A sound-inspired scavenger hunt and fast-paced mystery about family and friendships lost and found.“A harmonious blend of STEM intrigue and heartfelt emotion that emphasizes listening closely to what really matters.” —Kirkus, starred reviewFelix used to love summer vacation, when his family would trade the bustling noise of New York City for the small-town quiet of Blissfield, Massachusetts. But vacation hasn’t been the same since his big brother left home, and Felix is sure this summer is going to be the worst yet. Then he finds a mysterious box with the words OPEN ME written on the outside. Inside, there’s an audio recorder, headphones, and a list of timecodes. What does it mean?
Felix and his offbeat neighbor, Marigold, follow a string of clues through town. But as the hunt builds to a crescendo, Felix begins to wonder about the identity of the anonymous puzzle-maker behind their adventure.
This delightfully harmonious mother-son collaboration from bestselling author Meg Wolitzer and sound editor and music producer Charlie Panek will change the way you listen to the world
On sale: April 21, 2026
Age: 8-12 years
Grade: Grades 3-7
Page count: 224 Pages
ISBN: 9781101994627
Reading level: Lexile: 640L
Meg Wolitzer is the
New York Times bestselling author of numerous novels for adults, including
The Interestings,
The Ten-Year Nap,
The Wife, and
The Female Persuasion; the young adult novel
Belzhar; and the middle-grade novels
The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman and
To Night Owl From Dogfish. Wolitzer lives in New York City.
Charlie Panek is a music and audio producer and editor. He crafts music from scratch using field recordings to turn next-to-nothing into something with restorative and creative problem solving. Panek recognizes that audio is crucial to successful storytelling across various mediums.
Found Sound is his first novel.
★ “Wolitzer and Panek construct a genuinely original premise, weaving acoustic phenomena into both plot mechanics and emotional architecture . . .
A harmonious blend of STEM intrigue and heartfelt emotion that emphasizes listening closely to what really matters.” —
Kirkus, starred review
★ “Mother-son duo Wolitzer and Panek team up to illustrate how found music (the unexpected ordinary noise that makes up the humdrum of daily life) can empower individuals and boost creativity. . .
A scavenger hunt adventure that is loving and tenderhearted.” —
School Library Journal, starred review
★ “Flowing as seamlessly as a favorite song and leaving readers listening to the world around them differently,
this is a written book for an audio age—exciting and innovative, yet still a realistic and heartfelt tale. Recommend this sensory story to fans of Rebecca Stead and scavenger hunt stories with a twist.” —
Booklist, starred review
“Both
an affectionate ode to the textures of everyday sound and a sensorial adventure, this freewheeling novel seamlessly integrates lessons in recording, remixing, and engineering, lending the mystery an accessible STEAM sheen.” —
Publishers Weekly (currently posted)
“A scavenger-hunt like plot that takes readers on a journey of sound . . .
Hand this to any kid who loves music, sound, or games and is looking for a fun adventure that may inspire their own summer scavenger hunt or found sound project.” —
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
