The Boy Who Knew Too Much (Munchem Academy Series #1)

by Commander S.T. Bolivar, III

Overview

Mattie Larimore used to be the good son -- compared to his brother, Carter, at least. But that was before Mattie stole a train, got caught, and was sent to Munchem Academy, the world's greatest reform school. Or is it? Because the kids at Munchem don't seem very, well . . . reformed. Mostly, they seem terrifying, and the whole place is just a little off.

Mattie has to get out. Fast.

But it may not be fast enough. Headmaster Rooney is tired of dealing with problem students. His solution, however, may prove to be too radical. When Carter is suddenly next in line for Rooney's master plan, Mattie and the renegade siblings, Eliot and Caroline, must band together to save him and the rest of Munchem's students before all is lost.

Suddenly, Mattie-the good son-must find his inner hero and fight back. And that's how the world's greatest thief got his start.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781484754078
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	10/04/2016
Series:	Munchem Academy Series , #1
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	599,101
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Commander S. T. Bolivar, III knows his brilliance cannot be adequately expressed in a biography. However, when forced to do so, he emphasizes his criminal mind expertise, his attention to detail, and indeed, his brilliance. The Commander has written all the books you've ever loved and a few you've hated. He is a paper-cut survivor and harsh critic of hashtags and tiny dogs that fit into tiny purses. The Commander lost the hat from this picture, but he remembers it fondly. If found, please contact him immediately. #BrilliantHeadMissingHat

Editorial Reviews

09/01/2016
Gr 4–6—Mattie Larimore was always known as the good son compared to his brother, Carter. That is, until the day Mattie impulsively stole a train. Unfortunately for Mattie, he gets caught and sent to Munchem Academy, the reform school for juvenile delinquents that Carter attends. It is where Mattie's life of crime truly begins and where he learns the thrill of breaking the rules. At Munchem, Mattie befriends two siblings, Elliot and Caroline, both future criminal masterminds. Together, they find out what is really going on behind closed doors at the academy. The kids know Headmaster Rooney is up to no good when the worst kids in school start disappearing after committing various offenses, including Carter. When the students return, they are completely changed and act like model citizens, ready to return home to their families. The kids soon discover the shocking truth behind Rooney's nefarious plan. Though a bit long-winded in spots, this is overall an enjoyable read. Mattie is a relatable and likable protagonist, and readers will chuckle at his and his friends' antics. VERDICT Fans of Lemony Snicket will appreciate this humorous mystery.—Megan McGinnis, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY

School Library Journal

2016-07-20
A reform school’s rehab program turns out to have a disturbing biological component in this satiric series opener.When one impulsive act—well, OK, he stole a subway train—lands him in dusty, decrepit Munchem Academy alongside his bad seed big brother, Carter, undersized Mattie Larimore soon discovers the tried-and-true technique of ingratiating himself with the grown-ups isn’t going to secure him an early release. No, it seems there are plans afoot to boost the school’s reputation by producing exact but eager-to-please clones of all the school’s resident bullies and punks. Seeing sudden, bizarre behavior changes in Carter, Mattie embarks on a determined search for his original sibling that takes him from the teachers’ lounge to a high-tech lab beneath a nearby mausoleum. Eventually plans for a complicated denouement collapse, but that’s OK because a) Carter turns out to be not such a bad brother, and b) Mattie comes to realize that, particularly after some editing of the evil Headmaster Rooney’s memories, Munchem isn’t such a terrible place after all. Aside from the two Larimores, whose mother is Dominican, the cast isn’t particularly racially diverse, but Mattie does acquire as allies Eliot and Caroline, squabbling adopted sibs with distinct and special abilities who will, the pseudonymous “Bolivar” assures readers, be his future sidekicks. Stay tuned. A mildly creepy premise, lots of clueless adults, and teens who are more pranksters than toughs keep the tone light. (Science fiction/suspense. 11-13)

Kirkus Reviews