78 pages • 2 hours read
Jennifer Chambliss BertmanBook Scavenger
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2014A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Chapters 35-42Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 35 Summary
Emily feels happy settling into her life in San Francisco as she and James return from school. She notes that “their building, which had once looked so starved and severe to Emily” now “[welcomes] her like a familiar friend” (283). Inside, they receive the news that the Crane parents have sold a book about living in all 50 states. Emily is upset because she knows this will motivate them to move again, so she decides she must solve Griswold’s puzzle immediately.
As Matthew leaves for the Flush concert at the Fillmore with a car full of friends, Emily and James climb in. Remora lives in the Fillmore District, and Emily is determined to borrow Poe’s book to solve the final clue. Matthew sends his friends ahead to the concert and decides to accompany Emily and James to Remora’s house.
Chapter 36 Summary
When the kids arrive at his door, Remora denies ever receiving “The Gold-Bug” from Quisling. Emily wonders if Quisling kept the book for himself, instead of returning it as promised, but when the kids go inside for a glass of water, Emily spies the Poe book in the kitchen. At that moment, Barry enters the room. He turns out to be Remora’s nephew. The other thug, Clyde, arrives shortly afterward. Remora pressures Emily into solving the cipher so that he can collect the prize. Emily agrees but sends a coded message to James and Matthew. They create a diversion, and, in the chaos, the kids flee with Griswold’s copy of “The Gold-Bug.” Barry and Clyde chase them down the street to the Fillmore auditorium but lose them in the crowd. To get out of sight, the trio darts into a motor coach parked at the curb.
Chapter 37 Summary
The motor coach belongs to Matthew’s favorite band, Flush. They are about to perform at the Fillmore but are delighted when they recognize Matthew as their number one fan. They allow the kids to remain on the bus as the band talks with Matthew about his latest tribute video.
Emily notices one of the band members holding a cigarette lighter. This gives her the idea to see if the Poe book contains invisible ink that is heat-activated, just like in the story itself. She waves the lighter near the paper, and a clue appears that reads, “Portsmouth Square, R.L.S.” (305). As much as Matthew wants to attend the concert, he also wants to protect Emily and James as they investigate their next clue. The three leave for the square.
Chapter 38 Summary
When they arrive at the darkened square, the kids find a monument to author Robert Louis Stevenson (R.L.S.). Emily is thrilled, yet fearful. The kids investigate the area around the monument. At the base of a tree, Emily finds a metal scarab poking out of the ground. As she and James and Matthew dig around it, they realize that the scarab is attached to the handle of a small shovel.
They use the shovel to dig up a metal box. It contains a message from Griswold announcing that they have found the treasure, which is an undiscovered manuscript by Edgar Allan Poe. Griswold intends to publish the book and share a percentage of the royalties with the winner of his contest.
Chapter 39 Summary
Just after the kids find the treasure, Remora and his henchmen emerge out of the darkness. Remora claims that the manuscript should be his, and he wants all the credit for finding it. Clyde is carrying a gun, and Remora orders him to kill the kids even though Barry objects.
From out of nowhere, Hollister appears and knocks Clyde out. The gun goes flying, and Barry picks it up. Remora urges his nephew to use it, but Barry says, “You don’t care about me […] All you care about are books!” (321). Barry keeps the gun trained on his uncle until the police arrive.
Chapter 40 Summary
After the criminals are carted off to jail, Hollister explains that he’s been camped out every night in Portsmouth Square, hoping to meet whoever solved the treasure hunt. He knew that Griswold had been planning to create a game involving “The Gold-Bug” and ending at the square, but he didn’t know who would figure it out or when. He tells the kids, “Gary would be tickled to know you were the ones who solved his game” because they truly love books (324).
The following morning, Emily’s parents apologize for dragging her around the country and creating so much upheaval in her life. They have decided to stay in San Francisco until all four members of the family are ready to leave, which might be years away. The parents will resume their state-hopping ways once Matthew and Emily are settled in college. Emily is thrilled and relieved at this news.
Chapter 41 Summary
The following week, Emily, James, and Matthew go to Bayside Publishing to visit Jack and talk about their contest prize. They are happy to meet Griswold in person. He has recovered, though he’s still in a wheelchair. Griswold explains his reasoning for publishing the undiscovered manuscript: Griswold’s ancestor had been a competitor of Poe’s and tarnished Poe’s reputation. Publishing the new novel is a way for Griswold to make amends.
Griswold reveals that Raven is actually a digital assistant programmed to give clues to anyone who mentioned “The Gold-Bug” in a query. Griswold also informs the kids that they will split a 10% royalty on future sales of the new Poe manuscript, and each one will be given a new laptop and a seat on the site’s teen advisory board. He hints that there is another prize that they will get once the Poe manuscript is published.
Chapter 42 Summary
Time passes, and it is nearly Christmas when Emily receives a surprise package from Bayside Press. The package contains three advance copies of the new Poe novel. In the book’s introduction, Griswold mentions Emily, James, and Matthew by name and talks about their resourcefulness in solving his puzzle. All three are pleased to be acknowledged in print.
Later, James and Emily make plans to hide a book inside a bread bag and leave it at Pier 39. Emily declares that she is “ready to lean into their next adventure” (344).
Chapters 35-42 Analysis
The game of Book Scavenger is principally concerned with winning by accumulating the most points. The drive to accumulate more points than anyone else can easily become an obsession in which winning becomes the only thing that matters. Emily nearly falls into this trap until her fight with James gives her a much-needed wake-up call. In this final segment of the novel, the most important theme is the consequences of winning at all costs. Those characters who relinquish their obsessions find themselves rewarded, while those who don’t are punished.
James is willing to transfer his attention from the cipher challenge back to Emily’s quest for the Poe book. She helped him win his contest, and he will now help her win hers. Likewise, Matthew is torn between his desire to attend the Flush concert and his need to protect his sibling when she goes to Remora’s house. Matthew is rewarded by the band with signed posters, free band merchandise, and VIP tickets to future performances.
Hollister has let go of his grievances against Griswold and secretly helps the kids finish their treasure hunt. He even protects them against Remora and his henchmen. The novel implies that he will reconnect with his old friend at a later date.
Even Barry relents in his obsession with doing his uncle’s bidding in return for the promise of a reward. Shocked by Clyde and Remora’s violence, Barry belatedly comes to the realization that Remora doesn’t care about people, only about books. The former henchman then helps the kids send his uncle to jail. The only character who doesn’t have a change of heart at the end of the story is Remora. His obsession with books and personal glory continues unabated, and he receives his just punishment by being arrested.
These chapters also draw a conclusion to the theme of stability versus adventure. Emily’s parents realize the emotional distress they have created for their children and decide to put their state-hopping ways on hold until the entire family agrees to move on. The final words of the book indicate that Emily is ready to lean into a new Book Scavenger adventure, but she will do so from a stable home base for the first time in her life.
