Theodore Boone: The Activist

( 27 )

Overview

Theodore Boone is back, and he’s facing his most dangerous case yet. As Strattenburg sits divided over a hot political and environmental issue, Theo finds himself in the middle of the battle. When he uncovers corruption beneath the surface, Theo will confront bigger risks than ever to himself and those he loves. But even face-to-face with danger, Theodore Boone will do whatever it takes to stand up for what’s right.
 

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More About This Book

Overview

Theodore Boone is back, and he’s facing his most dangerous case yet. As Strattenburg sits divided over a hot political and environmental issue, Theo finds himself in the middle of the battle. When he uncovers corruption beneath the surface, Theo will confront bigger risks than ever to himself and those he loves. But even face-to-face with danger, Theodore Boone will do whatever it takes to stand up for what’s right.
 

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What People Are Saying

From the Publisher
Raves for the Theodore Boone series

- "Smartly written." —USA Today
- "Edge-of-your-seat drama, sophisticated plotting, and plenty of spunk." —Chicago Sun-Times
- "Classic Grisham." —The Los Angeles Times
- "Not since Nancy Drew has a nosy, crime-obsessed kid been so hard to resist." —The New York Times
- "Gripping . . . I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery. I think everyone will be enthralled by Theodore Boone." —Scholastic News

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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780525425779
  • Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
  • Publication date: 5/21/2013
  • Edition description: Reprint
  • Pages: 272
  • Sales rank: 102
  • Age range: 8 - 12 Years
  • Product dimensions: 5.90 (w) x 8.30 (h) x 1.12 (d)

Meet the Author

John Grisham

John Grisham is the author of a collection of stories, a work of nonfiction, three sports novels, four kids' books, and many legal thrillers. His work has been translated into forty-two languages. He lives near Charlottesville, Virginia.

Biography

As a young boy in Arkansas, John Grisham dreamed of being a baseball player. Fortunately for his millions of fans, that career didn't pan out. His family moved to Mississippi in 1967, where Grisham eventually received a law degree from Ole Miss and established a practice in Southaven for criminal and civil law. In 1983, Grisham was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives, where he served until 1990.

While working as an attorney, Grisham witnessed emotional testimony from the case of a young girl's rape. Naturally inquisitive, Grisham's mind started to wander: what if the terrible crime yielded an equally terrible revenge? These questions of right and wrong were the subject of his first novel, A Time to Kill (1988), written in the stolen moments before and between court appearances. The book wasn't widely distributed, but his next title would be the one to bring him to the national spotlight. The day after he finished A Time to Kill, Grisham began work on The Firm (1991), the story of a whiz kid attorney who joins a crooked law firm. The book was an instant hit, spent 47 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list, and was made into a movie starring Tom Cruise.

With the success of The Firm, Grisham resigned from the Mississippi House of Representatives to focus exclusively on his writing. What followed was a string of bestselling legal thrillers that demonstrated the author's uncanny ability to capture the unique drama of the courtroom. Several of his novels were turned into blockbuster movies.

In 1996, Grisham returned to his law practice for one last case, honoring a promise he had made before his retirement. He represented the family of a railroad worker who was killed on the job, the case went to trial, and Grisham won the largest verdict of his career when the family was awarded more than $650,000.

Although he is best known for his legal thrillers, Grisham has ventured outside the genre with several well-received novels (A Painted House, Bleachers, et al) and an earnest and compelling nonfiction account of small-town justice gone terribly wrong (The Innocent Man). The popularity of these stand-alones proves that Grisham is no mere one-trick pony but a gifted writer with real "legs."

Good To Know

A prolific writer, it takes Grisham an average of six months to complete a novel.

Grisham has the right to approve or reject whoever is cast in movies based on his books. He has even written two screenplays himself: Mickey and The Gingerbread Man.

Baseball is one of Grisham's great loves. He serves as the local Little League commissioner and has six baseball diamonds on his property, where he hosts games.

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    1. Hometown:
      Oxford, Mississippi, and Albemarle County, Virginia
    1. Date of Birth:
      February 8, 1955
    2. Place of Birth:
      Jonesboro, Arkansas
    1. Education:
      B.S., Mississippi State, 1977; J.D., University of Mississippi, 1981
    2. Website:
      http://www.jgrisham.com

Read an Excerpt

Chapter 1

The opponent was the team from Central, the “other” school in town and the great rival of Strattenburg Middle School. Whenever there was a game or a match or contest of any sort against Central, the tensions were higher, the crowds were bigger, and things just seemed more important. This was true even for a debate. One month earlier, the SMS Eighth-Grade Debate Team had won at Central in a packed auditorium, and when the decision was announced by the judges the crowd was not happy. There were a few boos, though these were quickly hushed. Good behavior and sportsmanship were expected, regardless of the contest.

Strattenburg’s captain was Theodore Boone, who was also the anchor, the closer, the go-to guy when the pressure was on. Theo and his team had never lost, though they were not quite undefeated. Two months earlier, they had tied with the SMS girls’ team after a rowdy debate on the issue of raising the driving age from sixteen to eighteen.

But Theo wasn’t thinking about other debates at the moment. He was onstage, seated at a folding table. Aaron on one side and Joey on the other, all three young men in coats and ties and looking quite snappy, and all three staring across the stage at the team from Central. Mr. Mount, Theo’s adviser, friend, and debate coach, was speaking into a microphone and saying, “And now, the final statement by Strattenburg, from Theodore Boone.”

Theo glanced at the crowd. His father was sitting in the front row. His mother, a busy divorce lawyer, was tied up in court and upset that she was missing her only child in action. Behind Mr. Boone was a row of girls, including April Finnemore, one of Theo’s closest friends, and Hallie Kershaw, the most popular girl in the entire eighth grade. Grouped behind the girls were a bunch of teachers: Madame Monique, from Cameroon, who taught Spanish and was Theo’s second favorite, after Mr. Mount, of course; and Mrs. Garman, who taught Geometry; and Mrs. Everly, who taught English. Even Mrs. Gladwell, the principal, was there. All in all a nice crowd, for a debate anyway. For a basketball or football game, there would have been twice as many spectators, but then those teams had more than three contestants per side, and, frankly, were more exciting to watch.

Theo tried not to consider these things, though it was difficult. An asthma condition prohibited him from participating in organized sports, so this was his chance to compete before spectators. He loved the fact that most of his classmates were terrified of speaking in public, while he enjoyed the challenge. Justin could dribble a basketball between his legs and hit three-pointers all day long, but when called on in class he was as timid as a four-year-old. Brian was the fastest thirteen-year-old swimmer in Strattenburg, and he enjoyed the confident swagger of a great athlete, but put him in front of a crowd and he wilted.

Not Theo. Theo spent little time in the bleachers cheering for the other kids; instead, he hung around courtrooms and watched lawyers battle before juries and judges. He would be a great lawyer one day, and though he was only thirteen, he had already learned the valuable lesson that speaking in public was important to success. It wasn’t easy. In fact, as Theo stood and walked business-like to the podium, he felt his stomach flip and his heart race. He had read stories of great athletes and their pregame routines, and how many of them were so tense and edgy they would actually vomit. Theo did not feel sick to his stomach, but he felt the fear, the unease. A veteran trial lawyer had once told him: “If you’re not nervous, son, then something is wrong.”

Theo was certainly nervous, but he knew from experience it was only temporary. Once the game started, the butterflies disappeared. He touched the microphone, looked at the moderator, and said, “Thank you, Mr. Mount.” He turned to the Central team, cleared his throat, reminded himself once again to speak clearly and slowly, and began, “Now, Mr. Bledsoe makes some valid points, especially when he argues that someone who breaks the law should not benefit from it. And that many American students who were born here and whose parents were born here cannot afford college. These arguments cannot be ignored.”

Theo took a breath, then turned his attention to the spectators, though he avoided eye contact. He had learned a few tricks during his career in debate, and one of the most important was to ignore the faces in the crowd. They could be distracting. They could make you lose your train of thought. Instead, Theo looked at objects when he spoke—an empty seat on the right side, a clock in the back of the room, a window on the left side—and as he spoke he continually shifted his gaze from one to the other. This gave the clear impression that Theo was tuned in to the crowd, looking earnestly, communicating. It made him seem comfortable at the podium, something the judges always liked.

He continued: “However, children of undocumented workers—we used to call them illegal immigrants—have no choice where they are born, nor can they choose where they live. Their parents made the decision to enter, illegally, the United States, and they did so primarily because they were hungry and looking for a job. It’s not fair to punish the children for what their parents did. We have students in this school, and at Central, and at every school in this district, who are not supposed to be here because their parents broke the law. But, we admit them, accept them, and our system educates them. In many cases, they are our friends.”

The issue was red-hot. There was a noisy movement sweeping across the state to prohibit the children of undocumented workers from enrolling in public colleges. Those who supported the ban argued that the large number of “illegals” would (1) swamp the university system; and (2) squeeze out American students who might otherwise barely qualify for college; and (3) consume millions in tax dollars paid in by real US citizens. The Central team had done a good job making these points so far in the debate.

Theo went on, “The law requires this school system, and every school system in this state, to accept and educate all students, regardless of where they come from. If the state has to pay for the first twelve years, why then should the state be allowed to slam the doors when these students are ready for college?”

Theo had some notes scribbled on a sheet of paper in front of him on the podium, but he refused to look down. Judges loved debaters who spoke without looking down, and Theo knew he was earning points. All three of the boys from Central had relied on their notes.

He raised a finger and said, “First, it’s a question of fairness. All of us have been told by our parents that they expect us to go to college. It’s part of the American dream. It seems unfair, then, to pass a law that will prohibit many of our students, and many of our friends, from being admitted to college.” He raised another finger. “Second, competition is always good. Mr. Bledsoe takes the position that US citizens should be given priority in college admissions because their parents were here first, even though some of these students are not as qualified as the children of undocumented workers. Shouldn’t our colleges admit the best students, period? Across this state, each year there are about thirty thousand openings for incoming freshmen. Why should anyone get special consideration? If our colleges admit the best students, doesn’t that make our colleges stronger? Of course it does. No one should be admitted unless he or she deserves it, just as no one should be denied based on where his or her parents were born.”

Mr. Mount worked hard to suppress a grin. Theo was on a roll and he knew it. He managed to add just a trace of anger to his voice, nothing too dramatic, but the right touch that conveyed the message—This is so obvious, how can anyone argue with me? Mr. Mount had seen this before. Theo was moving in for the kill.

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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 27 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(17)

4 Star

(3)

3 Star

(4)

2 Star

(2)

1 Star

(1)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 27 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted May 26, 2013

    G

    I'm on chapter five and its pretty boring so far. I was expecting a little more because of the last 3 books. Those were VERY GOOD. Come on John Grisham, u coulda added a bit more action in these chapters, cuz if the first chapter isnt good, how will the rest of the book be? But its still ok.

    6 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted June 2, 2013

    Worth the byy

    This book is great. I recommend it for everyone. Another great adventure with theo. This wasnt the best theodore boone book but still great. I read all the other books of the series and i think this one was alittle boring. But the end was great. As u reach the middle of the book it gets interesting. Idk about adults liking this book but im 13 and it was good for me.

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 26, 2013

    Disappointed and mislead

    This book is intended for teens and it doesn,t provide this info in the overview. Waste of my money and time. Second it's boring and predictable. Alecture on the topic would probably be more exciting.

    3 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted June 3, 2013

    YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Thar is happy parts sad parts scary parts all sorts of parts. But the mack the book so good that you want to read and read and read more! Do read it to day. Don't be shy.
    From
    Cooky11

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 30, 2013

    Cant wait to read this!

    I have read all of these books and they are amazing! Just about to sit back and enjoy another one

    2 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 27, 2013

    Anonymous 1

    Could anyone who read this book tell me if this book is good or not? Just started reading this book and I can't tell if it sucks or not. Please reply!

    2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted June 8, 2013

    Awesomeness

    This is such a good book im not very far into it but i think its awesome. The other three books were amazing too just in case your wondering

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted June 5, 2013

    AWESOME!!!!!!!!!

    AMAZING!!!!!! '-' '-' :) :)

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted June 2, 2013

    Must Read!

    This book is amazing! It will leave you on the edge of your seat! A must-rrad!

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted June 1, 2013

    New

    Love all the other books so can't wait to read

    1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted June 18, 2013

    Theodore Boone Review

    Overall, this book was ok. It had its good parts and its bad parts. 60% of the book left you bored. In my opinion its the second worst one of the series. There is some AMAZING parts though. Espicially towards the end and in the middle. The begining was slow at first. I would recommend this if you are kinda bored and have a weekend full of nothing

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  • Anonymous

    Posted June 17, 2013

    Will

    Awewome series so kids grow up to become a lawyer!!

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted June 14, 2013

    Another great Boone story!

    This is another great story in the Boone series. I hope there are more to come. Boy, does that Theo come up with great ideas.

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  • Posted June 14, 2013

    must read for teenagers

    John Grisham has written a remarkable set of books for young people.
    We want more readers in the youth years. Grisham is making a large
    contribution toward that goal.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted June 14, 2013

    Highly Recommended - you must check it out!!

    Excellent reading. It is good for any age group, although it is written for teenagers. You can't stop reading.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted June 3, 2013

    Hi?

    I aam noticing something . Therrpe is a user that goes around saying hi. WIerd

    0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 31, 2013

    Don't purchase unless you are a child. In my opinion, seemed ev

    Don't purchase unless you are a child. In my opinion, seemed even too lame for teens. And as an adult, I found it very boring.

    0 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 26, 2013

    Should i get it..

    Expensive

    0 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 26, 2013

    Hi

    This book looks so cool!!!!!"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!##!!!!!!!!!!!!!!""$$$

    0 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 20, 2013

    I can't beleive it

    I won the lottery! And the book comes out tomorrow!

    0 out of 16 people found this review helpful.

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 27 Customer Reviews
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