The Great Greene Heist

Reviewed by: Jill O'Connor - North Yarmouth Academy, Yarmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: July 10, 2014

Review

Jackson Greene is famous. At least at Maplewood Middle School. Well, he's actually infamous. He's the mastermind behind the Blitz and he's about to work his magic again to help Gabriela de la Cruz win the class presidency. Jackson is such a great character that you forgive his adult-like clarity of thinking and uncanny ability to read people and situations. The plot is fun, the other characters are fantastic (and multi-cultural!), and the conclusion satisfying. The story jumps right in as if you already knew Jackson (like from a previous book about the Blitz, which there is not), and this was a clever choice by Johnson as it keeps the intrigue about Jackson Greene high and the plot backstory filler low. A fantastic read. Highly recommend to middle schoolers (and the adults who appreciate a well-crafted YA book).

Overall Book Score: excellent