William Wenton and the Lost City

by Bobbie Peers

  William’s father didn’t answer him. He scratched his head some more and moved the parts around.

  “I finished all the upstairs cupboards,” Grandpa said. “What if you unscrew that piece there and then screw it in over there?”

  “No.” William’s father gave Grandpa a look of exasperation. “I already tried that. That’s not it.”

  William could tell that his father was trying to sound gruff. But even though his father hadn’t come right out and told Grandpa so, William knew he was overjoyed to have him back.

  “DINNER!” William’s mother yelled again.

  “Okay . . . okay!” William’s father tossed the instructions aside.

  He stood up and headed for the kitchen. Grandpa remained, looking at all the pieces on the floor.

  William’s mother appeared in the kitchen doorway.

  “William,” she said, pointing with a spatula at him. “Time to eat. And the same goes for you.” She pointed at Grandpa, too.

  “I’m a robot,” Grandpa said. “I don’t need to eat.”

  “Well, you have to come sit with us anyway,” William’s mother said sternly. “Manners!”

  Grandpa set down the screwdriver and clomped into the kitchen.

  “Iscia!” William’s mother called out.

  “Coming!” Iscia replied, running into the living room. “Are you coming?” She smiled at William and then disappeared into the kitchen.

  The Institute had been Iscia’s home. And now that it had been destroyed, she basically had nowhere to live. She could have stayed at the Center for Misinformation, but William’s parents had insisted that she come live with them.

  William stopped in the kitchen doorway.

  He stood there looking at his parents, his robot grandfather, and Iscia, all sitting around the table.

  They seemed almost like a normal family.

  Almost.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Author photograph by SOFIA RUNARSDOTTER

  BOBBIE PEERS is a graduate of the London International Film School. He made his mark on Norwegian film history in 2006 when he won a Palme d’Or for his film Sniffer, which he wrote and directed. In 2015 Peers made his debut as a children’s book author with his first book about a code-breaking genius, William Wenton and the Impossible Puzzle (original title William Wenton and the Luridium Thief).

  ALADDIN

  Simon & Schuster, New York

  Visit us at simonandschuster.com/kids

  Authors.SimonandSchuster.com/Bobbie-Peers

  SOLVE THE PUZZLES! CRACK THE CODES!

  William Wenton and the Impossible Puzzle

  William Wenton and the Secret Portal

  William Wenton and the Lost City

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  ALADDIN

  An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division

  1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020

  www.SimonandSchuster.com

  First Aladdin hardcover edition July 2019

  Text copyright © 2017 by Bobbie Peers

  English language translation copyright © 2019 by Tara F. Chace

  Originally published in Norway in 2017 as Orbulateragenten by H. Aschehoug & Co. (W. Nygaard), Oslo

  Published by arrangement with Salomosson Agency

  Jacket illustration of tentacles, lighthouse copyright © 2019 by Luke Lucas

  Jacket illustration of boy, girl copyright © 2019 by Eric Deschamps

  All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

  ALADDIN and related logo are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

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  Cover designed by Heather Palisi

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Names: Peers, Bobbie, author. | Chace, Tara, translator.

  Title: William Wenton and the lost city / by Bobbie Peers ; translated from the Norwegian by Tara Chace.

  Other titles: Orbulateragenten. English

  Description: First Aladdin hardcover edition. | New York : Aladdin, 2019. | Series: William Wenton ; 3 | “Originally published in Norway by H. Aschehoug & Co as Orbulateragenten.” | Summary: “William Wenton is a code-breaking genius, but when his secret talent is suddenly revealed, he has to face the danger that has been lurking around him for years in the third book in the William Wenton series”— Provided by publisher.

  Identifiers: LCCN 2018057767 (print) | LCCN 2018060167 (eBook) | ISBN 9781481478335 (eBook) | ISBN 9781481478311 (hc)

  Subjects: | CYAC: Ciphers—Fiction. | Puzzles—Fiction. | Mystery and detective stories. | Science fiction. | BISAC: JUVENILE FICTION / Mysteries & Detective Stories. | JUVENILE FICTION / Humorous Stories. | JUVENILE FICTION / Fantasy & Magic.

  Classification: LCC PZ7.1.P4397 (eBook) | LCC PZ7.1.P4397 Wie 2019 (print) | DDC [Fic]—dc23

  LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018057767