Most thirteen-year-olds dream of a career in sports or medicine, but not Theodore Boone, the protagonist. Both of Theo's parents' practice law, as well as Theo's Uncle Ike. Theodore dreams of “being a famous trial lawyer, one who handled the biggest cases and never lost before juries” (Grisham 6). Theo even gives legal advice to classmates. It all starts when the teacher of the protagonist's government class, Mr. Mount, gets permission from the principal to watch the Pete Duffy trial, the most significant trial that Theo’s town has seen. At Pete Duffy’s trial, the defendant stands accused of the murder of Mrs. Duffy. Both the prosecution and the defense lawyers make convincing arguments for their respective sides. However, given that the prosecution only has circumstantial evidence and not solid proof, they cannot prove Mr. Duffy’s guilt. In the middle of the trial, Theodore Boone finds out that one of his classmates, Julio, has a cousin that witnessed nearly irrefutable proof of the murder. However, because Julio's cousin, an illegal immigrant, hides from the law in fear of getting arrested, the cousin refuses to testify. Theo promises to keep this information a secret. Eventually, Theo tells Uncle Ike about his situation. Now that the circumstances prove too big for him to handle, Theo must depend on his family’s advice to bring Pete Duffy to justice while protecting Julio’s cousin’s identity from the world. All the while, he must continue to balance his social life and complete his schoolwork.
Rating: ★★★★★
Overall, John Boone’s bestseller Theodore Boone:Kid Lawyer deserves all five out of five stars. It keeps the readers hooked and has all the elements of a good mystery novel: suspense, action, drama, and a daring hero fighting for justice. The author’s use of details and word choice work well with the plot. The author is able to masterfully weave authentic characters with realistic and unique dynamics and stories. All of these elements work together to create a thrilling action-packed piece of realistic fiction.
