Kid Lawyer a Good Read

A new summer classic is born, says this Kid Reporter.

Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer

Author: John Grisham

Publisher and date of publication: Penguin Group USA 2010

Number of pages: 288 Hardcover

Recommended ages of readers: Ages 12-15

Theodore “Theo” Boone lives in the small town of Strattenburg. He is your average eighth grader except for one thing: He dispenses legal advice.

Theo comes from a long line of lawyers that includes both of his parents and his uncle. He has taken it upon himself to get to know everyone who works at the courthouse and learn just about everything that has to do with the legal system.

When the biggest trial in town history hits Strattenburg, Theo immerses himself in the case, trying to learn every last detail about the murder of Myra Duffy. But when a classmate comes to Theo for help, he learns of evidence that could change the course of the trial, causing him to become more involved then he could have ever imagined (or wanted).

The book boasts a colorful cast of characters ranging from Omar Cheepe, sleazy private eye, to Ike Boone, disbarred hippie tax lawyer. Theo has to deal with them all to make sure the city he loves remains safe.

Even being caught up in the trial of a lifetime, doesn’t keep Theo from continuing to come to the legal rescue of his fellow citizens. Along the way he helps his best friend, whose parents are going through a rough divorce; a girl whose dog is imprisoned in the pound; and his school’s secretary, whose brother has been arrested for drunk driving.

A best-selling author of adult legal thrillers, John Grisham does a masterful job in his debut novel for young adults. Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer is a fresh idea that combines all the aspects of a great novel with an informative overview of our nation’s legal system.

I found it so suspenseful, I stayed up until 1 a.m. to finish it—reading under the covers with a flashlight.

What's your favorite read this summer? Send in your reading recommendations in the comment section below!

—Andrew Scarafile

PHOTO: (TOP) Book cover Courtesy Penguin Group USA. (BOTTOM) Kid Reporter Andrew Scarafile reads during the daytime—when he doesn't need a flashlight under the covers! (Photo Courtesy Andrew Scarafile)

Chicago’s Uptown Café for the Needy

Kid Reporter serves up food and friendship as a volunteer.

One night each month, a group of kids from the Glencoe Junior High Project on Chicago’s North Shore go down to the city to serve meals to the needy. The place we work is called the Uptown Café, and our job is to be waiters: setting up tables, taking orders, serving the food, and then sitting down with our customers to share company and conversation.

Having never been a waiter before, the first time there I was kind of worried I might mix up orders or forget something, but it was really simple. There was only one main dish served, and all I had to do was to get my customer’s choice of salad dressing, soup, and beverage.

My customers were friendly and liked to talk. I served a family of three and a number of elderly people, who were eager to talk about where they grew up and the jobs they’d held. One gentleman, who came from Russia, told interesting stories about the cold war. We also discussed movies and current events.

The program is run by the Jewish United Fund and is Chicago’s first kosher anti-hunger program that provides hot meals in a restaurant-style setting. But you don’t need to be Jewish to work or eat there. The café serves people from all faiths and cultures. More than half of the people enrolled in the program have disabilities, the rest are seniors on fixed incomes and the working poor.

Café Manager Sara Shapiro says demand increases for the café’s services at the end of each month when people’s paychecks and food stamps run out. The need also increases during the winter months. The Uptown Café provides a warm place to escape from the Windy City's bitter cold blasts.

The Jewish United Fund Uptown Cafe is open three days a week for dinner and on Sundays for brunch. I volunteer with my group during the Thursday shift from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. I have a great time, and so do the other volunteers. We learn that the people who go there are no different from you and me, except for their financial situation.

—Andrew Scarafile

PHOTO: Students from Glencoe Junior High on Chicago’s North Shore serve meals to the needy at the Uptown Café. (Photo Courtesy Uptown Cafe)