The Map Trap

"The Map Trap" follows Alton Barnes, a sixth-grader whose passion for cartography leads him to map out his school and its inhabitants in secret. When his unique portfolio is stolen, he's drawn into a suspenseful game, receiving anonymous notes with orders he must follow to recover his work. This middle-grade mystery explores themes of friendship, self-discovery, and the ethics of privacy, as Alton navigates the challenge with the unexpected help of a popular classmate. It's a fast-paced read that encourages problem-solving and highlights the value of unique interests.

Sixth-grader Alton Barnes loves maps, and when his portfolio of secret maps is stolen, he begins getting notes with orders that he must obey to get the maps back but, with the help of a popular classmate, he just might succeed before his teacher, principal, or someone else learns he has been studying and mapping things about them. Sixth-grader Alton Ziegler loves maps, and when his portfolio of secret maps is stolen, he begins getting notes with orders that he must obey to get the maps back. With the help of a popular classmate, he just might succeed.