Capture the Flag by Kate Messner

Capture the Flag by Kate Messner 
(Scholastic Press, 2012)


Summary from publisher:
Anna, Jose, and Henry have never met, but they have more in common than they realize.  Snowed in together at a chaotic Washington, DC, airport, they encounter a mysterious tattooed man, a flamboyant politician, and a rambunctious poodle named for an ancient king.  Even stranger, news stations everywhere have just announced that the famous flag that inspired "The Star-Spangled Banner" has been stolen! Anna, certain that the culprits must be snowed in, too, recruits Henry and Jose to help find the thieves and bring them to justice. 
But when accusations start flying, they soon realize there's even more than a national treasure at stake.  And with unexpected enemies lurking around every corner, will Anna, Jose, and Henry solve the latest heist before the flag is lost forever?

I've been looking forward to the release of this book for a while because I follow Kate on Twitter, and from time to time she would tweet about the progress of the book.  It made me interested to read the finished product and see how it turned out.  I've also read a few of Kate's other books and enjoyed them as well.

The premise of Capture the Flag is a bit far-fetched:  four kids set out to solve the mystery of a stolen national treasure in a snow-bound airport.  At the same time, it's a fun adventure with a strong female main character.  Of all the characters, I think Anna is my favorite.  She didn't sit back and let the boys take the lead in figuring out the mystery.  In fact, the mystery might not have been solved at all if Anna hadn't kept up the pressure.  She is smart and plucky, my favorite kind of character.

Middle grade kids who like a mystery or adventure will certainly enjoy Capture the Flag.  While this book COULD stand alone, the ending hints at further adventures of the Silver Jaguar Society.  I'm guessing Kate is working on book 2 now!