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The Genius Files
Series · 5 books · 2011-2015

Books in series

Mission Unstoppable book cover
#1

Mission Unstoppable

2011

The most exciting road trip in history begins! In this action-packed, New York Times bestselling adventure, twelve-year-old twins Coke and Pepsi McDonald embark on a family vacation you'll have to read to believe. With the real-kid humor that has earned Dan Gutman millions of fans around the world, and featuring weird-but-true American tourist destinations, The Genius Files is a one-of-a-kind mix of geography and fun. As Coke and Pepsi dodge nefarious villains from the Pez museum in California all the way to the Infinity Room in Wisconsin, black-and-white photographs and maps put young readers right into the action. And don't miss the next leg of the journey in The Genius Files: Never Say Genius! Supports the Common Core State Standards
Never Say Genius book cover
#2

Never Say Genius

2012

Today is Coke and Pepsi McDonald's thirteenth birthday. Someone's out to make sure they never make it to thirteen and a half. Racing across America, the twins will nearly be BOILED ALIVE in a huge basket of french fries, FROZEN TO DEATH by soft-serve ice cream, STAMPEDED in a wild stadium riot, KIDNAPPED from a high-speed roller coaster, and WORST OF ALL their parents think they're totally joking! Will they survive? Will they defeat Archie Clone? Will they be dropped out of a helicopter onto the tip of the Washington Monument? Will they ever say "genius"?
You Only Die Twice book cover
#3

You Only Die Twice

2013

The most dangerous road trip in history continues for thirteen-year-old twins Coke and Pepsi McDonald. Just when they thought they were safe, the twins will be chased by an evil Elvis impersonator, trapped in a pool of flesh-eating soda pop, nearly pulverized in a giant shredder, and crushed in a turbo-charged carnival ride. worst of all, no one believes them! Will they make it out alive? Will they ever find out who’s really after them? All bets are off in this explosive third book in the Genius Files series!
From Texas with Love book cover
#4

From Texas with Love

2014

The wackiest road trip in history continues in book four of the New York Times bestselling Genius Files series, following twins Coke and Pepsi as they dodge villains and visit weird-but-true landmarks from Texas all the way to Roswell, New Mexico! With the real-kid humor that has earned him millions of readers around the world, and featuring all new weird-but-true locations around America, this fourth book in the New York Times bestselling Genius Files series is absolutely batty! After their explosive escape at Graceland, twins Coke and Pepsi are ready to resume their trip across America—only now in a convertible instead of the RV. They travel through Arkansas and Oklahoma, visiting weird-but-true tourist stops along the way, and finally end up in Texas, home of the Weird Capital of the Country, Austin. The twins' many enemies—the bowler dudes, Mrs. Higgins, and Dr. Warsaw—all swear that they're done chasing Coke and Pepsi for good. But when the twins start receiving more codes and ciphers from a mysterious robotic voice, they know someone 's after them. They just have to figure out who before the mystery villain finds them first.
License to Thrill book cover
#5

License to Thrill

2015

The wackiest road trip in history has reached its final destination... But Coke and Pepsi McDonald aren't in the clear just yet! Before they reach the finish line, the twins will be abducted by aliens, trapped with a venomous snake, pushed through a deadly turbine, and thrown into a volcano. Craziest of all, their parents might finally believe them! Will the twins make it back home to California in one piece, or will they fall off the top of the Golden Gate Bridge? It's all coming to an end with this fifth book in the Genius Files series. You'll have to read it to believe it!

Author

Dan Gutman
Dan Gutman
Author · 163 books

The author of over 80 books in a little over a decade of writing, Dan Gutman has written on topics from computers to baseball. Beginning his freelance career as a nonfiction author dealing mostly with sports for adults and young readers, Gutman has concentrated on juvenile fiction since 1995. His most popular titles include the time-travel sports book Honus and Me and its sequels, and a clutch of baseball books, including The Green Monster from Left Field. From hopeful and very youthful presidential candidates to stunt men, nothing is off limits in Gutman's fertile imagination. As he noted on his author Web site, since writing his first novel, They Came from Centerfield, in 1994, he has been hooked on fiction. "It was fun to write, kids loved it, and I discovered how incredibly rewarding it is to take a blank page and turn it into a WORLD." Gutman was born in New York City in 1955, but moved to Newark, New Jersey the following year and spent his youth there.

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The Genius Files