Theodore Boone: Young Lawyer by John Grisham

Val Penny ♦ March 15, 2015 ♦ Leave a comment

When I picked up this book, I did not realise it was a young adult book. However, I read it anyway: although I am not the target audience, I quite enjoyed the book apparently, it is the first in a series about Theodore Boone. Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer as it is titled in the USA (known as Theodore Boone: Young Lawyer in the UK) is a 2010 legal thriller and the first novel by John Grisham for middle grade children. The protagonist Theodore Boone, although he is only thirteen,  has spent more time in the courtroom than almost anywhere else, and there is always a new adventure waiting. Theo happily dispenses legal advice to friends and community members, just like real lawyers.

Grisham, himself, is no stranger to the courts. He was born on  8 February, 1955 in Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA  to a construction worker and a homemaker, John Grisham as a child hoed to be a professional baseball player but realised he was not a good enough player to do so. He majored in accounting at Mississippi State University. After graduating from law school at The University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi, United States. He went on to practice law for nearly a decade working 60-70 hours a week in Southaven where he specialised in criminal defense and personal injury litigation. He squeezed in time before going to the office and during courtroom recesses to work on his hobby: writing his first novel.

Theodore Boone: Young Lawyer is a well written book with an sufficiently plausible plot. I have no doubt that it would appeal to many kids. The story revolves around a murder and only Theodore Boone knows the whole truth, but he is only thirteen years old. He lives in the small city of Strattenburg. Theo knows every judge, policeman, court clerk. He also knows a lot about the law. His dream is to become a great trial lawyer and to live his life in the courtroom.

But Theo finds himself in court much sooner than expected, because he knows so much, maybe too much as he is suddenly dragged into the middle of a sensational murder trial. A cold-blooded killer is about to go free, and only Theo can ensure that justice is served.

This book brims with all the intrigue and suspense that made John Grisham an international bestseller and the undisputed master of the legal thriller. Theodore Boone: Young Lawyer will keep readers guessing and pages turning. It is full of grit, excitement and suspense. It is a very good book.

Valerie Penny