It's never too late to join the hunt! This week, we're celebrating 10 years of The 39 Clues, the groundbreaking series that combined books, trading cards, and online gaming into one adrenaline-charged experience.
To commemorate this landmark anniversary, we asked readers on The 39 Clues message boards: What has The 39 Clues meant to you?
Here are some of their answers:
I am so thankful to Scholastic for publishing The 39 Clues. This series is honestly what I think made me a hardcore bookworm. I might not have been such an avid reader if not for this series.
-RunningMinotaur4
I love The 39 Clues. The books really draw you in and make you wonder: What is the answer to this puzzle? Without those books, I would not have been so interested in reading.
-SURFINGWOLF154
My favorite thing about the Clues was probably the history. You guys managed to work fun facts and interesting details into the books that got me interested in history. (Fun fact: I'll be studying a bit of history while in college, just so you know how you've influenced me.)
-SNAKEDANCING13
The 39 Clues taught me so much about history while making it fun! I still remember random facts that your average person wouldn't know! It really helped developed who I am today.
-SAPPHIREPHOENIX471
The 39 Clues means my childhood. I grew up reading these books, they're what got me interested in history and the study of the world. No other book series has acted as such an icon to me personally, and I honestly don't know what kind of person I would be today without their influence on my life.
-CatchingMischievous6
From the series, I've learned a lot of excellent history tidbits. It's also been rather interesting to see how it works to have totally different authors write books in the same series. My sister and I have had a lot of bonding time over the years, cracking the codes and playing the games, so I thank you for that.
-InkForest13
I got really addicted to it as soon as I started reading. If I never read it, I wouldn't have been able to make my own clue squad at school or get help on geography and history.
-DRAGONDONUT899
It's something special to me. Without it, I wouldn't have been addicted to cryptography, and my writing skills have very much improved, thanks to the book. It also got me thinking more, and I have never been so in love with mysteries, thriller and adventure.
-HISTORYTHIEF7
The 39 Clues means so much to me; it's more than just my favorite series. When I first started reading these books, I was in 4th grade, and little did I know that they would form lifelong interests that I still carry on with me today (and I have just graduated high school). I have never experienced a series that is so interesting and interactive in other ways than just reading the books. I will always remember The 39 Clues and will definitely read it to my kids someday!
-LAVENDERHORSE368
The 39 Clues showed me that adventure books can actually be worth reading. I used to think all of the excitement was really cheesy, but the 39 Clues changed my mind. This is the best series I have ever read and will ever read. I don't want it to end.
-CUTECOBRA71
The 39 Clues are really good books and I really love them. If I pick up one and start reading, I would not stop until it is over.
-FAIRYMERMAID5258
I've read this series since I was a teenager. I was in my local library, and the librarian suggested that I go to a table with all the The 39 Clues on it. I met some people and became friends, I never would have met them without this series (which I still love today), I am thankful for this series for giving me those friends.
-FIGHTINGFIRE319
39 Clues has taught me so much about the world and history, but most importantly, it has taught me about bravery, loyalty, and friendship. Without 39 Clues, I would be a very different person.
-LAVENDERSHEEP20
I really liked The 39 Clues series because Amy and Dan travelled to so many places in the books, and when I read them, I also seemed to be in those places. It’s one thing to read about a place halfway across the world on an encyclopedia, but another thing to experience it through another person’s point of view.
-DRAGONAMBER1247
I have read them all and I think this is my favorite book series! So much daring adventure, so many great codes, and so many cool characters!
-SCARLETFEATHERS56
I love it so much, if I don't know what to read, I feel lonely, or I just want a book I'm familiar with that makes me feel good, I grab one of the 39 clues books.
-PINKSHARK88
As far as the books go, it was a magical experience. I started reading them when I was eight. I'm 18 now, and I still read them. There is an entire colorful shelf in my room, amongst all of my other books. They truly taught me so much. I learned so much about science, and I now can give random facts that I never would have known. They have greatly increased my wanderlust, and have opened my eyes to so many beautiful places that I otherwise would never have known about. I still dream of going to Jakarta. The same goes for art apreciation. In fact, I went to Itay this past summer, and at the top of my list was to see the Medusa sheild. "The Medusa Plot" prompted me years ago to look up Caravaggio, and I fell in love with his unique style and amazing works. It was then a surreal experience to stand in the Caravaggio room at the Ufitzi. I couldn't help but stand in awe of the sheild, and reminisce about the book.
-CRAZYTEAM13
