Book Review: Theodore Boone, The Scandal (8th graders, otters, teachers who cheat!)

Theodore Boone, The Scandal, by John Grisham (Puffin, 2018, 212 pages, $8.99 paperback, ages 8+, grades 3+)

Kid Lawyer with a Dog

Here at DogEvals, we pretty much decided not to publish a review of The Scandal because up until Chapter 20, page 146, there were only slight mentions of a dog, specifically Judge, Theodore’s dog. Then we got to page 146 and decided to write and publish this, not because of a dog but because it is a darn good book for kids and adults that tackles a crucial question worth discussing.

We also decided that we will probably review the entire series: this is our fourth. See Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer; Theodore Boone, The Abduction;

and Theodore Boone, The Accused.

Dogs and Other Animals

If you like otters, each Theo book seems to have an incident in which Theo defends a different animal in Animal Court (our county has a Dangerous Animals Hearing Board but we love the idea of Animal Court).

But right before the otter case is heard, Animal Court hears a barking dog situation. The judge decrees that the owner must bring the dog inside at night to bark at the owners and keep them awake, or the owner must muzzle the dog, or get rid of him, or ---- the judge will have the dog put down. This is a situation definitely for parents to discuss with their kids. Previous titles in the Theo Kid Lawyer series involve a cat and a llama.

The Theo Kid Lawyer Series

Each book also has a situation with Uncle Ike, who, like Theo’s parents is (was) a lawyer; a situation with April, another 8^th-grader like Thso but so not like Theo; biking around town; Boy Scouts; and kids asking Theo for legal assistance. He also gets to sit in a few court cases and, yes, even gets into normal 8^th-grade trouble with his parents. Parents, by the way, that any kid would love to have.

“Theo watched them drive away. It wasn’t a good win, but then it wasn’t a bad loss either. Neither side was satisfied with the outcome, so, as Judge Gantry often said, justice prevailed.” (p. 162)

Kid Books

Kid books star kids, kids who teach the adults a lesson. The Theo books do this incredibly well! As soon as you finish one Theo book, you want to start another.

And all but the first in the series attach Chapter 1 of Book 1, just in case you didn’t start at the beginning.

 Parents in Kid Books

Marcella and Woods Boone are parents every kid (and adult) would love to have. They have adult-sized conversations with their kid even if they have to ground him. Mrs. Boone cooks once a week. Both Boone parents are sticklers. Put those two together and you get the week’s worth of dinners – Monday is always the same, Tuesday is dinner at the shelter followed by helping some of the residents. Wednesday is Wednesday’s dinner. You can always tell the day of the week by where the family eats, at home in the den, at the pizza place, at the same table at one restaurant eating the same thing. It makes life so much easier.

And the daily routine is rather routine (mornings seem to be, for everyone).

The Scandal

In probably all of the Theo books you will find a substory about Uncle Ike the disbarred grown-up hippie, one about April, one with Theo, one at Animal Court, and a legal issue or two. The scandal in The Scandal is centered around discovering that a handful of teachers cheat: they are caught. They are good teachers, who care about their students. We have all heard of kids cheating but teachers? What will become of them? Is this really a crime, a conspiracy? How were they found out?

Read it and see!

Caveat: This book was purchased for review.