As a digital subscriber, you’ll receive unlimited access to Horn Book web exclusives and extensive archives, as well as access to our highly searchable Guide/Reviews Database.
To access other site content, visit The Horn Book homepage.
To continue you need an active subscription to hbook.com.
Subscribe now to gain immediate access to everything hbook.com has to offer, as well as our highly searchable Guide/Reviews Database, which contains tens of thousands of short, critical reviews of books published in the United States for young people.
Thank you for registering. To have the latest stories delivered to your inbox, select as many free newsletters as you like below.
No thanks. Return to article
(3)
4-6
This long-awaited sequel reverses the conceit of 2012's Ungifted, in which troublemaker Donovan Curtis accidentally landed at the Academy for Scholastic Achievement. Here, gifted Noah Youkilis takes his megabrain to public middle school, where Donovan tirelessly protects his clueless friend--until Noah takes credit for Donovan's heroism against a bully. This charming comedy boasts goofy situations, likable characters, and exaggerated but generally kind middle-school dynamics.
232 pp.
| Scholastic
| May, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-1-338-20016-4$16.99
|
EbookISBN 978-1-338-20017-1
(3)
4-6
Seventh grader Cooper Vega discovers his new cellphone is haunted by an Elizabethan ghost named Roderick, who claims he's the true author of Romeo and Juliet. Coincidentally, the play is being performed at Cooper's new school. Themes of bullying and belonging give this entertaining read some heft, but Korman's trademark humor is always evident, especially when Roderick gives Cooper romantic advice.
(4)
4-6
In this third Masterminds installment, kids who have been cloned from evil criminals in an experiment gone wrong continue to hunt down the originators of Project Osiris, using a combination of their "innate" skills and the bonds they have formed with one another. Unfortunately, the conclusion is not as exciting as the previous two books.
245 pp.
| Scholastic
| May, 2017
|
TradeISBN 978-1-338-05377-7$16.99
|
EbookISBN 978-1-338-05378-4
(3)
4-6
Middle schooler Chase Ambrose falls off his roof and into a new life in this thought-provoking novel laced with Korman's trademark humor. As Chase, who has concussion-induced amnesia, realizes he used to be a bully, he decides his former identity won't be his future destiny. Told from the perspectives of Chase and a few classmates, the novel addresses issues of bullying directly and realistically.
231 pp.
| Scholastic
| May, 2016
|
TradeISBN 978-0-545-82315-9$16.99
|
EbookISBN 978-0-545-82317-3
(3)
4-6
Cameron's sole interest in life is video games. His understandably fed-up parents rescind his gaming privileges unless he chooses an extracurricular activity, leading him to invent a fake service club that, naturally, takes off and spirals out of Cameron's control. The fast pace, incident-rich plotting, and economically delineated relationships make this an entertaining, twisty read.
(3)
4-6
In this exciting sequel to Masterminds, Eli and his three friends--who have learned that they are cloned from evil criminals in a morally abject nature-vs.-nurture experiment--are on the run. Narrated in rotating chapters by each character, the friends' daring escape from Project Osiris is filled with challenges; a cliffhanger ending leaves their fate still to be decided.
201 pp.
| Scholastic
| October, 2016
|
TradeISBN 978-0-545-86142-7$16.99
(3)
4-6
Swindle series.
Griffin and his gang have been roped into playing Santa's elves at Cedarville's annual Holiday Spectacular at the Colchester Mansion. But when a priceless artifact, the Star of Prague, is stolen, Mr. Colchester shuts down the holiday display. It's up to "Man with the Plan" Griffin to save Christmas. This eighth addition to the comical mystery series is full of warm, fuzzy holiday cheer.
245 pp.
| Scholastic
| July, 2015
|
TradeISBN 978-0-545-50336-5$16.99
(3)
4-6
Hypnotists series.
Gifted hypnotist Jackson Opus isn't keen on participating in military experiments, but it's the only way to keep his family safe from Dr. Elias Mako. When Mako breaks out of jail and uses another wunderkind hypnotist to implement a world-destroying plan, Jax heads to New York to stop his former mentor. Korman's suspenseful series will continue to have magnetic draw for tween boys.
202 pp.
| Scholastic
| January, 2015
|
TradeISBN 978-0-545-70935-4$16.99
(3)
4-6
Swindle series.
Griffin Bing has bet his long-time adversary, Darren Vader, that he can win the Invent-a-Palooza, but he's got zero ideas. Meanwhile, uber-techie friend Melissa isn't even in Griffin's corner--she's too busy creating her own invention to help keep Savannah's Doberman from chasing cars. Pitch-perfect middle-school mentalities work well against the comic mystery plot in this seventh addition to the series.
(3)
4-6
Eli lives contentedly in seemingly idyllic Serenity, New Mexico, until he tries to venture beyond the town limits. Slowly, Eli and friends realize that the town is fake, their lives are not their own, and they must escape to survive. A clever combination of The Giver and The Truman Show, this book is an engaging and compelling start to a new series.
(3)
4-6
Swindle series.
In his sixth mystery, Griffin feels as if he has been replaced by new-to-town Victor, whom Griffin's friends are calling "the other Man With The Plan." Desperate to be the one to find a missing thirty-million-dollar lottery ticket, Griffin forms an alliance with his sworn enemy, bully Darren Vader. With humor and brisk pacing, Korman once again displays understanding of middle-school readers.
222 pp.
| Scholastic
| August, 2014
|
TradeISBN 978-0-545-52147-5$12.99
(3)
4-6
39 Clues: Unstoppable series.
In the strong finale of this 39 Clues series spinoff, siblings Dan and Amy race to produce the antidote to the Cahill serum before media tycoon J. Rutherford Pierce sets his world-domination plan into action. Korman puts the series back on its tracks with swift plotting and unexpected twists.
234 pp.
| Scholastic
| July, 2014
|
TradeISBN 978-0-545-50329-7$16.99
(3)
4-6
Hypnotists series.
Wunderkind hypnotist Jackson Opus and his family are trying to lay low in the wake of Dr. Elias Mako's election-tampering campaign. Jax's burgeoning mesmeric gifts draw unwanted attention, especially after an elderly billionaire hires Jax to prolong his life using a dangerous hypnotism technique. Tween boys will enjoy this second engrossing mystery's relatable narrator, quirky secondary characters, and fast-paced plot.
275 pp.
| Scholastic
| January, 2013
|
TradeISBN 978-0-545-44866-6$16.99
(3)
4-6
In this fifth volume featuring middle-schooler Griffin Bing (the "Man with the Plan") and his friends, archenemy S. Wendell Palomino (a.k.a. "Swindle") comes back to reclaim his former guard dog, Luthor. Each of the kids has a special skill to utilize in order to best the baddie. Readers will enjoy the book's madcap humor and brisk pacing.
232 pp.
| Scholastic
| August, 2013
|
TradeISBN 978-0-545-50322-8$16.99
(3)
4-6
Hypnotists series.
When twelve-year-old Jackson Opus discovers that he's a hypnotist, he thinks his new ability is pretty cool. After the director of the shady Sentia Institute discovers that Jax's mind control powers are uniquely strong, however, Jax finds himself caught in the middle of a dangerous conspiracy. The mixture of humor, fast-paced action, and suspense adds up to solid, engaging middle-grade fare.
248 pp.
| Scholastic
| January, 2012
|
TradeISBN 978-0-545-32059-7$16.99
(3)
4-6
In this fourth adventure, "Man With the Plan" Griffin Bing and his friends liberate unruly pup Luthor from the pound and must make the former attack dog into a champion show dog. Griffin's scheming ways pair well with the rivalries and competition in the world of dog shows. Korman's signature action sequences and humor will maintain readers' investment in these characters.
(3)
4-6
Donovan has a talent for troublemaking. Thanks to a clerical blip, one of his stunts lands him in a school for gifted kids instead of in hot water, and he must use his own dubious gifts to stay there. Korman's knack for wacky humor is full-swing, while alternating student and adult perspectives help control the pace and keep readers engaged from multiple angles.
222 pp.
| Scholastic
| August, 2011
|
TradeISBN 978-0-545-29839-1$12.99
(3)
4-6
39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers series.
Vesper One, a centuries-old adversary, kidnaps seven members of the powerful Cahill family. Thirteen-year-old Dan and sixteen-year-old Amy, winners of the clue hunt from the first 39 Clues series, must steal a national treasure and deliver it to the Vespers in exchange for the hostages. The fast-paced, action-packed adventure gets this spin-off series started with a bang.
238 pp.
| Scholastic
| April, 2011
|
TradeISBN 978-0-545-29059-3$12.99
(3)
4-6
39 Clues series.
Also written by Jude Watson. In four engaging short stories (each written by a different author), origins of the five-hundred-year-old animosity between the Cahills and the Vespers are explained. The volume ends in modern times, with Amy and Dan continuing to gather clues to locate the ring and keep it hidden from Vespers. Though the kids' original 39 Clues adventures have ended, this book seems to indicate another series.
234 pp.
| Scholastic
| September, 2010
|
TradeISBN 978-0-545-17849-5$16.99
(3)
4-6
In this follow-up to Swindle and Zoobreak, Griffin Bing's retainer is swapped for the school's prized Super Bowl ring. After Griffin is sentenced to "Jail For Kids," it's up to his friends to figure out who framed him. The story's nonstop action and humorous asides will keep fans of the first two books turning pages.