  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 11/01/2012 Intrepid twins Coke and Pep(si) McDonald are back in the third installment of Gutman’s popular Genius Files series, chased around the country by comical villains as they decipher clues, wield weapons, and experience the curiosities of American geography. Our omniscient narrator, with tongue in cheek, continually breaks the fourth wall to address readers directly, catching us up on the twins’ previous adventures and unfurling the new ones. And although the backstory is a bit confused, the silly, improbable, episodic thrills are the main attraction, and they don’t disappoint. This time out, the McDonald family RV is driving through the mid-Atlantic and Southeast, stopping at every peculiar landmark (from the world’s largest frying pan to the respective birthplaces of the twins’ eponymous soda-pop names) to learn a history lesson and rescue one another from sudden death. A final face-off at Graceland with the Evil Elvis, who has been tracking them (or has he?), ends with a bang—and a cliff-hanger promise for the next installment. Each chapter includes Google Maps coordinates for readers to follow along. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: This third title in the New York Times best-selling series kicks off with a five-city tour for Gutman as well as a national media campaign, YouTube channel with video content, and more. - Copyright 2012 Booklist. Loading...
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