E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Zeus Jones' ancestor, Amadeus Jones, had a magazine in the 1920s called BURN that not only showcased Black writers, but didn't ignore further marginalized groups, as many others did at the time. There was only one publication before a tragic fire took the offices and Amadeus' life. He was found in the rubble, clutching a toaster, which Zeus' grandfather saved. The grandfather has done very well; the Jones family has a big house in Southampton, chauffeur, and a butler, Mr. Will. The grandfather has been very involved in Zeus life, which has been helpful, since Zeus' parents are very busy, and his brother Apollo is a film star. There was even a group of children that were descendants of BURN's staff to whom the grandfather was teaching cultural history, but lately he has missed meetings with Zeus, and the group has been abandoned. When the grandfather doesn't answer his texts, Zeus knows something is wrong and calls together Ashley, Charlie, and David, asking them to bring their family's copies of the original magazine. Finding messages in invisible ink, combined with a clue Zeus had previously found in the toaster, motivates the group to take off on an adventure (with Mr. Will flying the family jet) that leads them to the Mojave desert, Boston, the University of Michigan, Chicago, the Statue of Liberty,and the plantation where the Jones ancestors were enslaved. They finish their journey at Arlington Cemetery, and they almost come to a tragic end in the basement of Robert E. Lee's house after the crew finds letters from the early 1800s. There is sure to be a second book, because this ends on an enormous cliffhanger!
Strengths: This packed an enormous amount of Black history into an engaging adventure story with deep family ties. I loved the depiction of Zeus' grandfather gathering the children and teaching them about history, and all of the memorabilia of the magazine that was in his office. It also gives Zeus great motivation to go on an adventure, as well as the resources to do so. Charlie was also an appealing character, who had once been wealthy but whose family has fallen on hard times after the collapse of her father's business and his death from a heart attack. There is even a question of how the Jones family might have been involved in this. The details about all of the sites visited (and there are many!) and the relation that they have to history are very well done, although I was hoping that the clues involving Jesse Owens would take the group to Ohio State instead of the University of Michigan. There is still more of the story to be told, but I can't find any information about a sequel yet.
Weaknesses: I always have a hard time believing that clues on paper can last for a hundred years, and that the children can pinpoint exactly where the clues are hidden, but younger readers won't have this problem. The fire in the Mojave desert was heartbreaking (the fires are still raging around Pacific Palisades and other California locations as I write this), and three people died, so sensitive readers might not be ready for this.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed the combination of mystery and history in Vaught's 2016 Things Too Huge to Fix by Saying Sorry, Tarpley's 2017 Harlem Charade, Johnston's 2018 The Parker Inheritance, Durst's 2024 Spy Ring, or Landis' 2024 Capitol Chase.

Everyone has family members that like to tell far-fetched tales. Most of us don't believe them, but Zeus is not like most of us. Zeus is amazed by his grandfather's tales of the Harlem Renaissance, especially about the magazine he created called Burn. His grandfather talks about secret codes, hidden treasure, and a secret page from the magazine that holds the key to finding the treasure. It all sounds outrageous since the building where they published the magazine burned down many years before Zeus was born.

One day, Zeus find the secret page holding the key. However, the one person who could help him decipher the key has now disappeared. Zeus has to save his grandfather, who can help him follow the map to the treasure.

This book has a fast pace, full of action, and has characters that are relatable to many young kids today. I loved learning about the Harlem Renaissance in school and feel that this book would help some students become interested in that era too.

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Billions to Burn is another book in this genre, but with a twist-the world the kids are exploring is the world of Black History and the Harlem Renaissance.

I recieved a free eARC of this book. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

One of the best things about the Percy Jackson series is the number of books that have come out since, with a group of chosen kids with different abilities exploring a specific mythological world.

Billions to Burn is another book in this genre, but with a twist-the world the kids are exploring is the world of Black History and the Harlem Renaissance. They are the descendants of the four families responsible for Burn! magazine, a collection of Black writing, art, and culture, which was burned before the first issue made it to newsstands, leaving behind four families and a mystery to solve…but everyone who has tried has died or disappeared.

This is an amazing book in so many ways. The action moves quickly, the kids are relatable and their skills required, the Butler. Will. is a support without being an impediment-and also solves one of the standard problems in such a book (as in), how does a character get from point A to B, get a hotel room, etc).

This is going to be a popular book among adventure loving kids-and hopefully lead them to look into Black history beyond what is covered in school. Notice, I don’t say just for Black kids. The representation. The history, the culture will be SO valuable for them….but I think many, many more children will benefit from this book, too.

And, the good news is that there is a sequel hook-so hopefully this will be the first of a long series!

A good scavenger hunt story overall and the ending was a surprise. Will be enjoyed by readers of this type of mystery.