The Mysterious Benedict Society

I picked this up to read with r, but she seemed intimidated by the length of the book, so I ended up reading it on my own. I liked the way the four main characters have different strengths and must work together to save world. The story seems to take place in a pre-Internet world, but those who watch too much TV seem more prone to being mind-controlled. Instead of having parents supervising their every moment, they have had to make their own way in the world, although they do all seem to long to be part of a family.