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Summary
Summary
Greg Kenton has always had a natural talent for making money -- despite the annoying rivalry of his neighbor Maura Shaw. Then, just before sixth grade, Greg makes a discovery: Almost every kid at school has an extra quarter or two to spend almost every day.
Multiply a few quarters by a few hundred kids, and for Greg, school suddenly looks like a giant piggy bank. All he needs is the right hammer to crack it open. Candy and gum? Little toys? Sure, kids would love to buy stuff like that at school. But would teachers and the principal permit it? Not likely.
But how about comic books? Comic books might work. Especially the chunky little ones that Greg writes and illustrates himself. Because everybody knows that school always encourages reading and writing and creativity and individual initiative, right?
In this funny and timely novel, Andrew Clements again holds up a mirror to real life, and invites young readers to think about money, school, friendship, and what it means to be a success.
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-Sixth-grader Greg Kenton has a knack for finance. He's figured out many lucrative ways to make money since he was very young-by loaning it to his family, mowing yards, doing odd jobs. He notices that there is money to be made at school and decides to go for the gold by selling small comic books that he produces. All goes well until his neighbor and rival, Maura Shaw, tries to horn in on his action by copying the idea and selling her own comic books. A confrontation between the two results in a ban of comic books from the school by the principal. An uneasy partnership forms between Greg and Maura as they develop a comic book to sell together and pursue how to market it legally. Andrew Clements's novel (S & S, 2005) is charming, humorous, and poignant. Character actor John H. Mayer does an outstanding job of bringing the text to life. He uses subtle nuances in his voice to differentiate between the characters and the emotions each experiences. A good choice for the author's fans.-Stephanie Bange, Wilmington-Stroop Branch, Dayton Metro Library, OH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Clements's (Frindle) offers an uncharacteristically thin novel introducing a boy who excels at athletics and academics-and is a whiz at drawing-but whose "greatest talent had always been money." In preschool Greg did his older brothers' chores for pay; in nursery school he recycled his family's trash and kept the bottle and can deposit refunds; and by third grade he had "set himself a goal. He wanted to be rich." Now a fifth grader, Greg decides that "school would be an excellent place to make his fortune." Yet his business ventures selling candy and gum, novelty toys and homemade comic books land him in hot water with the principal. Though this young tycoon's ambitious aspirations and laughable arrogance are entertaining, the pace of the story slackens considerably at its midpoint, when Greg teams up with Maura, another talented artist and his longstanding rival, to launch a line of mini-comic books. Clements delivers a meaningful message about friendship, perseverance and proper priorities. But although Greg and Maura are likable and spunky, the detailed descriptions of how they create their debut books and petition the School Committee for permission to market them to fellow students grow tedious. Ages 8-12. (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
Creativity, comics, and economics come together in this appealing story about entrepreneurial sixth-grader Greg, whose pesky copycat neighbor and classmate Maura steals his idea for selling cheap comic books. Their fight leads to the principal's banning all moneymaking projects. When Greg and Maura join forces, however, Greg learns there's more to running a business than profits. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
Budding billionaire Greg Kenton has a knack for making money and a serious rival. When he issues his first Chunky Comic Book at the beginning of sixth grade, his neighbor and classmate Maura Shaw produces an alternative. Their quarrel draws the attention of the principal, who bans comics from the school. But when they notice all the other commercial messages in their school, they take their cause to the local school committee. Without belaboring his point, Clements takes on product placement in schools and the need for wealth. "Most people can only use one bathroom at a time," says Greg's math teacher, Mr. Z. Greg gets the message; middle-grade readers may ignore it in favor of the delightful spectacle of Greg's ultimate economic success, a pleasing result for the effort this up-and-coming young businessman puts into his work. Clements weaves intriguing information about comic book illustration into this entertaining, smoothly written story. Selznick's accompanying black-and-white drawings have the appearance of sketches Greg might have made himself. This hits the jackpot. (Fiction. 9-12) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.