Today I'm part of the blog tour for Jack at the Helm by Lisa Doan. This is the 3rd book in The Brenson Schemes.
Check out the guest post by Lisa Doan! You can find it HERE.
Check out the guest post by Lisa Doan! You can find it HERE.
About the Book
Jack's parents have bought a farmhouse in Nepal. It'll be the site of a new religion--their latest get-rich-quick scheme. Sure, the Berensons don't know quite how to get to the place. But once they arrive, their plan is sure to work.
This is a really cute quick fun read. It is the 3rd book in the series, and I haven't read the first two, but that was not a problem. There were a few background things I had to figure out like Jack's kinda girlfriend and his best friend, but it wasn't hard to figure them out! The one thing I didn't have to figure out was how unreliable and un-parent-like his parents were! Yes the blurb from the book points this out, but even if it didn't it was clear from the start that Jack was the mature one in the family! I think it's fun for kids when they see that role reversal because it's what they always dream of! Although I don't think they dream of parents that lost their child over and over in different countries of the world! I felt for Jack! This poor child has been through the wringer and just wants a "normal" life but that just isn't in the cards for him.
The plot of this book wasn't deep, but it was fun and fast paced and perfect for kids who need that in order to be drawn in to a story and stay with it. I was able to read it in an afternoon, and never once did I feel bored. And yes the events are outlandish and crazy and unbelievable, but that's what kept it fun! And it kept it funny! Jack gets out of once scrape after another, and you just have to laugh at how they all happen and when and then how he gets out of them! Well played!
Lastly - It's great to see a new series for boys on the lower end of the middle grade range. These can be hard to find sometimes. I plan on sharing the series with my school's media specialist, so she can get them in the school library.
Wow, this sounds like quite a fun read. While I don't read MG as much as I probably should, I'm always on the lookout for books that will appeal to my sister, who is not a reader. I love that this is set in Nepal and since we have friends from there, that would be so interesting to read about!
ReplyDeleteGreat review <3