Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Book Review: Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer by John Grisham


Theodore Boone kid lawyer by John Grisham
Publisher: Dutton Children's Books
Publish Date: May 25, 2010
Hardcover, 288 pages


My Review:
All the excitement of an adult John Grisham novel in a middle grade novel, just easier to understand and read.

I really enjoyed Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer.  It was a cute, and suspenseful novel.  It's not like his adult novels, the twists and turns are pretty evident, but then again I'm a thirty-something, not a middle grader that the book is intended for.  I do think kids will like this one and it will keep them reading until the end.  I know I enjoyed it.  The plot is well done and while the ending is satisfactory, it definitely leaves things open for this series to continue.

Theo is a great character.  He's an eighth-grader who is trying to figure things out, like all eighth-graders out there.  As an only child of two lawyers, the only thing he knows for sure is he wants to be a lawyer. Friends, girls and the rest of it remain a mystery to him.  The lawyer part is what most of the book is based around - Theo helping other kids with legal advice while constantly stating he doesn't have a legal degree.  The other part is Theo trying to figure out what to do when some evidence in a really big case is dumped in his lap.  Otherwise, he's just a kid who wants to help his best friend and be there for her and others.  He is easy to like and feels like a real person.  I love seeing things through him and look forward to more stories with him.

This does have the typical parents that seem to be a little absent, but Theo is a good kid and they do make a point to have supper together every night.  Theo's parents, while distracted, are still interested in his life.  This distracted parent concept is evident in a lot of books now, and probably reflects on the tendency in society at this time to let our kids run without much supervision.  But his parents are there for him when he needs them and that shines through in this book.

Very clean and perfect for middle grades, I'm giving my 9-year-old about a year and then I will recommend this to him.  A great book for boys and girls alike and a perfect summer read.

My Rating:  4.0/5.0

About the Book:


A perfect murder
A faceless witness
A lone courtroom champion knows the whole truth . . . and he’s only thirteen years old
Meet Theodore Boone


In the small city of Strattenburg, there are many lawyers, and though he’s only thirteen years old, Theo Boone thinks he’s one of them. Theo knows every judge, policeman, court clerk—and a lot about the law. He dreams of being a great trial lawyer, of a life in the courtroom.

But Theo finds himself in court much sooner than expected. Because he knows so much—maybe too much—he is suddenly dragged into the middle of a sensational murder trial. A cold-blooded killer is about to go free, and only Theo knows the truth.

The stakes are high, but Theo won’t stop until justice is served.

About the Author:
John Grisham is the author of 21 novels, one work of non-fiction, and one collection of stories. His works are translated into 52 languages. He lives in Virginia and Mississippi.

His website
Facebook Fan page

FTC Information: I checked this book out from my local library for my reading enjoyment.  I have Amazon links on my review pages but I do not make any money from these because of NC laws.  I put them solely for people to check out the books on a retail site.
 

CSN Stores Giveaway

My husband and I have been making small changes to our house as we get a little extra money.  We'll make/buy curtains, a new comforter, some new furniture, and some improvements to the bathroom.

One thing we have been considering is changing our master bath from a shower only to a garden tub/shower.  To do this though, we will need to make changes in our whole bathroom.  So when the opportunity to host a CSN Stores giveaway on my blog was given to me, I immediately went to the bathroom vanities section to see what we could do in our bathroom to update it the way we want it to be.  I found JustVanities.com which is part of the CSN Stores group and they have beautiful bathroom vanities to suit all decors and price ranges.


One of the ones I found that I like is this one:



This is the Dreamline Modern Glass 23" Clear Simplicity Corner Vanity Set and would help us with our space issues while being attractive and I love the towel racks at the base.


The Giveaway:

Jason, part of the Promotion Team at CSN Stores is allowing me to giveaway one item of the winner's choice at any of the CSN Stores up to a value of $60!  There is a lot you find for under $60 at any one of there over 200 stores.  Check it out and simply enter here by leaving your email address.  Giveaway is open to US/Canada only and ends on 6/30.  Extra entries for following me (rss, twitter, google friend, networked blogs, etc.), tweeting (1 per day), and 10 extra entries for visiting JustVanities.com and picking out a vanity that you like the most and sharing with me (I'm always open to new suggestions - price for this exercise is no option - show me what you like.).

Edit to add:  for the 10 extra entries - just enter it once and I'll keep track of your extra entries - sorry I didn't mention this earlier - I forgot! Do comment for each of the other entries though - it makes bookkeeping easier.

Waiting on Wednesday - June 16



"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.


This one comes out next week and since I live at the beach I'm a sucker for all books with beach in the title or what looks like a beach on the cover.  Beyond that, this one sounds really good too.




Beachcombers by Nancy Thayer
Release: June 22, 2010
Beautifully written, powerfully felt, full of both abundant joy and heart-wrenching sorrow, Beachcombers is an extraordinary novel that centers on the bittersweet reunion of three captivating, very different sisters on Nantucket over one gorgeous, exhilarating summer.

Abbie Fox hasn’t seen her father or two younger sisters in almost two years, during which she’s jetted around the world and experienced life, if not love. But now Lily, the baby of the family, is sending Abbie urgent emails begging her to return home to Nantucket. Their middle sister, Emma, has taken to her bed, emotionally devastated after the loss of her high-powered stockbroker’s job and a shockingly unexpected break-up with her fiancĂ©. Also, Lily is deeply worried that Marina, the beautiful, enigmatic woman renting their guesthouse, has set her sights on the sisters’ widowed father, Jim. The Fox girls closed ranks years ago after the haunting, untimely death of their mother, but seeing their dad move on with his life forces each of them to take stock.

Over the course of the summer, the sisters’ lives grow as turbulent as the unpredictable currents encircling Nantucket. When Abbie encounters an incredibly appealing married man, she breaks her own rules in the name of love, fearing all the while that she’ll regret it. Meanwhile, type-A Emma learns a new definition of success, and strong-minded Lily must reconcile her dreams with reality. Even Marina, who has come to Nantucket to forget heartbreak and betrayal, faces an astonishing turn of events that will find her torn between fate and freedom. At summer’s end, these unforgettable women will face profound choices—and undergo personal transformations that will surprise even themselves.
So what are you waiting on this week?