THEODORE
              kid lawyer
BOONE
By John Grisham

Theo Boone, 13, already thinks of himself as a lawyer.  He is the only child of two good lawyers in town, he knows most of the other lawyers, judges, clerks, and bailiffs in town and at the courthouse, and he has picked up a lot of knowledge about the law by hanging around and listening.  It is no wonder that all his classmates at school come to him when they have problems connected with the law--everything from a dog in the pound to an older brother in jail on drug charges. 

The biggest murder trial this town has ever had is going on at the courthouse right now, Judge Henry Gantry presiding, and Theo has a burning desire to be present for every bit of it.  The only problem is that he can't skip school.  Fortunately, he and Judge Gantry are tight, and he gets permission for his government class to be present in the courtroom on the first day of the trial.  After that, he has to rush over after school to watch, and then fill in the gaps by hacking into the court reporters' secure system.  Since there is no hard evidence, it looks like the defendent is going to get off scot free, even though Theo is convinced he really murdered his wife.

For Theo, the murder trial becomes personal when a friend of his tells him he might know something about the murder, and introduces him to an eye witness to the crime.  The only problem is that the witness is terrified of the police and doesn't want to testify because he is an illegal immigrant.  He can't afford to be jailed or sent out of the country.  Theo spends several sleepless nights trying to figure out how to handle this situation before he finally trusts the adults in his life.

This is John Grisham's first novel for kids.  While Theodore Boone is a likable character, the plot is a little slow.  Grisham spends a lot of time setting up the storyline, and then there are few surprises.  Still, it is an enjoyable read and would appeal to some kids who are interested in the law, or who don't need tons of action to enjoy a book.  I'd expect a second Theo Boone offering to be much better.        ~reviewed by Mrs. Sams

Black & White and Dead All Over

by John Darnton

It's bad enough that the New York Globe is struggling with decreasing circulation and advertising while its readership increasingly depends on the Internet for its news. But the Globe is really in trouble when one of its most hated editors is murdered and his bleeding body deposited on the floor of the main newsroom, with a stake through his chest. Ace reporter Jude Hurley is given the assignment to cover the murder, teaming up with NYPD detective, Priscilla Bollingsworth. They are obviously dealing with a clever murderer because two weeks pass with little real evidence and few clues coming to light, while two more Globe reporters are murdered in ever more gruesome ways. The ambitions and petty jealousies of editors and reporters at the Globe put nearly everyone under suspicion and make for a smart, suspenseful story by Pulitzer-prize winning journalist, John Darnton. This great read will be available at the LHS library this fall.

---reviewed by Dail Sams