A little heavy for a kids' book but still enjoyable. Theo takes on a proposed highway bypass.

pretty good, I like the fact that he's a kid lawyer and the entire legalese aspect of the book. Not a fan of the Boy Scouts bit as I feel like the book lulls there.

SAD FACE!

This one pulled at the heartstrings, due to a situation involving 'Judge'. I shan't go further, because it would be spoiling, but, just .... be prepared for some sadness.

This book is everything Theo Boone books are. Fun and a good short read for this adult who loves the adult John G. novels.

Theo is just a cute kid who cares about people. Students and teachers alike, and this story is true to that.

I will admit that I would have liked a little bit more in depth story line regarding what happens AFTER the hearings, involving budgetary cuts and what not, but that's just me being interested. I don't think it hurts the story line to a kid at all. ... ... just a little bit to me ... as an adult. ha ha.

You should be reading these folks. Yes indeed! If you have kids, get them on em'! My 11 year old loves Theo so, they are his books, but, I absolutely steal them, as they are part of our households treasure trove of J. Grisham books.

- CJ

I grabbed this book at a used book sale, because it was a John Grisham book I hadn’t read. I didn’t pay enough attention to realize it was a children’s book for middle schools. Given that, I read it anyway, and thought it had a good main character to inspire kids to get involved in issues that are important to them even though they can’t vote.

Yet another solid story for this series.

Once again, John Grisham wrote an outstanding novel. His play on the theme of teamwork shines through in this one. This book discusses serious topics that most children are sheltered from, but he wrote it in a way to explain how important the children were in the saving of the town. He can do no wrong in these novels!

This entire series has been so much fun to read. Yet again we meet Theo Boone, the amazing 13 year old fireball and as always; he doesn't disappoint. His courage and heart are incredibly evident in this installment of the series and although I've loved all of them-I think this one is by far my favorite. Lots of drama, excitement and great explanations of the politics involved within the story.

The Activist is the fourth in the Theodore Boone series. In this book, a bypass is proposed for the city of Strattenburg. The bypass will go through several houses and farms, cross the river twice, and go right by an elementary school and soccer complex. Theo becomes an activist against the bypass. He enlists the help of his friends to put a stop to this unnecessary project.

I am not really a fan of John Grisham or really any adult author who tries to make a buck on the youth market. However, I know this series has its fans and it wasn't all bad. I am not sure how interested kids will be in a story about eminent domain and local politics, but there are enough exciting bits to make it a worthwhile read. On a scouting trip a foolish boy gets bit by a snake and Theo's dog Judge gets attacked and nearly killed.

I think my big problem with this book was the fact that the kids don't talk or act like regular kids. These characters are supposed to be in 8th grade, but they are like no 8th graders I have ever met. I also thought it was a poor way to describe activists to have Theo not know what they are. This is a kid who is very knowledgeable of the law, knows what eminent domain is, but has no idea what an activist is? Didn't buy it. The ending is also a little bit too perfect in my opinion. I will admit that I did want to find out how the story ended and that it kept my attention throughout, but it just wasn't my favorite.

Aspiring lawyer, eighth-grader Theodore Boone reluctantly gets involved in a political struggle to stop construction of a new highway through his small town, and while doing so, must make ethical decisions about confidentiality and social justice.

With a cover that would most likely appeal to 7th- through 11th-grade readers, Grisham may have once again underestimated the intelligence of his audience in the fourth book in this series.

Theo, son of two lawyers, behaves with the obedience, caution, and naiveté of an eight- to twelve-year-old, despite the fact that his parents and Boy Scout troupe leaders extend to him the responsibilities due to a person in high school. The plodding unfolding of the "crime" and the political situation that surrounds it is interrupted by two much more strikingly dramatic events; Theo's dog is beaten by a thug, and a foolish camper in Theo's care is bitten by a poisonous snake. The injured dog upstages the focus of Theo's attention - the crime itself is a minor detail within a rather dull political-environmental scenario -- but so do the amusing repercussions at school and in the Boy Scout troupe of the snake bite.

Detailed descriptions of the young people's "activist" demonstrations are sure to interest a segment of readers, although probably not the ones that were gripped by the cover illustration that implies Theo is the lone activist standing for health and safety, rather than a reluctant tag-along. A precocious ten-year-old reader may be less insulted by the slow pacing, rambling focus, and didacticism than older readers.

(This is the review I submitted to the Association of Children's Librarians of Northern California.)

Rather than a nail-biter, this is a hand-wringer.