Rook Review: Theodore Boone: The Accused (dog, 8th grade boy, crimes, heroes)

Theodore Boone, The Accused, by John Grisham (Puffin, 2012, 271 pages, $8.99 paperback, ages 8+, grades 3+)

This was a time when 13-year-old boys rode their bikes everywhere in their small town. This was a time when Monday night meant Chinese take-out; Tuesday, volunteering at the homeless shelter for dinner (soup and a sandwich) and helping younger kids with math homework afterwards; Wednesday was the daily special at a Turkish deli, brought home; Thursday – an Italian restaurant, always at the same table; Friday, fish at Malouf’s, a rowdy Lebanese bistro; Saturday, each Boone, in turn, selected his/her favorite and on Sundays, the busy attorney, Mrs. Boone, would try another roast chicken recipe. Life was simpler then.

Meet Theo, Kid Lawyer

Lucy the llama makes quite an appearance, spitting all the way, and young Theo, kid lawyer, ends up defending her successfully in Animal Court* (AKA Kitty Court in other books of the series, such as The Abduction).

A simple plot that is added to, linearly, in each chapter but with Uncle Ike’s help you think you know the culprit who is accusing our hero and planting evidence that points only to Theo.

The Accused begins with a murder trial that can’t begin without an accused who pops up later, towards the end of the book. But with our young hero, Theo, also being accused, you may wonder who the book is really about. Maybe there are two story lines. Maybe this book is like a Saturday afternoon matinee, to be continued next week, in the next book of the series.

Crime, guilt, burglary, fights, vandalism, a stalker, school suspensions and false accusations, rocks thrown through windows, search warrants, flying lessons, Boy Scouts, the VFW, slashed bike tires – again and again, planting the stolen loot, school locker break-ins, Uncle Ike the disbarred lawyer-turned-hippie, and finally, more of Judge the dog**.

As you finish The Accused, you may wonder who really was the hero after all. You will turn the last page to start in on chapter one of The Scandal

and then, if you haven’t read Kid Lawyer yet, the first chapter is also included to hook you.

Author John Grisham remembers what it was like to be an eighth-grade boy, or, at least, what we would have liked it to be like, living in a small town where kids bike everywhere. Where the protagonist has an ideal family and dog and is a good guy himself – smart and well-liked but one who still gets into trouble on occasion. And Grisham also adds funny little anecdotes.

All in all, this a great series for pre-teen boys, girls and adults alike.

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Caveat: This book was purchased for review.

*The previous book also told of Theo’s ‘lawyery’ work in Animal Court with an African Grey Parrot. I wonder if each book will have a subplot with a different animal. Guess I’ll have to read them all to find out – or you could, and comment below.

**Will Judge the dog play an increasingly larger role in each succeeding book? We hope so. It has certainly started out that way.