Hey guys, Aidan here.
I was lucky enough to get an early copy of this fun-packed story, the perks of having an aunt who writes books, and devoured it in a couple of days. See below for, what I hope will be, the first of many reviews, this summer.
“Now wasn’t a time to be normal. Now was a time to be infamous,” states the clever and mischievous Jackson Greene, and so he goes on to prove in Varian Johnson’s new summer read, The Great Greene Heist.
Jackson Greene, an eighth grade pupil at Maplewood Middle School, is far from your ordinary student. With past misdemeanors, such as “ Blitz at the Fritz”, “Shakedown at Shimmering Hill” and “Mid-day PDA” we can only guess at some of the scrapes Greene has previously instigated, as well as wish we all had such a prankster at our school.
However, Jackson is a really likable character and, with his trademark red tie and a penchant for the good things in life, he cuts a dashing figure around campus. In fact, his mistrust of the cafeteria food is one of the standing jokes that run through the book.
We learn early that Greene has left his life of crime behind, but when Gaby de la Cruz’s run for student council president is derailed by the highly irregular, last minute nomination of Keith Sinclair, Jackson’s curiosity is raised.
Whereas Gaby is interested in having more computers, boosting spirit week participation and acquiring a larger selection of organic food, it seems Sinclair has no platform of his own, and is only running in order to slash the budget to such organizations as the botany and tech club. When it looks like even the principal is bent on deception, Jackson realizes it is time to come out of “retirement” and lend a helping hand.
The Great Greene Heist is a fabulous romp of a book with a wonderful diverse cast of characters, and not only the main protagonists, but also with references to peripheral characters such as Mrs Kai, Naomi, Marcelo and Manuel. I know from my cousins how important it is to read books where you can identify with the main characters, and I think this is one such book that will happily appeal to many.
This is a really fun summer read from a local Austin writer. Looking forward to the sequel if for no other reason than finding out what Greene’s father, brother and grand-father have been up to – allegedly.
Happy reading, folks.
Aidan Puddleton
5 Cousins Adventures 