Fitzgerald, John D.

Average customer rating:

Witty and wonderful!
Hillarity for "kids" of all ages
The Great Brain
Awesome Books
A Book of Scheming for some money for a little boy Tom

Great Brain,The (Great Brain)
John D. Fitzgerald
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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More Adventures of the Great Brain
Me and My Little Brain (Great Brain)
The Great Brain Is Back
Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective (Encyclopedia Brown)
The Mad Scientists' Club (Mad Scientist Club)

ASIN: 0142400580

Book Description

The best con man in the Midwest is only ten years old. Tom, a.k.a., the Great Brain, is a silver-tongued genius with a knack for turning a profit. When the Jenkins boys get lost in Skeleton Cave, the Great Brain saves the day. Whether it's saving the kids at school, or helping out Peg-leg Andy, or Basil, the new kid at school, the Great Brain always manages to come out on top—and line his pockets in the process.

Customer Reviews:

Witty and wonderful!.......2006-11-11

This book reminded me of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. It is so well
written. It is full of wit and heartwarming understanding of the workings
of young boys. I enjoyed it as much as any book I have read all year and
would highly recommend it to any age group.

Hillarity for "kids" of all ages.......2006-11-10

The antics of the Great Brain as told by his brother are some of the funniest, twisted, and gut-splitting moments in popular literature. I remember reading the entire series when I was a kid and I was stunned to find every moment as hillarious at age 40 as they were back when I was 10. My nine year old is reading the series now. It's a real pleasure to hear her giggles and howls of laughter coming from her loft as she experiences the adventures and hijinx of JD and the gang for herself.

In terms of reading pleasure, JD Fitzgerald's style and use of language, subtle dry whit and sideways descriptions add to the plot & character driven moments, making these tomes some of the best of American literature. Adults who can hammer down a David Foster Wallace novel can sink their literary teeth into JD's reflexive fiction with just as much sophisticated vigor. If you have one of those little Great Brains in your own home, you'll instantly recognize the genuis and perverse brilliance in Fitzgerald's characters. In an age of labels and neuroses run amuck it feels good to see, yeah, here's a fictional (?) character who's just like my kid.

This stuff is beyond funny. Just be sure you have a massage afterwards because your muscles will ache from the laugh-reflex.

The Great Brain.......2006-05-25

The Great Brain details the good-natured profiteering of Tom D. Fitzgerald, the middle of three brothers growing up in 1890s Utah.Tom's younger brother J.D., the reader spends the entire book gleefully at Tom's side, rooting for him, the prototypical sympathetic scoundrel, as he threads his way in and out of dozens of unlikely schemes. The Great Brain, Tom D. Fitzgerald, is a very smart, but also very greedy boy, who finds all kinds of ways to make a penny (back when a penny was worth something). The chapters mostly involve him trying to con people out of their money OR trying to make money from schemes. Yet he also uses that great brain to solve problems for others kids, such as Andy who thinks he is so plump useless without his lost leg that he tries to kill himself or the Jenson kids who got lost in the Skeleton Caves.. I recommend this book to kids who enjoy reading. Most kids will find out that they will really like this book.

Awesome Books.......2006-05-03

Wow, everyone keeps talking about how educational they were. I read them when I was a kid, and If I had known how educational they were when I was a kid, I wouldn't have devoured every single one of them with relish. I read a lot when I was a kid, and these books are the ones that stand out, above all as the best I read. Your kids will absolutely love them, and so will you. But let's keep this educational stuff a little hushed up.

A Book of Scheming for some money for a little boy Tom.......2006-05-03

I like animals a lot and there were animals in here.If you are looking for a good book this is it! There are also many funny and exciting moments. Readers of all ages will enjoy this book!!
Ellen,
age 10

Average customer rating:

Fun, but not as good as the previous ones
Closure for a great series.
Good, but not great
So-so entry into the Great Brain series...
Great Book, but read the others first

The Great Brain Is Back
John D. Fitzgerald
Manufacturer: Dial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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More Adventures of the Great Brain
Me and My Little Brain (Great Brain)
Great Brain,The (Great Brain)
The Great Brain Reforms (Great Brain)
The Great Brain Does it Again (Great Brain)

ASIN: 0803713460

Product Description

The Great Brain Is Back -The Great Brain Series #8-

Customer Reviews:

Fun, but not as good as the previous ones.......2007-01-25

I've read all the great brain, and this is my least favorite. It is written by someone else after the author died, and it's obvious. It is entertaining, but does not qualify as a great brain book to me.

Closure for a great series........2006-07-25

My first introduction to this wonderful "young readers" series was in elementary school. Our class had a weekly period where the teacher read to us. It so happened that the Great Brain was one of those books. I was immediately hooked.
I had the other 7 books since my teenage years, but I had no idea that an 8th posthumous book had been released.
I finally had the chance to purchase it, and I must say that it was a very nostalgic experience to read new tales of these familiar character.
I highly recommend fans of the series to get this book to complete the collection. New readers should start with the 1st book, "The Great Brain".

Good, but not great.......2006-06-08

Honestly, I liked the original last book better than this posthumously published one, but I'm not going to complain about another book being added to the series. In this book T.D. catches some criminals and pulls a few minor swindle's, but the final conclusion of the series seems to be that swindling doesn't pay. The very last chapter is called "The Swindler gets Swindled," and Tom tries to pull a swindle and it backfires completely and he ends up losing some money. On that note the series ends, the author's point being made. Lots of humor along the way, as well as fascinating adventures in the old west. Definitely a series I'll be re-reading again in the future.

Overall grade: A-

So-so entry into the Great Brain series..........2005-02-03

I would only give this 2.5 stars out of 5. As someone who grew up with the Great Brain series in the '70s I was quite pleased to hear about this "lost" book surfacing a few years ago. These were my favorite books when I was a kid and I kept them for many years afterwards. Imagine my disappointment when I read the introduction by the "editor." If one were to believe what she writes here, she is the one who should be commended for the "Great Brain" series, not Fitzgerald.

Oh, please.

Her insulting forward aside, readers should know that this book was assembled (after his death) from Fitzgerald's notes and we will never know for sure if he intended for it to be published or not. It's a fair book, but it doesn't have nearly the spark of the original works, all of which I would highly recommend over this, any day of the week.

Great Book, but read the others first.......2005-01-03

First, I loved the Great Brain series. My 11 year old son just got done reading the first seven. We agree that the first was the weakest, and the rest were amazing. His favorite is Me and My Little Brain, while mine is The Great Brain at the Academy.

I read the books in the 70's. I looked on Amazon.com for the books for my son and found this one. I bought, read it, and loved it. It was like meeting a best friend that you haven't seen for years, and starting right where you left off.

With that said, this book is not as good as the rest. It's a bit like saying Eric Clapton is not as good as Jimi Hendrix. Clapton is still better than 99.9% of the rest of the guitarist. And that's how you should look at this book. It's not quite as good as the original seven, but it's still great.

If you're thinking of buying this, read the rest of the series first. Then buy this one and enjoy it. If you read the series when you where young, then buy this book. You will love it.

Average customer rating:

A fun picture of late 18th century mormon Utah
the monster walks
Weakest link in a terrific series
More Laughs
Great for any age

More Adventures of the Great Brain
John D. Fitzgerald
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Great Brain,The (Great Brain)
Me and My Little Brain (Great Brain)
The Great Brain Is Back
The Great Brain at the Academy (Great Brain)
The Great Brain Reforms (Great Brain)

ASIN: 0142400653

Book Description

Has Tom Jenkins, a.k.a. the Great Brain, given up his con-artist ways for a bicycle? Not for long. Soon the Great Brain is back to his old tricks, swindling and trading, even convincing the whole town there's a prehistoric monster on the loose. But when someone robs the bank, even the police are stumped. Can the Great Brain solve the crime and put the crooks behind bars?

Customer Reviews:

A fun picture of late 18th century mormon Utah.......2006-06-05

I greatly enjoyed this Great Brain series, both when I was a kid and still today. This book, however, was probably my least favorite in the series. It really is probably not going to have a good impact on a child's moral character. That said, it is fun to read now, as it gives one great insights into what Utah was like 120 or so years ago. I also enjoy reading about the Great Brain's escapades, most of which are rather humerous. The Great Brain is almost the villian of this series as well as its hero. It is very often mentioned that he has a "money loving heart," and Fitzgerald makes it rather clear that he does not usually approve of his brother's actions, while admiring his brains at the same time.

Overall grade: B+

the monster walks.......2005-10-04

All summer I have been reading the Great Brain books that took place in Adenville, Utah in 1896. I liked the story in More Adventures of the Great Brain where the great brain makes the whole town believe that there is a monster in a place called Skeleton Cave. He did this because his friend Parley got a bowie knife for Christmas. Tom ( the Great Brain ) wanted Parley's knife, so Tom bet Parley his bb gun against Parley's knife that Parley would be too scared to meet Tom at Skeleton Cave at midnight the next night.
That night Tom made tracks that looked like monster footprints from Skeleton Cave to the river and back to the cave. The next day somebody saw the footprints and told the sheriff. Nobody was allowed to leave their houses until the monster was caught. Tom sneaked out of his house and went down to Skeleton Cave at midnight. Parley did not dare leave his house because of the monster. And he had to give his knife to Tom who usually gets money or toys when doing one of his swindles.
The reason that I like these books is because all of them are adventures and they are true.

Nathan D., age 12

Weakest link in a terrific series.......2005-03-09

Once again, the young narrator J.D. relates the adventures of his natural born con artist brother Tom, aka the Great Brain.

A hundred years after this series takes place, the writing that makes this series live and breathe is still in full force. The authentic details that flesh out life in the small town of Adenville, Utah are great touches and elevate the story above similar tales that take place in the present. The series also banks on the realistic and lovable main characters, especially John D. and Tom himself.

Despite all that, I have to say that this is the weakest of the Great Brain books. Tom's adventures are more grandiose than in the others, and I think that the series is more comfortable when Tom is operating within the realm of his peers, rather than conning the entire town on a big scale. He creates a stir when he convinces the entire town that a monster walks among them at night, and later in the book seeks to capture a ghost that has scared him and the other children away from an old mine. These episodes are just a little less fun than when Tom is conning quarters and dimes from the other kids.

Another chapter that I had a problem with was "The Taming of Britches Dotty," which is so demeaning toward women that I think it would actually be harmful for any child who reads it. Britches Dotty is essentially a rough and tumble cowgirl whom Tom "tames" by teaching her to wear pretty dresses and "act like a girl." He also teaches her to read and write, so it's not like the chapter couldn't work with some revision, but the notion that girls have to dress nicely, act demurely, and look pretty is so out of touch that the chapter should be altered or removed before it's given to a child.

But these books are episodic, and I do have to say that, on the positive side, this book has one of the best episodes in the entire series, which is when Papa and the boys get hopelessly lost among the local canyons, with Papa despairing that they will make it out alive.

There is also a touching chapter about the boys heading up a funeral for a local dog.

Mercer Meyer's detailed sketches are absolutely wonderful, with lots of detail and shading, and characters that retain some of their cartoonishness even as they look real.

This is a terrific series, and everyone who reads it will enjoy it.

More Laughs.......2003-12-31

I read these books as child by checking them out of a library. Now almost 20 years later, I have decided to reread them all starting from the beginning. While, the first book ends with T.D., aka the Great Brain, supposedly reformed, after he receives that shiny new bike for Christmas he's back at it again in More Adventures of the Great Brain. One of my favorite chapters in this book is the one about Old Butch because it shows T.D.'s feeling side and allows his character to have depth beyond his tricks. Much of this book is typical of the Great Brain and is good for some laughs. I recommend all the books of this series to children and adults alike.

Great for any age.......2002-08-25

John Dennis Fitzgerald intended to chronicle his youth in Utah for adults, not children. His publisher thought otherwise and the result are these gems. I don't even call them children's lit gems because I find them just as enjoyable as an adult. Before I go on, you should know that Fitzgerald wrote one book about his youth that is for adults, called "Papa Married a Mormon". It is one of the most amazing books on the American west that I have ever read. Sadly, it is out of print, and you may, like me, have to pay an exorbitant sum to get a copy. Trust me, save up and do it. Now back to this book. Every single Great Brain book in the series is pure gold, and the entire set can be had cheaply, so I say buy them all at once. I "put my money where my mouth is" as Tom the Great Brain would say, and bought the lot.

Average customer rating:

Great book for kids!
Nice change of pace
Great pick for a "reluctant reader"
If I Only Had a Brain
Great & not so great brain

Me and My Little Brain (Great Brain)
John D. Fitzgerald
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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More Adventures of the Great Brain
Great Brain,The (Great Brain)
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ASIN: 0142400645

Book Description

Tom, a.k.a. the Great Brain, is off to boarding school. Now his little brother, J. D., is free to follow in Tom's ingenious, conniving, and profitable footsteps. All of J. D.'s attempts at turning a profit fail miserably, and he soon realizes that he just doesn't have that crafty Great Brain knack. But when his younger brother is kidnapped, J. D. finds that his little brain may not be so ordinary after all....

Customer Reviews:

Great book for kids!.......2007-01-09

This is an amazing series! I first read it in the early 70's as a fifth grader and as teacher I read it every year to my third, fourth and fifth graders. They love it.

Nice change of pace.......2006-06-08

This book presents a very nice change of pace in the Great Brain series. The Great Brain has gone off to boarding school, and J. D. thinks that he will fill the Great Brain's shoes and try to swindle the kids in town. All of J. D.'s plans backfire, and he learns that swindling people is not something that is to be admired or done. The main focus of the book is on J.D.'s family's adoption of Frankie, a little boy whose parents were killed in an accident. It's a very heartwarming portrayal of a family's acceptance of a new member, and it is not at all lacking in comic relief. Mr. Fitzgerald's humor is not at all lacking in this book, and perhaps is even better than in the rest of the series. I definitely enjoyed this book.

Overall grade: A

Great pick for a "reluctant reader".......2006-03-18

I remembered reading these books in the 70's and got this book for my son. My "reluctant reader" fifth grader loved the entire series. A great pick for kids who are more interested in straight fiction "real" characters and plots, as opposed to fantasy/science fiction (which can confound less strong readers). I wish the entire series was in print.

If I Only Had a Brain.......2004-01-06

I read these books as child by checking them out of a library. Now almost 20 years later, I have decided to reread them all starting from the beginning. In this book, J.D. decides that he can fill the Great Brain (T.D.)'s shoes, while T.D. is away at the Academy in Salt Lake City. It turns out to be a humbling experience, thus the title, Me and My Little Brain. While some people may tell you that this book isn't as good without the presence of the Great Brain, I found this book just as entertaining as the rest. The storytelling is as superb as the rest. You don't want to miss this book because it introduces the character, Frankie, who allows this book to still be about brothers. Towards the end of this book, we find out that J.D. can still do some amazing stuff even though he has a little brain. This book and The Great Brain at the Academy are parallel books, which describe events happening at the same time, however, you should read this book first to have things make sense.

Great & not so great brain.......2003-09-20

The third book in the series has mighty big shoes to fill but it lives up to expectations very well.
Other reviewers have expressed concern over the lack of stories with the main character (Tom), but this book is true to it's title and deals with the younger Fitzgerald in very well.\

I applaud the author for taking time to focus on the troubles of a younger sibling when his older (and more conniving) brother is absent.

I enjoyed this book very much when I was younger, and still enjoy it now that I am an adult and father.

Book Description

Tom Fitzgerald, alias The Great Brain, is back, struggling to stay reformed now that his friends have threatened to ostracize him if he puulls even one more swindle. But his brother J.D. knows Tom's reformation is too good to be true, and as a reformed Great Brain makes for a dull life, J.D. is not altogether unhappy--or blameless--when his brother's money-loving heart stealthily retums to business as usual.

Under the watchful eyes of parents and friends, Tom has to be craftier than ever, and indeed he is. Whether he's cleverly pulling an out-and-out swindle so as not to be caught or solving a train robbery and murder, Tom's Great Brain never fails.

Customer Reviews:

The not-so-reformed Great Brain.......2006-06-08

In the previous book in the series, The Great Brain Reforms, T.D. is forced to reform by his peers, or they will cease speaking to him. In light of this, T.D. elects to go on with his swindling lifestyle, and is forced to be more cautious than ever that what he does will not be called swindling. It leads to some rather unusual adventures, and the Great Brain actually earns some honest money. Not the best in the series, but still a fun book.

Overall grade: A-

So is He Reformed? Or Isnýt He?.......2004-01-22

This book solves the problem of the Great Brain aka TD's return to the Academy by building an Academy right in town. Now, the story can take place in our favorite town, Adenville, and utilize all of our favorite characters. TD works under the guise of being reformed throughout this book, but still ends up with all of the other kids' the money. He's also able to word his tricks in such a way that he can't be caught or punished. It's funny because while JD, TD's little brother, has been swindled the most he miss the excitement and even encourages TD in his money-loving ways.

One of my favorites.......2000-11-01

This is a light-hearted, funny book. I am way beyond the suggested age level, but i still read all the books in this series every other year. This series is one of two other books that has EVER made me laugh out loud, even when i was younger. So give the gift of laughter to a special kid in your life with this whole series!!

Enjoyable Book.......2000-08-12

This book was really entertaining, and I have read it more than once. I have not read a better book than this about what kids did in the past etc. It had intresting situation and intresting characters and I recomend it for everyone!

A Great Book.......1999-10-28

The Return of the Great Brain is a excellent book to read!!! Tom ( the great brain ) is on trial. He has to reform.Tom uses his brain to solve a train robbery,to get a jackass, and many other things. Read The Return of the Great Brain to find out what happens!

Average customer rating:

The cost of being a swindler
You'll Hate this Kid; You'll Love this Kid
The Behavior that Drives Reform
An Unforgettable Classic: A Must Read
Trust me, he doesnt actually

The Great Brain Reforms (Great Brain)
John D. Fitzgerald
Manufacturer: Yearling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

The Great Brain Is Back
The Great Brain at the Academy (Great Brain)
The Great Brain Does it Again (Great Brain)
Me and My Little Brain (Great Brain)
More Adventures of the Great Brain

ASIN: 0440448417
Release Date: 1974-12-15

Book Description

Customer Reviews:

The cost of being a swindler.......2006-06-08

Fitzgerald puts out yet another good book in the Great Brain series with the Great Brain Reforms. It details a few more of T.D.'s swindles, and builds up to the point where the rest of the kids in town hate him. When he risks two of the kids' lives for thirty cents, they realize that it has gone too far. They hold a mock court meeting, and convict the Great Brain of swindling everyone in town, and as punishment every kid in town refuses to speak to him for a whole year. The Great Brain promises to reform, so they agree to talk to him as long as he stays reformed. Definitely an interesting and humerous read.

Overall grade: A-

You'll Hate this Kid; You'll Love this Kid.......2006-01-11

Young Tom Fitzgerald is the "Great Brain" because he is always outsmarting the other kids in town and taking their money--or baseball glove, bat, air rifle...you name it! All the kids hate him: He's a swindler, blackmailer, crook, and an attempted murderer, according to them. In other words, "The Great Brain" is an all-around rotten kid. Yet, Tom doesn't consider himself a bad guy at all--just smart. Though he is a number-one con man, he does do some good things; and all his schemes--good and bad--are clever to read about. Far from a dull book!

The Behavior that Drives Reform.......2004-01-22

Once again the Great Brain aka TD manages to swindle his friends out of money by being smart enough to bet on a sure thing, but words it in such a way that his friends believe that they will win. For example, TD bets his friends that he can magnetize a wood stick. They fall for it since they know that he canýt possibly magnetize wood. Well, we later find out that he made a boomerang and pretends to use a magnet to bring it back to him. My favorite part of the stories in this book is how TD livens up the swindles and money-making schemes with his story telling. Who wouldnýt want to ride the raft, Explorer, after hearing him narrate during the ride? The author tells the story in such a way that it makes you smile. This book concludes with JD getting fed up with his older brother TD and devising a plan to make him reform. You wonýt want to miss it.

An Unforgettable Classic: A Must Read.......2002-09-04

John D. Fitzgerald, in the tradition of Mark Twain, wrote a semi-fictitious account of his childhood as a Mormon in Utah. The milieu and time for "The Great Brain" series is a Victorian, early 1900's era, making the stories more in the lines of Tom Sawyer and Huck Fynn. But that does not belittle this timeless classic written in the 70's. The Great Brain is in fact an interesting character to follow. The stories are told from the point of view of his younger brother, as he follows him through many schemes (all of which are money scams) and escapades, which somehow wind down to moral lessons. The Great Brain is a humorous, brilliant and witty work of historic fiction that is sure to touch every reader in some way. I first read the series as a young child myself, growing up in much the same way The Great Brain does- a strict religious family that promotes hard work and academic education. These stories are hard to find nowadays, Victorian morales having slipped away somehow in our modern day. I am glad to know that Amazon.com still has these great books and I recommend them to everyone, young and old. For me, reading the novels was a form of escape, as well as an insightful glimpse of a time that was far more innocent than our own- the violent gangs of today and MTV, Britney Spears, Joy of Pepsi, Ossie Osbourne generation compare nothing to the rebelliousnes of the Great Brain. All of the books are enjoyable, and it is not until the last book in the series, "The Great Brain Reforms" (the name says it all) that we discover the startling growth and changes the punky, swindling, intelligent adult-trapped in the body of a child Great Brain undergoes. A Must Read.

Trust me, he doesnt actually.......2002-08-25

The Great Brain at the Academy (Great Brain)

Average customer rating:

Confusing People! Just plain confusing.
One of my childhood favorites!
Great Brain is just great
!!THE BEST BOOK I EVER READ!!
I read it until it fell apart

The Great Brain at the Academy (Great Brain)
John D. Fitzgerald , and Mercer Mayer
Manufacturer: Yearling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

The Great Brain Reforms (Great Brain)
The Great Brain Is Back
The Great Brain Does it Again (Great Brain)
Me and My Little Brain (Great Brain)
More Adventures of the Great Brain

ASIN: 0440431131
Release Date: 1982-01-15

Book Description

Everyone knew that Tom Fitzgerald, alias The Great Brain, would get into trouble when he went off to school at the strict Catholic Academy for Boys in Salt Lake City. But no one--including Tom--knew just how much. His tongue got him into fifteen demerits worth of difficulty the very first day, but his great brain refused to be defeated as Tom set out to outwit the eighth grade, the superintendent, and finally the bishop of the state of Utah. Whether it's running an illegal candy store or earning a reputation as the fastest potato peeler in the world or introducing the newfangled sport of basketball at the academy, Tom's great brain never falters. And his money-making schemes rise to new heights--or depths--faced with the challenge of rigorous boarding-school life.

Customer Reviews:

Confusing People! Just plain confusing........2006-03-25

In fourth grade I read the book The Great Brain at the academy, I thought it would be a challenge because it was fifth grade level. All of my group members ( 7 people) and I read it. Majority of us said it was boring( 6 people) and one person liked it. It was confusing because at the begening Tom rides the train and controls it then in the middle he plans of making a candy store and tries to make it work and at the end he has a basket ball game which has nothing to do w/ the candy store . You would explain this book like a book that was going on the right track (like maybe a pretty dress) then after too many things get added ( like designers putting too many pathes on it) . The ending of this book should've had Tom making the candy store w/ Father Rodrigues's aprooval. But instead he was in the b-ball game.

One of my childhood favorites!.......2005-07-24

I received the set of Great Brain Books when I was 8-years-old (back in 1978). While all of them are great, this was by far my favorite because Tom pulls off things every kid wishes s/he could. I don't even know how many times I read it as a kid, but it was more than once a year.

This is the story of Tom being shipped off to Catholic School and taking on the Jesuit teachers. He keeps up his swindling ways and finds ways to make school life much more exciting for everyone! My daughter is now enjoying the series, and I can't wait until she gets to this one!

Great Brain is just great.......2005-01-29

"If any of you kids want a bar of candy," Tom said, "it will cost you a dime."
"But they are only nickel bars of candy," Rory protested.
"That is the price in a store," Tom said. "Ten cents is the price in the academy."
Rory was completely flabbergasted as he stared at Sweyn. "What kind of a brother have you got?" he asked.
"An eighteen-karat conniver," Sweyn answered.

In this fourth chapter of the Great Brain books, John D. is left behind when Tom joins the oldest brother, Sweyn, at a learning institution. Tom's naturally independent nature, his demand to know the reason that things work as they do, and his self-righteousness combine with his smarts to get him into trouble at the academy. Every time he uses his brain to distinguish himself from his peers, he is slapped back down by the strict staff.

This book distinguishes itself from its predecessors by having a more cohesive storyline than the others. While many of the books involve stand-alone episodes in which Tom employs one scheme or another, this book has far more continuity, as Tom finds himself in an ongoing struggle with the academy administration, led by the harsh Father Rodriguez.

Partially because of this, the chapters deviate from the familiar formula of Tom extracting money from those around him. Instead, he has to use his wits to accomplish other feats, such as unlocking a locked door, for example, when he lacks the key.

This difference is generally a positive one, as we get more and more invested in the story as it develops. We are also treated to the inside of the religious academy, and we really get a sense of its inner workings and how students lived there.

As always, the language is engaging, filled with colloquialisms that are easily understood, even though they are far outdated. The books allow us to see a slice of American history while still being completely accessible to modern children.

Kids will love to place themselves in Tom's shoes, and imagine how they too can put one over on their peers and loved ones.

!!THE BEST BOOK I EVER READ!!.......2004-12-19

this book is full of action about this guy at a school that fools all the monks, smugels candy, and tricks his friends.this book is sugested 4 people with boring lives

I read it until it fell apart.......2004-06-18

When I was in third grade or so, my mother bought a boxed set of the first five Great Brain books for us for Christmas. This one (the fourth in the series) was my favorite; I read it until the pages were so dog-eared that it was almost impossible to slide them back into the box, and then I read it some more until I had it nearly memorized, and then I read it some more until it fell apart.

I still have the books; I ran across them when we moved recently and realized that I need to look for hardcover editions. They are all in bad shape, despite attempts at mending them over the years.

The books are still funny, and they still develop the important critical and analytical thinking skills needed to imagine a different time, place, and way of life.

I think that the books are well suited to the 9-to-12 age range that is usually recommended. Each chapter is typically a separate story, which makes the series ideal for the reader who struggles with longer works. They're officially "boys' books," but the publisher's notion of the primary market segment didn't stop me or my sisters from enjoying them.

(A slightly technical aside: what makes a publisher think of a book as a "boy's book" or a "girl's book" is not just the gender of the main characters (which are all boys here). It's also the style: boys usually buy action-oriented books, and girls usually buy books which invest more time in thought, dialogue, and emotion.

(To give one example of this phenomenon, Bridge to Terabithia, whose main character is a boy, is definitely a girl's book.

(While the Great Brain stories are almost always action-driven, there is a fair bit of thought analysis in these books, so I think they're a little closer to the midpoint of the gender spectrum than the typical "boy's book."

(For example, something will happen, JD (the narrator and the Great Brain's younger brother) will then analyze the situation: if I do this, my friends will think this, Papa will think this, and Mama will think this. If I do this other thing, then everyone except Mama will react this way. So I will do this other thing, and be prepared to give Mama this excuse for what I'm doing.)

I want to add for the sake of those who might have to listen to complaints (e.g., those on school library committees) that various bias and sensitivity organizations which review children's literature have occasionally rated books in this series as racist, sexist, materialist, individualist, and conformist.

That is, the various stories (many of which are at least semi-autobiographical) in the series depict things like:

* the horrible treatment of a new Greek immigrant boy at the hands of the town bully (as well as the silent compliance of most of the boys -- isn't that just like real life?), and the town people's shocking indifference to the welfare of an elderly Jewish man (thus the racist label: people behaved badly at times in the books -- just like they do in real life -- except that here, they're all sorry for it in the end);

* fairly run-of-the-mill girls-have-cooties themes and some historically accurate gender roles (and some historically accurate breaking of gender roles: for example, Mama is a crack shot with a rifle) (thus the sexist label);

* The Great Brain himself is tormented by his Money-Loving Heart and constantly scheming to get more money (thus the materialist label);

* The Great Brain has a me-first attitude (which is partly balanced by actions like whipping the bully for mistreating the immigrant boy) (thus this individualist label); and

* the boys in the story have an informal code of honor (you don't pick on kids younger than yourself, for example) that they all conform to, and social censure is applied by the whole group (none of the other boys will play with you any more if you break the code of honor) (thus the conformist label).

I was thinking of their code of honor the other day when I took a couple of neighborhood girls to the park and witnessed a (completely unsupervised) boy of about eight or ten annoying a couple of preschoolers. It sure made me wish for a time when boys thought that annoying little kids was dishonorable.)

Book Description

Synthesis and Properties of Silicones and Silicone-Modified Materials includes sections on synthesis, characterization, elastomers and reinforcement, surfaces and interfaces, copolymers, and reinforcing fillers. Synthesis and Properties of Silicones and Silicone-Modified Materials reviews recent academic and technological developments behind silicones and silicone-modified materials. Synthesis and Properties of Silicones and Silicone-Modified Materials includes sections on synthesis, characterization, elastomers and reinforcement, surfaces and interfaces, copolymers, and reinforcing fillers. Synthesis and Properties of Silicones and Silicone-Modified Materials reviews recent academic and technological developments behind silicones and silicone-modified materials.

Average customer rating:

One of the best in the series
master brain
Heýs At It Again
The Great Brain Does It Again
Great for any age

The Great Brain Does It Again
John D. Fitzgerald
Manufacturer: Dial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

The Great Brain Is Back
The Great Brain Reforms (Great Brain)
The Great Brain at the Academy (Great Brain)
Me and My Little Brain (Great Brain)
More Adventures of the Great Brain

ASIN: 080375065X

Customer Reviews:

One of the best in the series.......2006-06-08

Once again T.D. is stying to avoid open swindles, and in this book he once again earns some honest money. He also saves the town (of course expecting a reward), and does some actually downright nice things. It's rather obvious that the Great Brain is growing up, and he seems to get much milder as the series goes on. This was the last book published in the series during the author's lifetime, and it was a good end to the series. It looked as if Tom had finally given up the swindling business.

Overall grade: A

master brain.......2006-01-24

Tom and Frankie, the two worst brother to brother connections ever, a family with two younger brothers but at an age of 11, Tom is really smart. He tricks and fools people to take their money. And which the great brain was born. But most of all, he always manages to swindle his little bother each time in his scams. Frankie couldn't take any more. It's time someone got him back. But with a small brain like Frankie's it's going to be hard.
These two brothers with a relationship like a cat and dog have to go through various mysteries solving them one at a time.
Starring the book The Great Brain Does It Again, is a terrific book with great characters with twists and turns on Frankie and Tom.
Tom is the same all the way through the book, dodging and overcoming everything Frankie tries to throw at him. But once Frankie stopped looking down on himself thinking he has a little brain. He found ways to use his brain for the better unlike Tom. In the end though, Tom learned the true meaning of brotherhood and friendship when everyone turned their backs on him with hatred. But still, he will always have a great brain and a money loving heart.
This book is great for everybody at all ages, especially between the ages of 6-13.

Heýs At It Again.......2004-01-22

While the Great Brain aka TD was supposedly reformed two books back, he's at it again wheeling and dealing full force in this book. The Great Brain comes to the rescue in two to the chapters proving his worth to society. However, a couple other stories show his money-loving heart getting the best of him, but Papa manages to put TD in his place atleast once. This book and all the others ones in the series are super entertaining. I highly recommend this series to all ages.

The Great Brain Does It Again.......2003-12-10

The book named "The Great Brain Does It" by John D. Fitzgerald is about two boys solving cases like thievery, stealing and so on.The main character is named Tom.Tom is a smart boy.He knew his alphabets, could write the numbers one thru one-hundred, and knew how to spell some words before going to school.He had help from his mama and papa though.The other character is Tom's brother which they don't mention his name,not until the middle of the book.He and Tom go solve a case which involves a stolen puppy,which by the way is theirs.They have alot of suspects and they're going to find out who stole the puppy.This is a very good book, and to make it better, I won't tell you what happens next.

Great for any age.......2002-08-25

Average customer rating:

The Great Brain Reforms
Illustrated by Mercer Mayer John D. Fitzgerald
Manufacturer: Dell Yearling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Similar Items:

The Great Brain at the Academy (Great Brain)

ASIN: B000GRYEE0

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