{"id":25314,"date":"2014-09-10T23:25:03","date_gmt":"2014-09-11T03:25:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=25314"},"modified":"2014-09-10T23:25:03","modified_gmt":"2014-09-11T03:25:03","slug":"review-of-the-great-greene-heist-by-varian-johnson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=25314","title":{"rendered":"Review of the Great Greene Heist, by Varian Johnson"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"great_greene_heist_large\"<\/a>The Great Greene Heist<\/p>\n

Saving the School, One Con at a Time<\/em><\/p>\n

by Varian Johnson<\/p>\n

Arthur A. Levine Books (Scholastic), 2014. 226 pages.
\nStarred Review<\/p>\n

This is a Heist Novel set in middle school, and it\u2019s tightly plotted and brilliantly executed. On top of that we\u2019ve got a diverse cast of characters, nicely reflecting middle school students today. In the tradition of heist stories, the caper is pulled off by a team working together.<\/p>\n

The heist in this case is to steal the student council election. But don\u2019t worry \u2013 it\u2019s ethical because the principal has accepted a bribe to make Keith Sinclair win. Keith would have the power to cut funding for all the student clubs he doesn\u2019t like \u2013 and he doesn\u2019t like any that Jackson Greene is involved in.<\/p>\n

The book starts, expertly, in the middle of the action. Jackson Greene already has a history of schemes and cons. After getting caught on \u201cThe Kelsey Job,\u201d otherwise known as \u201cThe Mid-Day PDA,\u201d he is not allowed to carry a cell phone, and has promised to reform. And his friend, Gaby, hates him. Because Jackson was caught in the principal\u2019s office, kissing another girl.<\/p>\n

Gaby de la Cruz is the one running against Keith Sinclair, and she\u2019s the one who should win. However, as it becomes clear that Keith is going to use shady means to win, Jackson reluctantly agrees to bring his formidable talents to bear on making sure Gaby gets elected.<\/p>\n

The characters in this novel are varied and realistic middle school students. The election is taking place the same day as the end of year formal, so there\u2019s added tension as to who\u2019s attending the formal with whom. I love the way Jackson is brilliant in planning a job \u2013 yet as clueless as any thirteen-year-old boy about girls. The action keeps moving, so you never want to put down the book.<\/p>\n

varianjohnson.com<\/a>
\nscholastic.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Childrens_Fiction\/great_greene_heist.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Source: This review is based on a library book from Fairfax County Public Library.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but I maintain my website and blogs on my own time. The views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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