A thirteen-year-old who knows more about the law than most adults learns a secret that could change the outcome of a big murder trial
The kid who knows the courthouse
Theo Boone is thirteen, the only child of two lawyers in the small city of Strattenburg, and he plans to be a great trial lawyer himself. He knows every judge and clerk at the courthouse and gives his classmates free legal advice. When the town's biggest trial begins, with a wealthy man accused of murdering his wife, Theo learns that a witness exists who could change everything, and who is afraid to come forward.
Who will enjoy it
Middle-grade readers who like mysteries and courtroom drama, fans of Encyclopedia Brown, and families who enjoy Grisham's adult books.
What you will get
A brisk legal mystery for young readers in which a law-obsessed thirteen-year-old must decide what to do when he learns a secret that could change a murder trial.
Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer Facts: Pages, Genre and Setting
Genre
Children’s Books · Courtroom drama · Kid detective · Law
Length
288 pages · ≈ 8 h
More about this book
Grisham clearly enjoyed showing the courtroom through a child's eyes. Theo explains legal procedures, the roles of judges and juries and the idea that everyone is presumed innocent, and these explanations are woven naturally into the story. His family life, with his busy parents, his dog Judge and his eccentric uncle Ike, a former lawyer, gives the book warmth and humour.
The tension comes from Theo's moral dilemma rather than from danger. He has information that matters, but sharing it could hurt someone vulnerable, and he must figure out the right thing to do. The violence is kept offstage, and the crime itself is described without detail, which makes the book suitable for upper-elementary and middle-school readers.
Adult Grisham fans may find the plot thin and the ending abrupt, as it leads straight into a sequel. For young readers curious about how the law works, it is engaging and informative. The courthouse scenes are vivid, with Theo slipping into the gallery between classes and knowing every corridor, and his friendship with his classmate April adds a gentle, supportive note. The short chapters keep the pages turning. About 288 pages in the Puffin paperback.
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Theodore Boone: The Accused
Theodore Boone: The Abduction
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The Hidden Staircase
The False Prince
The Merchant of Death