Another Great Book

Because I enjoyed reading The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt, I decided that I would read First Boy.

And over all, I enjoyed this book more than The Wednesday Wars.

Cooper Jewett is the main character.  He lives with his grandparents because his parents died in a car crash shortly after he was born.

Then, his grandfather passes away (his grandmother had passed away earlier) leaving Cooper an orphan.  An orphan responsible for a New Hampshire dairy farm.

A local politician wants Cooper’s help on the campaign trail.  The Senator believes that Cooper can help him become the next president of the United States. (This seemed a little far fetched to my adult mind. But I think kids will not question it.)

There are suspicious black sedans lurking around.  Then his small barn burns down.  Cooper struggles to do his homework and do all of the chores on the farm.

While I think that girls will enjoy this book, I think that it will really appeal to boys because the main character is a boy and because of all of the action. Theft, kidnapping, and car chases.  And the President of the United States wants to talk with Cooper. Suspense abounds in this book.  It is a definite page-turner-I-gotta-know-what-happens kind of book.

I only have one complaint about the book.  Some of the emotions that the author attributes to the fourteen-year-old main character seem to be rather juvenile.  Emotions that seem to be more normal for a nine or ten-year-old boy. But, I think this would not be something that a young person would think while reading the book.

Recommend this book to your grandchildren that are in the sixth grade — or above.  I think know that they will enjoy reading it.