Best Selling Books by Gordon Korman

The amazing New York Times bestseller about what you can do when life gives you a second chance. Chase''s memory just went out the window. Chase doesn''t remember falling off the roof. He doesn''t remember hitting his head. He doesn''t, in fact, remember anything. He wakes up in a hospital room and suddenly has to learn his whole life all over again . . . starting with his own name. He knows he''s Chase. But who is Chase? When he gets back to school, he sees that different kids have very different reactions to his return. Some kids treat him like a hero. Some kids are clearly afraid of him. One girl in particular is so angry with him that she pours her frozen yogurt on his head the first chance she gets. Pretty soon, it''s not only a question of who Chase is -- it''s a question of who he was . . . and who he''s going to be. From the #1 bestselling author of Swindle and Slacker, Restart is the spectacular story of a kid with a messy past who has to figure out what it means to get a clean start.

An unforgettable novel from the New York Times bestseller Gordon Korman Link, Michael, and Dana live in a quiet town. But it''s woken up very quickly when someone sneaks into school and vandalizes it with a swastika. Nobody can believe it. How could such a symbol of hate end up in the middle of their school? Who would do such a thing? Because Michael was the first person to see it, he''s the first suspect. Because Link is one of the most popular guys in school, everyone''s looking to him to figure it out. And because Dana''s the only Jewish girl in the whole town, everyone''s treating her more like an outsider than ever. The mystery deepens as more swastikas begin to appear. Some students decide to fight back and start a project to bring people together instead of dividing them further. The closer Link, Michael, and Dana get to the truth, the more there is to face-not just the crimes of the present, but the crimes of the past. With Linked, Gordon Korman, the author of the acclaimed novel Restart, poses a mystery for all readers where the who did it? isn''t nearly as important as the why?

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Unteachables, Gordon Korman, comes a hilarious middle grade novel about a group of kids forced to “unplug” at a wellness camp—where they instead find intrigue, adventure, and a whole lot of chaos. Perfect for fans of Korman’s Ungifted and the Masterminds series, as well as Carl Hiaasen’s eco mysteries. As the son of the world’s most famous tech billionaire, spoiled Jett Baranov has always gotten what he wanted. So when his father’s private jet drops him in the middle of the Arkansas wilderness, at a place called the Oasis, Jett can’t believe it. He’s forced to hand over his cell phone, eat grainy veggie patties, and participate in wholesome activities with the other kids, who he has absolutely no interest in hanging out with. As the weeks go on, Jett starts to get used to the unplugged life and even bonds with the other kids over their discovery of a baby-lizard-turned-pet, Needles. But he can’t help noticing that the adults at the Oasis are acting really strange. Jett is determined to get to the bottom of things, but can he convince everybody that he is no longer just a spoiled brat who is making trouble?

The hilarious third SWINDLE book - now in paperback!Griffin Bing''s new principal doesn''t like him. And Griffin doesn''t like the boot camp football atmosphere the new principal has brought. Griffin manages to stay out of trouble -- until a Super Bowl ring disappears from the school''s display case, with Griffin''s retainer left in its place. Griffin has been framed! Unfortunately, the Man doesn''t have a Plan - and everything his team tries to find out who really took the ring backfires. Griffin ends up in an alternate school, then under house arrest, and finally with an electronic anklet - with no way to prove his innocence! Griffin smells a rat - but will he be able to solve the mystery in time?

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Unteachables comes a hilarious new story about a group of underdogs who come together when they are forced to attend summer school—for failing PE. Yash is the best athlete at Robinette Middle School. So good, in fact, that he’s already been playing on the high school’s JV sports teams. Imagine his shock when he learns that his JV practices have kept him from earning a board-mandated credit for eighth-grade PE. To graduate, he has to take Physical Education Equivalency — PEE — which is also known as “Slugfest,” in summer school.At Slugfest, Yash meets the other students. Kaden is an academic superstar who’s physically hopeless. Twins Sarah and Stuart are too busy trying to kill each other to actually pay attention in class. Jesse is a notorious prankster. Arabella protests just about everything — including mandatory PE. And Cleo is a natural athlete who has sworn off sports. Then there’s their “coach,” Mrs. Tamara Finnerty, a retired teacher whose idea of physical education seems to have frozen in preschool. But Yash doesn’t care — as long as he gets the credit. Too bad one of his fellow “slugs” is determined to blow the lid off a scandal that could make all their time in summer school a waste. And if that weren’t bad enough, Yash is in danger of losing his star spot on the JV football team.So Yash recruits his fellow PE rejects to train with him. Spending the summer with the most hapless crew in school can really surprise a person. And their teacher might be hiding the biggest surprise yet . . .

A homeschooled kid will sink or swim when he''s dropped into a typical middle school in this hilarious tale from the #1 New York Times –bestselling author. Capricorn Anderson (Cap for short) has never watched a television show. He''s never tasted pizza. He''s never heard of a wedgie. And he has never, even in his wildest dreams, thought he''d live anywhere but the Garland Farm commune with his hippie grandmother and homeschool instructor, Rain.But all this changes when Rain is stuck in the hospital and Cap is sent to Claverage Middle School (dubbed C Average by the kids). Cap doesn''t exactly fit in at school, with his long, ungroomed hair and hemp clothes; in fact, he''s the biggest nerd around. But when he''s elected eighth grade president as a joke, Cap is more puzzled than ever, and soon the joke grows into something more. Will Cap be the greatest president in the history of C Average or the biggest punch line?Rife with Gordon Korman''s signature humor, Schooled is a heartwarming story about friendship, kindness, and finding your place—which may not always be where you think it is. "This rewarding novel features an engaging main character and some memorable moments of comedy, tenderness, and reflection." — Booklist (starred review) "While readers will giggle over Cap''s innocence (''What''s a starbuck?''), there are deeper themes—trust, belonging, kindness—hidden beneath the humor." — The New York Times "[Korman''s] usual smart, funny, slightly skewed realism. Tweens will definitely identify." ― Kirkus Reviews

Donovan, whose real gift is getting into trouble, finds himself at an academy for gifted students! Donovan is definitely skilled... at getting into trouble. And when one of his thoughtless pranks accidentally destroys the school gym during the Big Game, with the superintendent watching, he knows he''s in for it. Suspension at best, maybe expulsion. Either way, a lawsuit and paying for damages. But through a strange chain of events, his name gets put on the list for the local school for gifted students: the Academy for Scholastic Distinction. Donovan knows he''s not a genius, but he can''t miss this chance to escape. Now, he has to figure out a way to stay at ASD — and fit in with the kids there. And who knows, maybe his real gift will come to light... A new story from the master of middle-grade and YA humour Gordon Korman, Ungifted is a funny exploration of the special (and often surprising) talents that make each of us gifted in our own way.

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Restart, a story of telling truth from lies -- and finding out what being a hero really means. There are two things Trevor loves more than anything else: playing war-based video games and his great-grandfather Jacob, who is a true-blue, bona fide war hero. At the height of the war, Jacob helped liberate a small French village, and was given a hero''s welcome upon his return to America.Now it''s decades later, and Jacob wants to retrace the steps he took during the war -- from training to invasion to the village he is said to have saved. Trevor thinks this is the coolest idea ever. But as they get to the village, Trevor discovers there''s more to the story than what he''s heard his whole life, causing him to wonder about his great-grandfather''s heroism, the truth about the battle he fought, and importance of genuine valor.

High school senior Leo Caraway, a conservative Republican, learns that his biological father is a punk rock legend.

NYT bestselling author Gordon Korman''s sequel toUngifted cleverly sends up our preconceived ideas about intelligence, heroism, and popularity! Donovan Curtis has never been what anyone would call "gifted." But his genius friend Noah Youkilis is actuallysupergifted, with one of the highest IQs around. After years at the Academy for Scholastic Distinction, all Noah dreams of is the opportunity to fail if he wants to. And he''s landed in the perfect place to do it--Donovan''s school. Almost immediately, Noah finds himself on the wrong side of cheerleading captain Megan Mercury and alpha jock Hash "Hashtag" Taggart. Sticking up for Noah lands Donovan in the middle of a huge feud with Hashtag. He''s told to stay away from the sports star--or else. That should be the end of it, but when a freak incident suddenly makes Donovan a hero, he can''t tell anyone about it since Hashtag is involved. So Noah steps in and becomes "Superkid." Now he''s gone from nerd to titan at school. And it may have gone more than a little bit to his head.

Travel to one of the most remote National Parks, the Dry Tortugas, off the southern most tip of the United States, Key West.

From the author of Restart, the story of two boys who are losing their memories... to each other. Reef and Theo don''t know what''s happening to them. They''ll be going about their days and then suddenly they''ll have these strange flashes of memory -- but the memories don''t belong to them. And at the same time, their own memories are starting to... vanish. For Reef, this is a big problem, because memories are all he has left of his mom. For Theo, it''s strange because the new memories give him a freedom he doesn''t have with his domineering dad.

Gordon Korman''s acclaimed and timely YA novel explores the dangerous side of high school contact sports. Marcus is new in town and is hoping to make the championship high school football team, but it seems like a closed club, run by current star quarterback Troy. One day, while tossing the ball around in a park one day, Marcus meets Charlie, a man in his fifties who can play football like an old pro, which is exactly what he happens to be — a former NFL player and local celebrity. Charlie has boundless energy and coaches Marcus on his fear of being tackled, but as Marcus becomes more involved in this friendship with Charlie, it becomes painfully obvious to him, through the simplicity of Charlie''s thoughts, that the long-term effects of the violent plays he suffered during his football glory days have taken their toll on Charlie. With wit and sensitivity, Gordon Korman tackles truths about high school sports, while delivering a poignant story about an unlikely friendship.

The first book in the action-packed trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Gordon Korman is perfect for fans of Stranger Things and James Patterson. Eli Frieden has never left Serenity, New Mexico...why would he ever want to? Then one day, he bikes to the edge of the city limits and something so crazy and unexpected happens, it changes everything. Eli convinces his friends to help him investigate further, and soon it becomes clear that nothing is as it seems in Serenity. The clues mount to reveal a shocking discovery, connecting their ideal crime-free community to some of the greatest criminal masterminds ever known. The kids realize they can trust no one—least of all their own parents.

When eighth-grader Cameron Boxer creates the Positive Action Group at school he intends it as a diversion to fool his parents, teachers, and sister into letting him continue to concentrate on his video-gaming--but before he knows it other kids are taking it seriously, and soon he finds himself president of the P.A.G., and involved in community service, so the boy who never cared about anything is now the center of everything, whether he likes it or not.

Here are two adventure-packed novels perfect for introducing middle grade readers to the work of #1 New York Times bestselling author Gordon Korman. Ungifted: When Donovan Curtis pulls a major prank at his middle school, he thinks he''s finally gone too far. But thanks to a mix-up by one of the administrators, instead of getting in trouble, Donovan is sent to a special program for gifted and talented students. The program couldn''t be a more perfectly unexpected hideout for someone like him. But as the students and teachers grow to realize that Donovan may not be good at math or science (or just about anything), he shows that his gifts may be exactly what these students never knew they needed. Masterminds: In idyllic Serenity, New Mexico, honesty and integrity are valued above all else. The thirty kids who live there never lie—they know it''s a short leap from that to the awful problems of other, less fortunate places. Then one day Eli Frieden bikes to the edge of the city limits and something so crazy and unexpected happens, it changes everything. Action-packed and full of unexpected twists, this new series is perfect for young fans of James Patterson and John Grisham.

Gordon Korman''s contemporary take on The Great Gatsby, set in a suburban high school. There is a new student at F. Scott Fitzgerald High, Jake Garrett - and he has become the biggest "happening" in town. Jake is popular beyond belief, has the respect of his school, and is on the football team. All the guys want to be like him, and all the girls want to date him. But Jake is obsessed with Didi, the gorgeous and totally unavailable girlfriend of quarterback Todd Buckley. Through Jake''s friend, Rick, readers get to know Jake, first admiring him, then liking him - but eventually fearing for him as they learn Jake''s secret.

From bestselling humor author Gordon Korman comes a hilarious middle school story about a boy''s shenanigans to advocate for the unsung heroes of classic literature—dogs, obviously. Wallace Wallace won''t lie, not even to avoid detention. And after he handed in a scorching book report of Old Shep, My Pal, detention is just what he''s been handed. The reluctant school football hero is sure he''s done nothing wrong: he hated every minute of that book—especially when the dog dies in the end! Why do dogs always die at the end? When Wallace refuses to do a rewrite, he''s suspended from the football team, and forced instead to attend rehearsals of the school play, which is, you guessed it, Old Shep, My Pal. His English teacher thinks this will teach Wallace a lesson, but instead, surrounded by apprehensive theater kids, Wallace sets out to prove his point. He doesn''t change his mind, but he does change the play—putting his own spin on the story. He knows the audience will love it, but his English teacher... not so much. With laughs and life lessons, No More Dead Dogs celebrates standing up for yourself, creative expression, and of course, dogs. Perfect for... ★ Fans of Andrew Clements, Dan Gutman, and Louis Sachar ★ Dog lovers ★ Reluctant Readers ★ Old Yeller haters Don''t miss more great reads from Gordon Korman! Schooled The 6th Grade Nickname Game Born to Rock Jake, Reinvented Juvie Three Son of the Mob

From Gordon Korman, the bestselling author of Restart, the story of a boy who''s stuck at home with two broken legs... and who starts using cameras and a drone to spy on his classmates, neighbors, and a possible criminal who''s come to town. If Carter hadn''t been checking his phone, he might have seen his brother coming down the ski slopes in his direction. And if Carter had seen his brother in time and avoided the crash, he might not have two broken legs right now. Oops. Now Carter is stuck at home for weeks, with both his legs in casts. Bored, he starts checking out the live feeds from police cams around his town. Before he knows it, he''s obsessed -- watching his classmates when they don''t know he''s looking, and discovering some other VERY STRANGE things going on that no one else is noticing. But what happens when Carter is found out... and the people he''s watching know where he lives?

Vince Luca is just like any other high school guy. His best friend, Alex, is trying to score vicariously through him; his brother is a giant pain; and his father keeps bugging him to get motivated. There is just one thing that really sets him apart for other kids-his father happens to be the head of a powerful crime organization. Needless to say, while Vince''s family''s connections can be handy for certain things (like when teachers are afraid to give him a bad grade), they can put a serious crimp in his dating life. How is he supposed to explain to a girl what his father does for a living? But when Vince meets a girl who finally seems to be worth the trouble, her family turns out to be the biggest problem of all. Because her father is an FBI agent-the one who wants to put his father away for good.

Some people can''t be labeled—and some games can''t be won. "Lots of laughs" propel this charming story from the #1 New York Times –bestselling author ( School Library Journal , starred review). A New York Public Library Best Book for Reading and SharingA Bank Street Best Book of the Year Jeff and Wiley are nicknaming pros. Practically everyone in their school has been renamed by the duo. They''ve dubbed their own underachieving class "The Dim Bulbs"; their pop-eyed principal is better known as "Deer in Headlights"; and their enormous new English teacher, Mr. Hughes, is "Mr. Huge."But when a spunky red-haired environmentalist named Cassandra enters their lives, the boys begin to doubt themselves. No name seems to say it all. On top of that, some of the nicknames are backfiring, and now their teacher is in danger of losing his job. Will the duo be able to get it together before it''s too late?This hilarious and heartwarming story captures all the beauty and pain of middle school, while discovering—what''s really in a name? "This novel is signature Korman . . . [He] has not lost his gift for satire." — Quill & Quire "Captures the ambience of sixth grade with humor and empathy." ― Booklist "Korman is at his amusing best here." ― The Bulletin of the Center for Children''s Books

Gordon Korman’s uproarious, outrageous, and all-too-familiar summer camp adventure is BACK! Rudy Miller really isn’t into the whole camping thing. So when his parents send him to Camp Algonkian “for his own good” all he wants to do is go home. Rudy teams up with his cabin-mate Mike for a series of carefully planned — yet hilariously bungled — escape attempts. Unfortunately, their counsellor (and nemesis) Chip is as determined to keep them there as they are to get away. Rudy and Mike spend their days plotting, playing chess, and working off punishments for their failed escapes. Hmmm, maybe it isn’t such a bad way to spend the summer after all . . .

A hilarious new middle grade novel from beloved and bestselling author Gordon Korman about what happens when the worst class of kids in school is paired with the worst teacher—perfect for fans of Ms. Bixby’s Last Day. A good choice for summer reading or anytime! The Unteachables are a notorious class of misfits, delinquents, and academic train wrecks. Like Aldo, with anger management issues; Parker, who can’t read; Kiana, who doesn’t even belong in the class—or any class; and Elaine (rhymes with pain). The Unteachables have been removed from the student body and isolated in room 117. Their teacher is Mr. Zachary Kermit, the most burned-out teacher in all of Greenwich. He was once a rising star, but his career was shattered by a cheating scandal that still haunts him. After years of phoning it in, he is finally one year away from early retirement. But the superintendent has his own plans to torpedo that idea—and it involves assigning Mr. Kermit to the Unteachables. The Unteachables never thought they’d find a teacher who had a worse attitude than they did. And Mr. Kermit never thought he would actually care about teaching again. Over the course of a school year, though, room 117 will experience mayhem, destruction—and maybe even a shot at redemption.

Super-selling author Gordon Korman sends Amy and Dan off on a wild chase in Book 2 of the highly-anticipated 39 Clues series. THIS JUST IN! Amy and Dan Cahill were spotted on a train, hot on the trail of one of 39 Clues hidden around the world. BUT WAIT! Police report a break-in at an elite hotel, and the suspects ALSO sound suspiciously like Amy and Dan. UPDATE! Amy and Dan have been seen in a car . . . no, in a speedboat chase . . . and HOLD EVERYTHING! They''re being chased by an angry mob!? When there''s a Clue on the line, anything can happen.

It''s The Unteachables meets I, Robot in another funny middle school tale from Gordon Korman! It’s the start of a new school year and Oliver is looking forward to a seventh-grade year full of spitballs, jokes and pranks with his friend Nathan. And their new homeroom teacher, Mr. Aidact, looks like a prime target. He’s an odd duck — with a weird, stilted vocabulary, an unusual way of looking at things, and a strangely old student teacher constantly in tow. He also has a seemingly superhuman ability to detect and defuse almost every one of Oliver’s schemes. But that’s not all of it. Mr. Aidact seems to be teaching pretty much every subject. He’s willing to take over jobs no other teacher will, like supervising detention and coaching the field hockey team. Oliver and Nathan are determined to find out what is up with this guy. What they uncover is out of this world! Mr. Aidact is, in fact, superhuman — he’s an android, a secret project of the Department of Education. And when the secret leaks out, the school and the PTA are in an uproar, and calls for his “deactivation” are loud and clear. Can Oliver and his friends turn this plan around and save the teacher they’ve grown to love and appreciate?

Six kids are stuck on a desert island and must survive. What if they''re not alone?

Gecko doesn''t want to go back to Juvenile Detention, but trouble somehow always finds him... Graham "Gecko" Fosse drove the getaway car for a robbery he didn''t even know was going down. But that doesn''t keep him out of Juvie — the worst place he has ever been. It''s a place where its inmates, some convicted teenage killers, could easily write an encyclopedia on how to inflict pain. Thankfully, do-gooder Douglas Healy shows up, giving Gecko a chance to swap the slammer for a halfway house lived in by two other young criminals. There are just three crucial conditions — the three boys must stay in school and out of trouble, all while staying on Social Services'' good side. Or else it''s back to Juvie for all of them. But Terence seems bent on getting himself into trouble — the boys catch him sneaking down the fire escape, off to pull another heist. If only their fight hadn''t gotten physical and Healy hadn''t wound up in the hospital with amnesia. If only Gecko wasn''t falling for a girl whose dad''s best friend was the Deputy Police chief. And that''s just the beginning of their problems. One thing''s for certain: if the boys are found out, their second chance will be their last...

Sharks, shipwreck, and sunken treasure in the latest adventure trilogy from Gordon Korman.Four kids are on a marine expedition for the summer, diving to explore an underwater habitat that''s just been altered by a seismic event. What they find, though, is much more than fish - it''s sunken treasure. Can they salvage it without anyone else getting to it first? Will the prospect of wealth set them against one another? And what about those sharks . . . .DIVE is another action-packed trilogy from Gordon Korman. The narrative will shift between an account of two kids caught in the shipwreck and the story of the four kids fighting over and desperately trying to get the treasure.

Ocean''s 11 . . . with 11-year-olds, in a super stand-alone heist caper from Gordon Korman!After a mean collector named Swindle cons him out of his most valuable baseball card, Griffin Bing must put together a band of misfits to break into Swindle''s compound and recapture the card. There are many things standing in their way -- a menacing guard dog, a high-tech security system, a very secret hiding place, and their inability to drive -- but Griffin and his team are going to get back what''s rightfully his . . . even if hijinks ensue. This is Gordon Korman at his crowd-pleasing best, perfect for readers who like to hoot, howl, and heist.

A funny, suspenseful mystery and unlikely friendship story from New York Times bestselling author Gordon Korman—perfect for fans of Swindle and Ungifted. Keenan has lived all over the world but nowhere quite as strange as Centerlight Island, which is split between the United States and Canada. The only thing weirder than Centerlight itself is his neighbor Zarabeth, aka ZeeBee. ZeeBee is obsessed with the island’s history as a Prohibition-era smuggling route. She’s also convinced that her beloved dog, Barney, was murdered—something Keenan finds pretty hard to believe. Just about everyone on Centerlight is a suspect, because everyone hated Barney, a huge dog—part mastiff, part rottweiler—notorious for terrorizing the community. Accompanied by a mild-mannered new dog who is practically Barney’s opposite, ZeeBee enlists Keenan’s help to solve the mystery. As Keenan and ZeeBee start to unravel the clues, they uncover a shocking conspiracy that dates back to Centerlight’s gangster past. The good news is that Keenan may have found the best friend he’s ever had. The bad news is that the stakes are sky-high. And now someone is after them. . . .

Two kids break out of a juvenile detention center and become fugitives in order to clear their convicted parents'' names in this heartstopping series from kid-read master Gordon Korman.Aidan and Meg Falconer are their parents'' only hope. The Falconers are facing life in prison -- unless Aidan and Meg can follow a trail of clues to prove their innocence. The problem? Right now they''re trapped in a juvenile detention center. Until they escape one night -- and find themselves on the run, both from the authorities and from a sinister attacker t who has his own reason to stop them. The Falconers must use their wits to make it across the country ... with plenty of tests along the way. Gordon Korman takes readers into FUGITIVE territory -- with thrilling results.

An action-packed survival suspense from bestselling and award-winning author Gordon Korman. Six kids. One shipwreck. One desert island.They didn''t want to be on the boat in the first place. They were sent there as punishment, or as a character-building experience. Now the adults are gone, and the quest for survival has begun.

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Unteachables, Gordon Korman, comes a hilarious new high-concept friendship story in the vein of Back to the Future. Perfect for fans of Korman’s Restart. Mason and Ty were once the very best of friends, like two nerdy sides of the same coin . . . until seventh grade, when Ava Petrakis came along. Now Mason can trace everything bad in his life to that terrible fight they had over the new girl. The one thing he’d give anything for is a do-over. But that can’t happen in real life—can it? As a science kid, Mason knows do-overs are impossible, so he can’t believe it when he wakes up from a freak accident and finds himself magically transported back to seventh grade. His parents aren’t yet divorced and his beloved sheepdog is still alive. Best of all, he and Ty haven’t had their falling-out yet. It makes no logical sense, but Mason is determined to use this second chance to not only save his friendship (and his dog!) but do other things differently—like trying out for the football team and giving new friends a chance. There’s just one person he’ll be avoiding at all costs: Ava. But despite his best efforts, will he be able to stop the chain of events that made his previous life implode?

Unable to return to their normal lives despite the end of the Clue hunt, new Madrigal leaders Amy and Dan anxiously prepare for a retaliatory strike by the Vespers, who kidnap a number of Cahill family members and demand that Amy and Dan steal a famous painting.

The sequel to Gordon Korman''s SWINDLE---the Man With A Plan is back! When Griffin Bing''s class goes to a floating zoo, they don''t expect to see animals being treated so badly. They don''t expect to find Cleo, Dog Whisperer Savannah''s pet monkey who''s been missing for weeks. And they really don''t expect to have to hide the animals once they''ve rescued them! Hilarity ensues as Griffin''s team once more pulls off a heist . . . trying to break the animals back into a (better) zoo!

Wild things happen at the South Middle School when Milo''s science project, Henrietta the chicken, becomes the hockey team''s mascot and their only chance for a winning season.

The morning after Hurricane Leo rips through the town, residents awaken to widespread destruction. Four eighth grade friends meet to explore the damage. The group is upset to find that Evan has brought Ricky, the new kid. Until Ricky finds a strange trap door in the middle of the woods.