Pennypickle Puzzle Mystery #2

Ms. Pennypickle’s Remarkable Road Race

AVAILABLE October 13TH!

The Smartest Kid in the Universe by Chris Grabenstein
Middle Grade (8-12)
Random House Children’s Books

Hardcover, 2026, 9798217120871

FULL SERIES

Pennypickle Puzzle Mystery #2

Ms. Pennypickle’s Remarkable Road Race

AVAILABLE October 13TH!

ABOUT THE BOOK

From the New York Times–bestselling author of the Lemoncello series comes Ms. Pennypickle’s next laugh-out-loud puzzle adventure! When she launches a reality-show contest for a million-dollar prize, two kids must outwit cheaters and solve her epic riddles to win.

When Ethan and Benji won Ms. Pennypickle’s epic puzzle quest, they weren’t supposed to tell anyone… so when Benji makes a viral video, Ms. Pennypickle is in trouble! Luckily, her head of advertising, Jack, has a plan! It’s time to create a Pennypickle reality show and give a few teams a chance to follow in Benji’s footsteps and win the ultimate prize. Jack’s son, Jackson, is a master puzzler… and when one of the contestants, Hope, is without a team member, Jackson steps in to help her race across the country.

With Hope’s mom as their driver, the pair solve riddles, anagrams, word scrambles, and more as they cross the USA hitting sights along Route 66 like a giant Paul Bunyon statue and the St. Louis Gateway arch. But as the two learn to work together and solve the puzzles… another team is determined to cheat their way to the finish. Can Jackson and Hope find their way to a triumph fair and square?