Theodore Boone: The Abduction offers crime thriller for kids

Theodore Boone: The Abduction by John Grisham; published by Dutton Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, New York; 2011.

Adults are familiar with John Grisham’s legal thriller genre.  Well, he expanded his market by creating “kid lawyer” (also the name of the first book in the series) Theodore “Theo” Boone.  This 8th grader is obsessed with the law.  Both parents are lawyers; in fact, other extended family members also practice law.  The courthouse is his second home.  In this installment, Theo’s friend April is missing and presumed dead.  With a little luck, covert tips from his uncle, and some ‘net skills, Theo finds out more about April and her family.  Of course, he helps solve the crime!  In the meantime, he stands before the judge in animal court, representing an immigrant classmate in the case of a parrot gone wild.

I can’t seem to summarize this book.  Perhaps it’s because it was a very light read for me, but I’m sure it will engross certain readers.  I read a few of Grisham’s early novels but was quickly bored by the boilerplate plots and resolutions.  Reading this book geared for kids (6th through 8th grade? really? not.) made me feel talked down to.  I don’t think he gets that writing for children does not mean writing simply.  Kids are far more sophisticated than most grown-ups realize.  So will middle school readers pick these up?  Maybe.  But discerning readers will get tired of the condescension and will read books really written to their age level.  I’d recommend this to 4th and 5th graders though as a way to introduce another genre.  Maybe it will turn reluctant readers into readers like Grisham’s books for older readers did for some adults I know.

Class Is Not Dismissed! Return to School of Fear

School of Fear: Class Is Not Dismissed! by Gitty Daneshvari; illustrated by Carrie Gifford; pulbished by Little, Brown and Company, New York; 2010.

NOTE: This review is based on an ARC (advance reading copy) provided for free by the publisher.  The cover art, below, and the publication information is subject to change.  Expected release date: September 14, 2010.

A year has passed since Madeleine, Theo, Lulu and Garrison were dismissed from Mrs. Wellington’s School of Fear.  Letters arrive at the homes of all four former students requiring them all to return to School of Fear as their fears have not been fully cured.  When they arrive, they discover a mystery that threatens to shut down the secretive school.  They also learn a fifth student has joined them.  Hyacinth adds her fear of being alone, and her pet ferret Celery, to the idiosyncrasies of the visitors to Summerstone.  Can they overcome their fears and help dear Mrs. Wellington keep the school open?

At first, I figured I was at a great disadvantage having not read the first book in the series.  However, I was pleasantly surprised that this book not only stands on its own, but the author has also cleverly made mention of highlights from book one in concise descriptions that didn’t make me feel left out.  Daneshvari also clearly defines the characters and their quirks completely and quickly, which helped me get up to speed and fall into the story.

If you’re not familiar with Daneshvari’s School of Fear books, she cleverly uses phobias.  Of course, the obvious purpose of the fears is the premise of the story: A woman has created a secretive school in which children are taught to overcome their deepest, darkest fears.  Those fears color their reactions to each other and to the situations presented in the plot.  But fears also act as chapter titles.  Each chapter opens with the line “EVERYONE’S AFRAID OF SOMETHING” which is followed by a name of a phobia and its description.  Somehow, each phobia plays an integral role in the unfolding story in their respective chapters.  For example, the chapter titled “Xanthophobia is the fear of the color yellow” includes villains in yellow sweaters.

While I really enjoyed the use of fears in forming the storylines, the best reason to read this book is the humor.  Because of the laugh-out-loud lines, I would absolutely use this as a read-aloud.  School librarians or teachers could read a chapter or two at a time to students in grades 2-5 or 6.  Each character’s dialog is unique which is great for using voices in reading performance.  Students in grades 3-6 will enjoy reading this series as well.

The publisher has a fun multi-media website dedicated to the series.  Read the Phobia Dictionary, learn about Macaroni (the bulldog), and see the enrollment video.  Other activities are also available on the site: http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/features/enrollinschooloffear/home.html.

Masterpiece of museum fiction

Masterpiece by Elise Broach, illustrated by Kelly Murphy; published by Christy Ottaviano Books, Henry Holt and Company; New York; 2008.

The end pages include maps of the Pompaday’s kitchen; their cupboard, to be exact, with notes of where the relatives live.  Whose relatives live behind a kitchen cupboard?  Marvin, the beetle’s family, that’s whose.  Marvin is a talented beetle—he can swim and he can create works of art.  He discovered his gift for art when creating a birthday gift for a human boy, James.  James lives with his mother, step-father and baby brother.  But his real adventures lie in his friendship with Marvin and their daring adventure to save priceless art stolen from the Met Museum.  Truly, this book is about friendship and valuing small gifts.

The story is beautifully written in language appropriate for upper elementary aged children.  Murphy’s sketches enhance the story.  Including illustrations in this book helps to break up the text for those children starting to read longer chapter books.

Ironically, I read this book after reviewing The Walker museum’s Portrait Detectives website.  I would pair this book with that website and the Met’s website (they have works by Durer and Bellini on their timeline of art history).  In fact, I think I would create a pathfinder that pairs books like this and Chasing Vermeer with art websites and non-fiction print materials.

Ghost story for summer vacation

Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn; published by Sandpiper, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing, New York; 2007.

Okay, technically this is a ghost story; but there is certainly mystery surrounding Ali’s mom and Aunt Dulcie, as well as their family cabin, Gull Cottage.  At age 13, Ali is trying to be more grown up, but still is child-like.  When Aunt Dulcie asks her to babysit cousin Emma at Gull Cottage, Ali jumps at the chance to be have a little separation from her parents.  What the three of them find at Gull Cottage will focus attention on a mystery from Aunt Dulcie’s childhood.  Only Ali and Emma can solve the mystery and put it to rest.

My daughter recommended that I read this for the mystery because she enjoyed it so much (she is a bedtime-flashlight-reader).  I can understand the attraction in this ghost-story-cum-mystery.  It’s just scary enough to make her heart pump faster without causing nightmares.

I would include this in a list of recommended summer reading for upper elementary aged children—it’s a great book to read by flashlight at camp or on vacation.