Customer Reviews

Newspaper Caper (Tweener Press Adventure Series #1)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Tom Stevens could sell anything to anyone. He immediately reminded me of Tom Sawyer with his ability to convince the other kids that it was fun and a privilege to paint the fence. Tom Stevens had the same gift of persuasion. In "Newspaper Caper" Tom soon convinces his friends Jimmy and Matt to help him with a newspaper route and the adventure begins.

When cars start disappearing from the neighborhood the boys decide to keep their eyes open for anything unusual as they deliver their papers early in the morning. Their diligence soon pays off. Ride along with them on their adventure as the story unfolds and the suspense continues to build. Although it is more likely to appeal to boys than girls, it is an excellent story for kids around eight to twelve years old of either sex.

There is one section of the story that some parents are likely to find offensive. Near the beginning there is an incident with a vicious dog. In dealing with the dog Matt prepares some fresh meat with jalapeno juice and Tabasco sauce and finishes it off by lacing it with laxatives. Needless to say it makes an immediate impression on the dog and it no longer is a problem for them. In fact, by the end of the adventure it is on a friendly basis with them. It would be a shame for a child to miss a good story because a parent is offended by such a passage (although I can understand their being offended). Taking the positive angle with the incident it could be used by parents to open up a discussion of cruelty to animals or whether or not the ends justifies the means in many situations. The same passage could be used as a reason not to allow your child to read the book or used as a springboard for an important and educational discussion. Other than that one caveat, this is a suspenseful, fast paced, story with the choice of words appropriate for pre-teen readers and a recommended read.

12-yr old Tom Stevens is a paper boy. A born leader and 'business man,' Tom parleys everything he touches into a money-making enterprise. "When he was only four, Tom was the first boy on his street to set up a lemonade stand -- in January. And, even though snow already covered the ground, people still stopped and bought some. He could just as easily sell hot chocolate on the most sweltering day of the summer if he wanted to."

Thus Max Anderson introduces us to Tom. With his two best friends Jimmy and Matt, Tom runs one of the largest newspaper routes in his home town. But Tom isn't your ordinary kid. His is an inquisitive mind and when he spots something not quite right, he is determined to get to the bottom of it.

That early in the morning, the boys often saw some pretty strange things: customers locked outside their house while retrieving the paper just delivered, not necessarily ready to meet the world - like a lady in curlers and green stuff on her face. But the boys instinctively adopted a rule of silence about what they saw on their daily route.

However, one morning, during their summer vacation, while it is still dark, the boys notice a tow-truck backing up to the car parked in the driveway of one of their customers. A man gets out of the truck and approaches the car, while in the cab sits another man. Tom gets a glimpse of him. He wears a light blue shirt with a nametag on the front and a patch on the sleeve. The man had dark hair. Though his face was hidden, Tom saw the name on his shirt -- "Jake."

But the man outside the truck sees the boys and instead of hooking up the car to tow it away he quickly runs back to the truck, jumps in and drives away with squealing tires and a trail of blue smoke. "That's strange," thought Tom. And the investigation is on.

Max says he really hated to read, and everything he tried to read failed to hold his interest. He wanted "music, action, and moving pictures...not just a bunch of words." So, he set out to write a book that he would like. NEWSPAPER CAPER is the start of an adventure series he developed will hold the interest of ...'Tweeners' - ages 8-13, especially boys."

I loved this book - and I'm a girl! And I'm definitely not a Tweener. Yet this book captivated me from the first page. I think Max has done exactly what he set out to do - and beyond. I'd give this book SIX stars, if there were such a thing. Max, you're on the right track, and I wish you all the best!

Newspaper Caper is a wonderful mid-grade mystery adventure book for reluctant readers. Tom Stevens is a nine-year-old businessman who has talked he two best friends into working for him on his morning newspaper route. They witness, try to solve, and become enmeshed in a car theft ring.

This book teaches the work ethic, honesty and many positive values, while not preaching. The action is fast, and young people will quickly get pulled into the story. We feel this author is providing a much-needed resource for those readers who would rather not read if they don't have to. We rated it five hearts.

ISBN: 0-9729256-4-3
Title: Newspaper Caper
Author: Max Elliot Anderson
Illustrator: Paul S Trittin
Publisher: Tweener Press

Early on, Max Anderson was a reluctant reader. His audience for this intriguing tale is other reluctant readers, especially boys from age 9 to 13. "Newspaper Caper" may have been penned with boys in mind but I am confident that girls will enjoy each and every page. Anderson has presented us with an adventure so well written that the life lessons within flow as a natural part of his story.
Tom and his friends Jimmy and Matt have a large newspaper route. They rise at four in the morning to; pick up, fold and deliver papers. One morning while delivering papers they see a tow truck back up to one of their customer's car. When the driver spots the boys, the truck speeds away. Tom has been reading about the number of stolen cars in his city and he is suspicious and determined to investigate. He seeks advice, is told to be absolutely sure of his facts first. What follows is a great adventure. Anderson's narrative is well plotted, the characters and their dialogue are realistic and the lessons sprinkled throughout are subtle but timely. I would gladly recommend this book to young readers.
Beverly J Scott author of "Righteous Revenge" and "Ruth Fever." Reviewer for Intriguing Authors and Their Books at http://www.funeralassociates.com/authors.htm

This is an exciting book from beginning to end. I really enjoyed the clever but easy to follow plot, the believable characters, the realistic dialog, and the fun, family friendly humor. Parts of the book really keep you on the edge of your seat, too.

This is exactly like the books I loved to read as a kid. I guess that's why I really enjoyed reading this particular book as an adult, too!

I guarantee that any boy who has yet to discover the thrill and enjoyment of reading as well as those who already love to read will enjoy this book from cover to cover. In fact, I am looking forward to giving a copy to my grandson.

This was a great book. I bought it for my son, and read it first to check the content. Other than the 12 year old boys sneaking out of the house, the content was all positive. Great to find a book whose characters are good examples and the adults are not made to look foolish.

Newspaper Caper by Max Elliot Anderson

Tom Stevens is a twelve-year-old ambitious salesman in Rock Island, Illinois. He recruits his two best friends to assist him with not one but three newspaper routes in order to help them train for football tryouts in the fall and to save up money to buy a car to distribute more papers. All this during summer vacation. Ambitious. Salesman. Yep.

In the wee hours of the morning before sunrise, the three boys stumble across some suspicious activity. A tow truck begins to hook up an expensive car in someone's driveway along the paper route. But when the tow truck driver sees the boys, he drives off in the truck, leaving the car behind. Later, Tom reads of a string of car thefts around the area in the papers the boys prepare to deliver. He begins to see a connection between the local car repair shop and the thefts. Developing his detective skills, Tom and his friends piece clues together. Where are the cars going? Why don't the cops see the clues the way Tom does?

This is a fun, easy read for kids ages 8-12. Though Christian, the message is subtle and not heavy at all. There is excitement, adventure, with a few twists and turns for added fun. I will definitely recommend Newspaper Caper by Max Elliot Anderson to my daughter, nephew, and my friends with kids in the age group.

My older two boys who are 8 and 10 years old LOVED these books. I have one boy who doesn't like to read, but it was easy getting him to read everyday with this series of books! They would come tell me everything that happened in the part they read that day. I'm so glad I found an adventure that they like to read and isn't harsh on their little minds.