Fourth Grade Journey

A Fourth Grade Teacher's Journey Through the World of Books

Monday, June 16, 2014

The Great Greene Heist by Varian Johnson...

How I Heard About It:  This book title came to me via Twitter and my Twitter friends.  I also know it is being read for the Sharp/Schu book club.  I was excited that it was going to be one of the first books I read during summer vacation 2014.  

What It Is About:  Jackson Greene is a conman in middle school and loves to solve mysteries and pull off the ultimate cons.  In this story he comes up against his greatest con in which he must tamper with the class president election results.  The student body is divided into two groups with each group vying to get their candidate into "office".  One of the candidates is on the up and up and wants to win the election in the most honest way she can and the other candidate is on the opposite end of the election spectrum.  Jackson and his crew devise a plan in which they will be sure their candidate wins and the opposing side doesn't.  They learn real fast that the other side to go to extreme measures to make sure they win.  The principal of the school even gets in the action and it isn't on the side you would  think he would be on.  

What I Thought Of It:  This was an enjoyable and interesting read.  It is quite different from most middle-grade novels I normally read.  I liked the mystery of the story and how it was like a "con man" type story just like in the movies.  There were some over the top moments that normally wouldn't take place in a middle school setting, but it made for a fun read.  The characters were interesting to read about and each one played an important part to the plot.    

Who Should Read It:  The novel would make for a wonderful read aloud in grades four through six. Each chapter ends on a bit of a cliff hanger and would keep the audience interested in the story.  If a student wanted to read this book on their own, they should be in grades four or higher.  Since the story revolves around a middle-school crowd, I also think that students in these grades would also enjoy the book.  Happy Reading!  

Rating:  4 STARS out of 5 Stars 

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