Review by Booklist Review
After years of taking on lawyers of the adult persuasion, best-selling writer Grisham turns to a lawyer who's only 13. Well, Theo Boone hasn't taken the bar, but he offers advice to his friends, hangs out at the courthouse, and watches Perry Mason reruns. Things turn serious, however, when a witness to a murder, a young illegal immigrant, comes to Theo with evidence. The trial is in full swing, and it looks like the defendant will walk unless Theo comes forward. But he's promised the young man he will keep his identity confidential. What should he do? Grisham doesn't have the whole writing-for-kids thing down quite yet. His style, a little stiff, sometimes seems as if it's written for an earlier era. In one howler, he introduces Theo's teacher: He always addressed them as men' and for thirteen-year-olds there was no greater compliment. The moral dilemma Grisham poses is interesting, but when Theo (logically) calls in the adults, it loses tension. Problem-solver Theo sometimes seems like a sophisticated Encylopedia Brown, and as with the boy detective, expect to see more of him.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Grisham, a bestseller-list fixture with his legal thrillers, makes his children's book debut with a series opener that lacks thrills. The only child of two attorneys, Theo Boone is an endearing oddball, an eighth-grader who still thinks girls have cooties, but who knows every lawyer, bailiff, and judge in town. There's an underdeveloped subplot about a best friend whose parents are divorcing, but Theo's contacts with peers mainly consist of him playing lawyer-advising one boy to have his parents file for bankruptcy to avoid foreclosure, reassuring another about his brother's drug arrest, and in the main thread, producing an eyewitness to a murder for which the prosecuting attorney, heretofore, had only circumstantial evidence. He's less a real kid than an adult's projection of what an ideal kid might be like-determined to be the "most talented linguist" in his Spanish class and appreciative of the scruffy charms of the local college team's baseball stadium. The book is smoothly written, and there's a mild tutorial on the criminal justice system ("Theo knew that in 65 percent of murder cases the defendant does not testify..."). What there isn't is any excitement. Ages 8-12. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 6-8-Thirteen-year-old Theodore Boone's fervent wish is to become a great lawyer one day, or better yet, a great judge. Theo's parents are both lawyers and have their law firm where Theo has his own little office. Because of his knowledge of legal matters, his classmates turn to him for advice. As John Grisham's first volume (Dutton, 2010) in a projected series opens, Theo has arranged for his class to go on a field trip to the courthouse for the opening of a high-profile murder trial. Theo becomes more directly involved in the sensational murder trial when one of his friends informs him that his cousin is in possession of key evidence in the case but is too afraid to come forward because of his immigration status. Although Theo is sworn to secrecy, he must figure out how to bring this information to light before the end of the trial. The courtroom drama and background legal matters are realistically portrayed and easy to understand. There are times though, when the action slows down as Grisham weaves explanations of the legal system and process into the story. Richard Thomas's well-paced reading is appropriately youthful, and he gives each character a distinct voice. The conclusion of the novel serves as the beginning of the next and the continuation of the case.-Mary Oluonye, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Theo Boone has the sharpest legal mind at Strattenburg's middle school. His mother is a divorce lawyer, his father a real-estate attorney, and Theo, well versed in the law, gives free legal advice to his classmates. But it's criminal law that intrigues Theo: he wants to be a trial lawyer. "Most of his classmates dreamed of getting tickets to the big game or concert. Theo Boone lived for the big trials." As in his works for adults, Grisham introduces fairly one-dimensional characters (Theo, except for a penchant for hacking, is close to being the perfect child). But plot is Grisham's forte, and here he serves up a dandy legal adventure that runs at a lesser pace than his adult books do but nonetheless moves along quickly. A big murder trial based on circumstantial evidence creates a platform for Theo, in his informal role as legal advisor, to learn of an undocumented El Salvadorian eyewitness. Without intruding on the trajectory of the story, Grisham gives plenty of background about the legal process and explores various ethical questions concerning Theo's newfound information. Maybe a guilty pleasure, but a pleasure nonetheless. betty carter (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
