The Great Brain

Rating:
Summary: Mr. Locker's 4/5 grade class reading group, loved this book!
Review: I read these books as child by checking them out of a library. Now almost 20 years later, I have decided to reread them all starting from the beginning. The Great Brain book is as good as I remembered. Some things may seem goofy at first from an adult perspective, but give the book a chance and read the whole thing. Many things come together later or at the end. John Fitzgerald gives every book a complete feeling, so you feel satisfied after completing each. Keep in mind the time and setting of the book and you'll be able to enjoy it. The book is written from JD's viewpoint, but is largely about TD aka the Great Brain. I enjoyed these books a child, I am enjoying them now, and my friends in their 50's are enjoying them too. These are for all ages and are my all-time favorite children's series. Now, I hope that they re-release the books or I'll have to look for them used.

Rating:
Summary: Best book ever
Review: I was so excited to see that these books are still in print. I have ordered all of them for my two sons. I can not wait for them to arrive. I have the fondest memories of these books. I remember lauging at how The Brain would get in trouble, but yet his parents always loved him. Unconditional love, the silent treatment and all. These are great books and I look forward to sharing them with my children and some day grandchildren. Thanks Amazon for making my day!

Rating:
Summary: Ditto Everyone Else
Review: The Great Brain, Tom D. Fitzgerald, is a very smart, but also very greedy boy, who finds all kinds of ways to make a penny (back when a penny was worth something). The chapters mostly involve him trying to con people out of their money OR trying to make money from schemes that most of us would think of as unethical.
Yet he also uses that great brain to solve problems for others kids, such as Andy who thinks he is so plump useless without his lost leg that he tries to kill himself or the Jenson kids who got lost in the Skeleton Caves.
The chapter on Abie, his strongbox and his pride really got to me and I'm not sure how a kid, even a mature one, will respond to the issues brought up in that part of the book.
The book is bitter-sweet, the fantasy of the good old days mixed with realistic themes of every day life.