthouse apartment where Zander's grandmother lived! A department store is the perfect place for tweens to have free rein. They can talk to all of the people working, snoop into nooks and crannies, and get delicious food at the restaurants. Of course, this has a tiny bit of darkness, with the accidents and backhistory of Darkbloom, but that just adds to the excitement. I'm not sure if young readers will have seen the television shows Selfridges or The Paradise, but The World-Famous Nine manages to deliver the magic of those earlier department stores while updating the time period a bit.
Weaknesses: I was unsure of where Novatrosk was located. It seems to be not far from Pittsburgh, but there were so many Russian sounding names that I was a bit confused. There wasn't a language barrier, and Natasha is a fan of sports teams in the US, so I feel like I was missing something.
What I really think: Fans of quirky, clue oriented mysteries like Mr. Lemoncello's Library and Carmen's Floors will enjoy this virtual shopping trip, and may need to hunt down some mint chocolate candy!