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The Smartest Kid in the Universe #1
The Smartest Kid in the Universe, Book 1
South Dakota Prairie Pasque Award
"Chris Grabenstein just might be the smartest writer for kids in the universe." (James Patterson)
What if you could learn everything just by eating jellybeans?! Meet the smartest kid in the universe and find out in this fun-packed new series from the best-selling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library and coauthor of Max Einstein!
Twelve-year-old Jake's middle school is about to be shut down—unless Jake and his friends can figure out how to save it. When Jake spies a bowl of jellybeans at the hotel where his mom works, he eats them. But those weren't just jellybeans, one of the scientists at his mom's conference is developing the world's first ingestible information pills. And that's what Jake ate.
Before long, Jake is the smartest kid in the universe. But the pills haven't been tested yet. And when word gets out about this new genius, people want him. The government. The mega corporations. Not all of them are good people! Can Jake navigate the ins and outs of his newfound geniusdom (not to mention the ins and outs of middle school) and use his smarts to save his school? Bonus! Includes extra brainteasers to test your smarts!
Don't miss the next Smartest Kid in the Universe—Genius Camp!
"Chris Grabenstein just might be the smartest writer for kids in the universe." (James Patterson)
What if you could learn everything just by eating jellybeans?! Meet the smartest kid in the universe and find out in this fun-packed new series from the best-selling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library and coauthor of Max Einstein!
Twelve-year-old Jake's middle school is about to be shut down—unless Jake and his friends can figure out how to save it. When Jake spies a bowl of jellybeans at the hotel where his mom works, he eats them. But those weren't just jellybeans, one of the scientists at his mom's conference is developing the world's first ingestible information pills. And that's what Jake ate.
Before long, Jake is the smartest kid in the universe. But the pills haven't been tested yet. And when word gets out about this new genius, people want him. The government. The mega corporations. Not all of them are good people! Can Jake navigate the ins and outs of his newfound geniusdom (not to mention the ins and outs of middle school) and use his smarts to save his school? Bonus! Includes extra brainteasers to test your smarts!
Don't miss the next Smartest Kid in the Universe—Genius Camp!
Audible Audio
First published December 1, 2020
294 people are currently reading
986 people want to read
About the author
Chris Grabenstein
151 books2,433 followersCHRIS GRABENSTEIN is a #1 New York Times bestselling author. His books include the LEMONCELLO, WONDERLAND, HAUNTED MYSTERY, DOG SQUAD, and SMARTEST KID IN THE UNIVERSE series, and many fun and funny page-turners co-authored with James Patterson. You can visit Chris at ChrisGrabenstein.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews
August 12, 2023
8/6/23 I first read this in 2022 before ChatGPT came on the scene. On rereading it, couldn't help to see it as prophecy about ChaptGPT (that came true much sooner than expected).
7/9/22 Just a fun book, I finished it within a day! Can Jake, his best friend Kojo, and Grace save their middle school from demolition? After taking smart pills , Jake just might be smart enough to figure out a way.
Give this book to fans of Grabenstein's other books like Shine! (co-written with his wife J.J. Grabenstein) and Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library or to fans of books with a similar humorous tone like James Patterson's I Funny series or Gordon Korman's The Unteachables.
7/9/22 Just a fun book, I finished it within a day! Can Jake, his best friend Kojo, and Grace save their middle school from demolition? After taking smart pills , Jake just might be smart enough to figure out a way.
Give this book to fans of Grabenstein's other books like Shine! (co-written with his wife J.J. Grabenstein) and Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library or to fans of books with a similar humorous tone like James Patterson's I Funny series or Gordon Korman's The Unteachables.
December 21, 2020
I have a number of Chris Grabenstein books on my TBR list and I recently enjoyed Shine! which was co-written by Chris and J.J. So I was happy to find the audiobook format of this book available on Overdrive and narrated by Kirby Heyborne.
12-year-old Jake attends Riverview Middle School where he’s sporting a C average. But as luck would happen, he happens upon a jar of jelly beans that turn out to be a scientific brain booster, allowing the user to tap into extensive knowledge on a large variety of topics (depending on which bean you eat). It was a highly entertaining read and I found Jake to be quite relatable to the middle grade crowd. For example, while he seems to suddenly have so many things figured out, there’s still social awkwardness and struggles to be honest. At one point he even says that he wished there was a jelly bean for talking to girls. Some things just cannot be downloaded into the human brain. 🙂 Super cute storyline and it was very well narrated!
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
12-year-old Jake attends Riverview Middle School where he’s sporting a C average. But as luck would happen, he happens upon a jar of jelly beans that turn out to be a scientific brain booster, allowing the user to tap into extensive knowledge on a large variety of topics (depending on which bean you eat). It was a highly entertaining read and I found Jake to be quite relatable to the middle grade crowd. For example, while he seems to suddenly have so many things figured out, there’s still social awkwardness and struggles to be honest. At one point he even says that he wished there was a jelly bean for talking to girls. Some things just cannot be downloaded into the human brain. 🙂 Super cute storyline and it was very well narrated!
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
January 22, 2021
Fun adventure! Fast reading with excitement around each corner. Once Jake eats the Jelly Beans with IK (Ingestible Knowledge) we learn lots of interesting facts throughout the book. He gets recruited by Grace to the middle school quiz bowl team, and brings along his smart side-kick classmate Kojo. Then all the adventures begin.
Jake uses his knowledge power for good purposes. A very wholesome book.
Very geared toward the middle school 11-13 crowd.
Books like this are what get kids to like reading!
4.5 for it intended audience.
Jake uses his knowledge power for good purposes. A very wholesome book.
Very geared toward the middle school 11-13 crowd.
Books like this are what get kids to like reading!
4.5 for it intended audience.
November 26, 2020
I received this book from RockstarBookTours in exchange of an honest review.
So, this was a book I was looking forward to A LOT. I love Chris Grabenstein books and I was eager to try out his newest. It was a bit of a surprise getting selected for this tour (just got the confirmation late evening Nov 23rd) and I was wondering if I would make it to read the book. Well, my knee (still not 100%) decided to hurt so much I couldn’t sleep so I decided it was time for some distraction and this book sounded perfect for that.
This book is about a boy named Jake. He is a chill dude who just likes to do as little effort as possible and just wants to have fun and play video games. Well, his life is about to change as he finds some yummy jellybeans and suddenly he KNOWS everything (or well all that is in those beans). Moral of the story: Don’t eat candy that is just lying around.. before you know it your head knows all sorts of trivia facts. 😛
Jake is a pretty good character, he really grows as the story continues and I was very proud of him. He learned quite a few new things, he wasn’t always happy with the beans, but it is thanks to the beans that he became a much more responsible person in many different ways. And, if I have to be honest, much more interesting as well. Because beginning Jake was fun, but I am not sure if I could have gone through 300 pages of him like that. I loved how much he cared for his sister and how bothered he was that he couldn’t help her out with Spanish. I found his love (would call it that) for Grace adorable and was hoping he could tell her for once.
I found it hilarious that he could just sprout out random trivia, though I also have to mention that after a while I just skipped those facts, but that he couldn’t do a word of Spanish. Even later instead of Spanish he can now do Spanish cuisine. I was happy to see Jake grow up a bit more in the story and later just watched Spanish shows to learn the language (and there we learn something new and exciting about the beans).
I loved Grace, though her short bursts of Spanish here and there didn’t making reading easy. We don’t get taught Spanish here in school. While I did a short course in Spanish for a few months (I would have stayed longer but I found my hubby and I moved to his city to start living together), that has been a few years so while I recognised words, I couldn’t fully understand them. But I did like her character and I loved how smart she was and how she kept going.
Kojo was fun and I just love his love for old detective shows. I remember watching those as well when there were re-runs on the TV here. He was a good friend to Jake. Though could he please stop saying those sentences, and the word baby. It was just too much.
The villains were properly evil, though at times a bit too much for me. I am just not a fan of POV’s from villains. I just get frustrated about it. But it was interesting to see how far they went to get what they wanted (the treasure + the building) and what they did to get so far.
Yes, I mentioned treasure. There is treasure. But so far in a long time no one has cracked the code. No one has found the treasure. It wasn’t until much later in the book that the treasure part truly begins but I didn’t mind. There was enough to read until then with FBI/CIA, a crazy scientist with a very dangerous lab setting, Quiz Bowls (which I always love reading about as we don’t have something like that here), and more. Yes, I was looking forward to the treasure but I was sure that would come. And when it came, OH BOY, the book really took the adventure switch up a level. There are riddles, geometry (eww but also awesome in this case), and will the kids find the treasure… or will the villains find it first. It was exciting and I just had to continue reading.
The ending (the Quizbowl and how things continued for Jake, but also for the school) was fantastic. I am so happy with the route the author picked for Jake. Throughout the book I was worried about the beans and if they would stop working. Or if Jake would get an antidote. Or if he would just be smart forever. I am not going to tell you which route the author picked, but I loved it to bits. Perfect!
All in all a fun book! I would have loved illustrations, I think that would have made the book even more awesome. Great characters, a fun story with tons of humour and never a dull moment, and tons more. I would recommend this one!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
So, this was a book I was looking forward to A LOT. I love Chris Grabenstein books and I was eager to try out his newest. It was a bit of a surprise getting selected for this tour (just got the confirmation late evening Nov 23rd) and I was wondering if I would make it to read the book. Well, my knee (still not 100%) decided to hurt so much I couldn’t sleep so I decided it was time for some distraction and this book sounded perfect for that.
This book is about a boy named Jake. He is a chill dude who just likes to do as little effort as possible and just wants to have fun and play video games. Well, his life is about to change as he finds some yummy jellybeans and suddenly he KNOWS everything (or well all that is in those beans). Moral of the story: Don’t eat candy that is just lying around.. before you know it your head knows all sorts of trivia facts. 😛
Jake is a pretty good character, he really grows as the story continues and I was very proud of him. He learned quite a few new things, he wasn’t always happy with the beans, but it is thanks to the beans that he became a much more responsible person in many different ways. And, if I have to be honest, much more interesting as well. Because beginning Jake was fun, but I am not sure if I could have gone through 300 pages of him like that. I loved how much he cared for his sister and how bothered he was that he couldn’t help her out with Spanish. I found his love (would call it that) for Grace adorable and was hoping he could tell her for once.
I found it hilarious that he could just sprout out random trivia, though I also have to mention that after a while I just skipped those facts, but that he couldn’t do a word of Spanish. Even later instead of Spanish he can now do Spanish cuisine. I was happy to see Jake grow up a bit more in the story and later just watched Spanish shows to learn the language (and there we learn something new and exciting about the beans).
I loved Grace, though her short bursts of Spanish here and there didn’t making reading easy. We don’t get taught Spanish here in school. While I did a short course in Spanish for a few months (I would have stayed longer but I found my hubby and I moved to his city to start living together), that has been a few years so while I recognised words, I couldn’t fully understand them. But I did like her character and I loved how smart she was and how she kept going.
Kojo was fun and I just love his love for old detective shows. I remember watching those as well when there were re-runs on the TV here. He was a good friend to Jake. Though could he please stop saying those sentences, and the word baby. It was just too much.
The villains were properly evil, though at times a bit too much for me. I am just not a fan of POV’s from villains. I just get frustrated about it. But it was interesting to see how far they went to get what they wanted (the treasure + the building) and what they did to get so far.
Yes, I mentioned treasure. There is treasure. But so far in a long time no one has cracked the code. No one has found the treasure. It wasn’t until much later in the book that the treasure part truly begins but I didn’t mind. There was enough to read until then with FBI/CIA, a crazy scientist with a very dangerous lab setting, Quiz Bowls (which I always love reading about as we don’t have something like that here), and more. Yes, I was looking forward to the treasure but I was sure that would come. And when it came, OH BOY, the book really took the adventure switch up a level. There are riddles, geometry (eww but also awesome in this case), and will the kids find the treasure… or will the villains find it first. It was exciting and I just had to continue reading.
The ending (the Quizbowl and how things continued for Jake, but also for the school) was fantastic. I am so happy with the route the author picked for Jake. Throughout the book I was worried about the beans and if they would stop working. Or if Jake would get an antidote. Or if he would just be smart forever. I am not going to tell you which route the author picked, but I loved it to bits. Perfect!
All in all a fun book! I would have loved illustrations, I think that would have made the book even more awesome. Great characters, a fun story with tons of humour and never a dull moment, and tons more. I would recommend this one!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
May 13, 2021
I loved this book it had some dramatic twists which I loved and I want to know if their is more books out their like this one.
February 27, 2022
REVIEW: The Smartest Kid in the Universe by Chris Grabenstein
Plot 4
Action 4
Characters 4
Writing 4
World Building 4
Recommend for Middle Grade Ages 11 - 13
Spoiler free reviews!
Read this if you like: A fun adventure for the kids (and adults!) with interesting facts and laugh out loud funnies!
ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY: 12 year old Jake’s middle school is about to be closed down and when he eats a bowl of jellybeans and realizes it’s actually the first ingestible information pills he has to use his newfound genius to save his school.
SO GLAD I COULD SHARE THIS WITH MY KIDS
This was such a fun read! My boys and I would read this every night before bed and how special to introduce them to this new world of fun and science.
I love how it also teaches as you read – learning about new facts in a fun way really sparked their imagination.
There is a bit of Spanish (which we don’t do in South Africa) but it didn’t affect the story at all.
The sidekick Kojo is definitely going to be a favorite character for all the kids as it was for mine!
There are some really dramatic twists! Did I mention there was a treasure hunt involved?!
RECOMMEND IT FOR
For everyone that wants a fun wholesome read, especially if you have a picky reader – this book will appeal to most kids for sure! This book is all about FUN!
Overall Rating: 3.9
Publish Date: December 1st 2020
Format: Paperback
Number of Pages: 304 pages
Middle Grade/Humour/Science Fiction
Thank you to @penguinbooksya for the review copy, opinions are my own.
Plot 4
Action 4
Characters 4
Writing 4
World Building 4
Recommend for Middle Grade Ages 11 - 13
Spoiler free reviews!
Read this if you like: A fun adventure for the kids (and adults!) with interesting facts and laugh out loud funnies!
ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY: 12 year old Jake’s middle school is about to be closed down and when he eats a bowl of jellybeans and realizes it’s actually the first ingestible information pills he has to use his newfound genius to save his school.
SO GLAD I COULD SHARE THIS WITH MY KIDS
This was such a fun read! My boys and I would read this every night before bed and how special to introduce them to this new world of fun and science.
I love how it also teaches as you read – learning about new facts in a fun way really sparked their imagination.
There is a bit of Spanish (which we don’t do in South Africa) but it didn’t affect the story at all.
The sidekick Kojo is definitely going to be a favorite character for all the kids as it was for mine!
There are some really dramatic twists! Did I mention there was a treasure hunt involved?!
RECOMMEND IT FOR
For everyone that wants a fun wholesome read, especially if you have a picky reader – this book will appeal to most kids for sure! This book is all about FUN!
Overall Rating: 3.9
Publish Date: December 1st 2020
Format: Paperback
Number of Pages: 304 pages
Middle Grade/Humour/Science Fiction
Thank you to @penguinbooksya for the review copy, opinions are my own.
June 20, 2020
3-1/2 stars
Twelve-year old Jake is an average middle school student, who could probably do a little better than average if he were willing to exert just a little effort. But, after helping himself to some jelly beans that turn out to be a scientific breakthrough far ahead of its time, Jake suddenly becomes super smart. So smart, that the Pentagon and FBI both ask for his help. But his biggest challenge will be to stop his evil principal Mrs. Malvolio and save his school from being shut down, with the help of his friends Kojo and Grace, and some buried pirate treasure.
I LOVED "Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library", and looked forward to reading another book from the same author. While this book wasn't quite as amazing and wonderful as Mr. Lemoncello's Library, it was a quick, fun read that middle-grade kids who like light-hearted adventure stories are sure to enjoy. Though, I really wish the story had ended with Jake somehow learning a lesson about the value of learning, and putting forth the effort to learn, and to do your best at whatever you do.
[I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
Twelve-year old Jake is an average middle school student, who could probably do a little better than average if he were willing to exert just a little effort. But, after helping himself to some jelly beans that turn out to be a scientific breakthrough far ahead of its time, Jake suddenly becomes super smart. So smart, that the Pentagon and FBI both ask for his help. But his biggest challenge will be to stop his evil principal Mrs. Malvolio and save his school from being shut down, with the help of his friends Kojo and Grace, and some buried pirate treasure.
I LOVED "Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library", and looked forward to reading another book from the same author. While this book wasn't quite as amazing and wonderful as Mr. Lemoncello's Library, it was a quick, fun read that middle-grade kids who like light-hearted adventure stories are sure to enjoy. Though, I really wish the story had ended with Jake somehow learning a lesson about the value of learning, and putting forth the effort to learn, and to do your best at whatever you do.
[I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
November 26, 2020
Chris Grabenstein knows how to entertain middle grade students with terrific, light-hearted, and relatable reads. “Smartest Kid” is kind of a mash up of the genius part of “Max Einstein,” the light, almost magical sci fi of “Lemoncello” and “Island of Dr Libris” and the search for plunder in “Treasure Hunters” as Jake-the-Coasting-Through-Life middle schooler suddenly becomes brilliant after eating some scientifically manipulated jelly beans and must solve crime, save his school, and find lost pirate booty. The target age group is grades 4-6 and most all in that range will find something to like. There is action in evading the bad guys and searching for treasure, typical tween school drama for lovers of realistic fiction, and lots of random math and trivia for those who love to challenge their thinking. Even the so-called reluctant reader may get sucked into the fast-moving plot and find that getting to the end is not so difficult. Recommended with no content reservations. Thanks for the dARC, NetGalley.
March 4, 2022
Eduardo Leones wasn’t the bravest pirate on Capitan Aliento de Perro’s crew.
- first line
This is a fast-moving book for kids with a great deal of humor and adventure. Grabenstein knows how to hook kids and he has a proven track record (Mr. Lemoncello’s Library series, The Welcome to Wonderland series, and others). Recommended for elementary/middle school libraries.
- first line
This is a fast-moving book for kids with a great deal of humor and adventure. Grabenstein knows how to hook kids and he has a proven track record (Mr. Lemoncello’s Library series, The Welcome to Wonderland series, and others). Recommended for elementary/middle school libraries.
November 18, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's for an early copy in return for an honest review.
Jack is a typical 12-year-old, doing typical 12-year-old things. A middling student, avid video gamer, likeable enough. One day, Jake happens upon a jar of jelly beans. He's hungry, he eats the jelly beans. He inadvertently becomes the Smartest Kid in the Universe.
The jelly beans are the brainchild of a zany scientist who has created "Ingestible Knowledge" which allows the consumer to have instant knowledge downloaded into their brain.
Jake finds a way to use his super knowledge for good when his middle school becomes at risk for demolition at the center of a plot for his principal to steal a long buried treasure.
I read this with my 10-year-old and it was enjoyable for both of us. My kid found Jake's crime procedural obsessed sidekick Kojo especially humorous. The story is engaging, fun, and adventurous. Parts almost reminded us a bit of National Treasure. Having also read Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library I can say it's of a similar quality.
The book ends in a way which suggests a forthcoming sequel, but is satisfying enough to be enjoyed as a standalone.
My rating: 3/5
10-year-old's rating: 4/5
I'll defer to his judgement since he's the target audience for the book.
Jack is a typical 12-year-old, doing typical 12-year-old things. A middling student, avid video gamer, likeable enough. One day, Jake happens upon a jar of jelly beans. He's hungry, he eats the jelly beans. He inadvertently becomes the Smartest Kid in the Universe.
The jelly beans are the brainchild of a zany scientist who has created "Ingestible Knowledge" which allows the consumer to have instant knowledge downloaded into their brain.
Jake finds a way to use his super knowledge for good when his middle school becomes at risk for demolition at the center of a plot for his principal to steal a long buried treasure.
I read this with my 10-year-old and it was enjoyable for both of us. My kid found Jake's crime procedural obsessed sidekick Kojo especially humorous. The story is engaging, fun, and adventurous. Parts almost reminded us a bit of National Treasure. Having also read Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library I can say it's of a similar quality.
The book ends in a way which suggests a forthcoming sequel, but is satisfying enough to be enjoyed as a standalone.
My rating: 3/5
10-year-old's rating: 4/5
I'll defer to his judgement since he's the target audience for the book.
June 5, 2020
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is an amusing read that will work well for middle-grade readers who are looking for a clever adventure story. (I've heard it's similar to Mr. Lemoncello's Library, also by this author, but I haven't read that one.) It starts with Jake, who is an average student who loves playing videogames, accidentally eating mysterious jellybeans that increase his intelligence, making him the "Smartest Kid in the Universe." He uses this newfound knowledge to try to impress a girl, ace his classes, and even help the President of the United States. Hilarity ensues.
Some of this is too far-fetched for realistic fiction; the villains are caricatures, and there are a few different threads in the narrative that don't always flow well (there's some realism, a mystery, a romance, and a swashbuckling pirate adventure at different points), but I think the book is humorous and light enough for it to work.
This is an amusing read that will work well for middle-grade readers who are looking for a clever adventure story. (I've heard it's similar to Mr. Lemoncello's Library, also by this author, but I haven't read that one.) It starts with Jake, who is an average student who loves playing videogames, accidentally eating mysterious jellybeans that increase his intelligence, making him the "Smartest Kid in the Universe." He uses this newfound knowledge to try to impress a girl, ace his classes, and even help the President of the United States. Hilarity ensues.
Some of this is too far-fetched for realistic fiction; the villains are caricatures, and there are a few different threads in the narrative that don't always flow well (there's some realism, a mystery, a romance, and a swashbuckling pirate adventure at different points), but I think the book is humorous and light enough for it to work.
January 15, 2021
Chris Grabenstein is one of our family's favorite authors because his books consistently capture the fun of being a kid. This one is no exception, from the slacker main character Jake who suddenly becomes super smart after eating experimental jelly beans, to the over-the-top characters like Mrs. Malvolio whose evil laugh and scheming make her a fun villain to boo at. Can't wait for the sequel coming soon!
January 17, 2021
Fun and entertaining read with a bit of magical realism that reminded me of The Sideways School books I adore. This is my first book by this author and I will be reading book two as I enjoyed the characters, the friendships, and the humor.
January 10, 2022
Good
A good book, especially for middle school readers. I recommend it. Good characters and an interesting idea. Great writing style.
A good book, especially for middle school readers. I recommend it. Good characters and an interesting idea. Great writing style.
November 11, 2020
Chris Grabenstein has to be one of the best middle-grade novelists there is, and that reputation will be further cemented by the release of The Smartest Kid in the Universe. Grabenstein excels at writing stories that are both zany and funny but with heart, too. That’s evidenced in The Smartest Kid in the Universe in the way that Jake cares about his sister, his friends, and his school – and the crazy way in which he learns to care about these things.
Most books that are this far out feature potty humor and are poorly written in grammatical terms, but Grabenstein’s ability to create fun puns that kids will understand, as well as to use situational humor, elevate his books far above other in the genre. His clean, smart writing style allows his work to be used as a mentor text for kids who are looking for examples of great writing to emulate. The Smartest Kid in the Universe does this exceptionally well, because while Grabenstein does come dangerously close to throwing some rotten humor into the mix, he also stirs in a great deal of trivia, history, and vocabulary. He uses these things in a natural way, as he does in his Lemoncello books, so that kids will be learning without even realizing it.
The story’s very premise is fun: and how many exhausted kids these days wouldn’t be interested in learning without having to put in endless hours of hard work? I like the way that Grabenstein created a kid-friendly story with real value.
Still, one of the very best parts of any Grabenstein book is, for me, the inherent character lesson. He always includes a great ‘moral of the story’ that comes with an example of how one should be. While The Smartest Kid in the Universe isn’t entirely missing that, the plot does leave one ethical question unanswered to which I would have loved to see some sort of resolution reached.
Or, perhaps, there’s a sequel coming – because that, too, would be a great way to handle it, and then we could dig further into the world of Jake, The Smartest Kid in the Universe. That would be a very good thing.
Middle-grade readers are going to love The Smartest Kid in the Universe – and their teachers will, too.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Most books that are this far out feature potty humor and are poorly written in grammatical terms, but Grabenstein’s ability to create fun puns that kids will understand, as well as to use situational humor, elevate his books far above other in the genre. His clean, smart writing style allows his work to be used as a mentor text for kids who are looking for examples of great writing to emulate. The Smartest Kid in the Universe does this exceptionally well, because while Grabenstein does come dangerously close to throwing some rotten humor into the mix, he also stirs in a great deal of trivia, history, and vocabulary. He uses these things in a natural way, as he does in his Lemoncello books, so that kids will be learning without even realizing it.
The story’s very premise is fun: and how many exhausted kids these days wouldn’t be interested in learning without having to put in endless hours of hard work? I like the way that Grabenstein created a kid-friendly story with real value.
Still, one of the very best parts of any Grabenstein book is, for me, the inherent character lesson. He always includes a great ‘moral of the story’ that comes with an example of how one should be. While The Smartest Kid in the Universe isn’t entirely missing that, the plot does leave one ethical question unanswered to which I would have loved to see some sort of resolution reached.
Or, perhaps, there’s a sequel coming – because that, too, would be a great way to handle it, and then we could dig further into the world of Jake, The Smartest Kid in the Universe. That would be a very good thing.
Middle-grade readers are going to love The Smartest Kid in the Universe – and their teachers will, too.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
August 8, 2022
The only reason i read this book is because my little sister had to read it for school and needed some help. However, i did find that i did not hate this book and the book itself was well written for the middle school level. If this book had come out in 2015 I would've loved it. So for that reason I'm giving it 4 stars.
Currently reading
March 11, 2021When I first opened this book I was surprised by how lazy and ignorant Jake Mquade was. But the whole story changed when Jake ate indigestible knowledge on accident. This was the perfect inciting incident for turning Jake's life in a new direction. I love this book because of how perfectly this event lines up with the conflict of Jake and his friends saving his school from the wretched Mrs. Malvolio, the principle, and her equally horrible Uncle Heath Huxley who secretly wants to tear it down and build luxury condos. Chris Grabenstein really knows how to develop a story line.
June 27, 2023
This is a fast paced middle grade book, the first in a series about a middle schooler named Jake. He can be considered lazy and he doesn’t care about school all that much. He just shows up because it’s a great opportunity to be with his friends.
One evening when having dinner at his mom’s job he came across a jar of jelly beans. He didn’t think anything of them. Until a few hours later he was spewing facts and all kinds of knowledge from his brain that his family and best friend KoJo were surprised he knew.
Jake and Kojo put two and two together and realized that the jelly beans were the ones making Jake smart. With the help of the jelly beans and all the important knowledge it has given Jake. He was able to help his little sister with Spanish and help solve a big problem for his friend Grace and her family, and most importantly save his middle school.
I really enjoyed reading this story and how adventurous it was.
Rating: 4 ⭐
(Find all my reviews at mybeautymybooks.com)
One evening when having dinner at his mom’s job he came across a jar of jelly beans. He didn’t think anything of them. Until a few hours later he was spewing facts and all kinds of knowledge from his brain that his family and best friend KoJo were surprised he knew.
Jake and Kojo put two and two together and realized that the jelly beans were the ones making Jake smart. With the help of the jelly beans and all the important knowledge it has given Jake. He was able to help his little sister with Spanish and help solve a big problem for his friend Grace and her family, and most importantly save his middle school.
I really enjoyed reading this story and how adventurous it was.
Rating: 4 ⭐
(Find all my reviews at mybeautymybooks.com)
October 12, 2020
Even Better Than Expected
The author is a reliable guy and the premise was amusing, so I figured that this would be an entertaining school daze comedy. I did not expect it to be as good as it is.
Sure, we have a slacker turned genius main character. We have the standard colorful wingman, and a smart crush worthy girl. There is intrigue and a lot of complications arising from our hero's new geniosity. The good news is that the central character/hero is an appealing sort with a refreshingly understated and slightly deadpan sense of humor. The wingman is an ironic and deeply cool riot. The crushy girl is smart and pulls her own weight. Great care and attention has been paid to all of the supporting characters, which is unusual, and there are over a dozen players who have distinct personalities and make memorable contributions to the story. Instead of just turning on the one-note joke of Jake suddenly being a genius, the plot follows a half dozen different lines, half of which were unexpected.
And the book is smart. The story isn't told for low laughs or the easy angle. There is snappy banter, some adventure, brain teasers, even fairly sophisticated math. There are funny mini-bits and clever throwaway lines and observations. Lots of times books like this have a fair amount of filler, (some bully stuff, some home drama), because the premise can't carry an entire book and you have to write something to fill pages. This book, though, screams along, and everything fits and comes together to create a wild, seamless ride.
An excellent entertainment.
(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
The author is a reliable guy and the premise was amusing, so I figured that this would be an entertaining school daze comedy. I did not expect it to be as good as it is.
Sure, we have a slacker turned genius main character. We have the standard colorful wingman, and a smart crush worthy girl. There is intrigue and a lot of complications arising from our hero's new geniosity. The good news is that the central character/hero is an appealing sort with a refreshingly understated and slightly deadpan sense of humor. The wingman is an ironic and deeply cool riot. The crushy girl is smart and pulls her own weight. Great care and attention has been paid to all of the supporting characters, which is unusual, and there are over a dozen players who have distinct personalities and make memorable contributions to the story. Instead of just turning on the one-note joke of Jake suddenly being a genius, the plot follows a half dozen different lines, half of which were unexpected.
And the book is smart. The story isn't told for low laughs or the easy angle. There is snappy banter, some adventure, brain teasers, even fairly sophisticated math. There are funny mini-bits and clever throwaway lines and observations. Lots of times books like this have a fair amount of filler, (some bully stuff, some home drama), because the premise can't carry an entire book and you have to write something to fill pages. This book, though, screams along, and everything fits and comes together to create a wild, seamless ride.
An excellent entertainment.
(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
October 1, 2020
I received an electronic ARC from Random House Children's Publishing through NetGalley.
Admittedly, I'm a huge fan of Grabenstein's other series - Mr Lemoncello's Library and the Wonderland hotel, so I was ready to like this book before I opened it.
Jake is a believable middle school boy who is getting by on minimal effort. One evening, he eats some jelly beans while being somewhere he should not have been, and, presto, his brain kicks into overdrive. He suddenly knows facts and information about pretty much everything except Spanish. Together with his friend, Kojo, he tracks down the creator of the beans. Armed with new abilities, he, Kojo and another new friend, Grace, set out to save their middle school from being torn down by winning the Quiz Bowl State Championship. Oh, and pirate treasure is also involved. What middle schooler wouldn't like this one?
Grabenstein is a master of humor and characters who look like stereotypes until readers explore beneath the surface. He weaves serious topics through his stories for readers to discover and think about. This one ends on an obvious start to the next book in the series.
Admittedly, I'm a huge fan of Grabenstein's other series - Mr Lemoncello's Library and the Wonderland hotel, so I was ready to like this book before I opened it.
Jake is a believable middle school boy who is getting by on minimal effort. One evening, he eats some jelly beans while being somewhere he should not have been, and, presto, his brain kicks into overdrive. He suddenly knows facts and information about pretty much everything except Spanish. Together with his friend, Kojo, he tracks down the creator of the beans. Armed with new abilities, he, Kojo and another new friend, Grace, set out to save their middle school from being torn down by winning the Quiz Bowl State Championship. Oh, and pirate treasure is also involved. What middle schooler wouldn't like this one?
Grabenstein is a master of humor and characters who look like stereotypes until readers explore beneath the surface. He weaves serious topics through his stories for readers to discover and think about. This one ends on an obvious start to the next book in the series.
November 9, 2020
With thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's for an early copy in return for an honest review.
4.5 Stars. Read this in one cozy Sunday afternoon curled up on the couch in front of the fire. After eating a large handful of mysterious jelly beans, Jake becomes the smartest kid in the universe. This unexpected twist in life leads him on a treasure hunt and lands him in some unexpected locations. Jake has to learn how to navigate his new levels of greatness, and that's not always easy. With The Smartest Kid in the Universe, Grabenstein has published another well written middle grades novel that I am confident my students will enjoy. I particularly appreciated the emphasis of using math to solve real world problems and think there are some excellent writing prompts to go with this title.
4.5 Stars. Read this in one cozy Sunday afternoon curled up on the couch in front of the fire. After eating a large handful of mysterious jelly beans, Jake becomes the smartest kid in the universe. This unexpected twist in life leads him on a treasure hunt and lands him in some unexpected locations. Jake has to learn how to navigate his new levels of greatness, and that's not always easy. With The Smartest Kid in the Universe, Grabenstein has published another well written middle grades novel that I am confident my students will enjoy. I particularly appreciated the emphasis of using math to solve real world problems and think there are some excellent writing prompts to go with this title.
June 27, 2022
I liked this one! Will definitely check out book 2!
September 2, 2022
Jake eats a handful of jellybeans and changes from the laziest kid in his class to the smartest kid in the universe. Luckily for him, his loyal best friend and his crush help him navigate unexpected perils.
Jake is an appealing character. He learns to navigate his new abilities with grace and without ever losing his sense of what makes him Jake. His two friends help him with this, amusingly nudging him whenever he spouts facts. A funny romp with adventures around every corner!
Jake is an appealing character. He learns to navigate his new abilities with grace and without ever losing his sense of what makes him Jake. His two friends help him with this, amusingly nudging him whenever he spouts facts. A funny romp with adventures around every corner!
January 8, 2021
This was so good! Mrs. Malvolio is like the funniest villain ever!!! Now I want jellybeans :)
May 2, 2022
A. fiction, children's fiction, upper elementary, humor, adventure.
December 30, 2021
When 12-year-old Jake eats some jelly beans left sitting on a table, he never expected there to be consequences. Before long, though, he's become the smartest kid in the universe, because the jelly beans were actually indigestible knowledge! Not only does he know a lot of things he hasn't studied, he also learns faster when he does study new things. But will this newfound intelligence be enough to help him and his friends save their middle school from destruction, not to mention solve an old pirate legend?
This is an adventurous book that pushes the boundaries of modern technology in a fun way. Jake starts out as a kid who is too lazy to do much of anything, including learn new things. The jelly beans certainly give him a new outlook on life, and even though they do give him information without him having to learn, they don't give him all information. Some things he needs to know he still has to study like the rest of us. Well, not quite like the rest of us, because his brain learns a lot faster than normal, but I do like that he's not just handed everything he needs to save the day. I also like that he's not the only smart one when he joins the quiz team with his friends. He may be the smartest kid in the universe, but he still needs some backup.
Jake's best friend, Kojo, has recently become obsessed with old detective shows, which leads him to use the catchphrase of one of those old detectives a lot throughout the story. I grew up on Matlock, Columbo, and Murder, She Wrote, but Kojo was hung up on Kojak, which was a little before my time. I was just hoping for one, "Oh, just one more thing," when Kojo was about to leave a room. Still, the way Kojo's obsession plays out later in the book is pretty great.
I wish that this super-smart kid would have had some opponents that were a little smarter themselves; the villains were pretty stupid, especially Mrs. Malvolio. But maybe Grabenstein will step that up in the 2nd book in the series. There are also still parts of the author's writing style (especially in dialog) that rub me the wrong way, but I did my best to ignore it. Like the Lemoncello series before it, my 11-year-old daughter strongly recommended this book to me, because she loved it! That's the strongest endorsement I can ever give for a middle grade book, so make sure to check it out for your kids (or you)!
This is an adventurous book that pushes the boundaries of modern technology in a fun way. Jake starts out as a kid who is too lazy to do much of anything, including learn new things. The jelly beans certainly give him a new outlook on life, and even though they do give him information without him having to learn, they don't give him all information. Some things he needs to know he still has to study like the rest of us. Well, not quite like the rest of us, because his brain learns a lot faster than normal, but I do like that he's not just handed everything he needs to save the day. I also like that he's not the only smart one when he joins the quiz team with his friends. He may be the smartest kid in the universe, but he still needs some backup.
Jake's best friend, Kojo, has recently become obsessed with old detective shows, which leads him to use the catchphrase of one of those old detectives a lot throughout the story. I grew up on Matlock, Columbo, and Murder, She Wrote, but Kojo was hung up on Kojak, which was a little before my time. I was just hoping for one, "Oh, just one more thing," when Kojo was about to leave a room. Still, the way Kojo's obsession plays out later in the book is pretty great.
I wish that this super-smart kid would have had some opponents that were a little smarter themselves; the villains were pretty stupid, especially Mrs. Malvolio. But maybe Grabenstein will step that up in the 2nd book in the series. There are also still parts of the author's writing style (especially in dialog) that rub me the wrong way, but I did my best to ignore it. Like the Lemoncello series before it, my 11-year-old daughter strongly recommended this book to me, because she loved it! That's the strongest endorsement I can ever give for a middle grade book, so make sure to check it out for your kids (or you)!
December 6, 2020
My kids loved reading and watching the movie Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, so I was very excited when I had the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader Copy of The Smartest Kid in the Universe. The story is about an ordinary boy, Jake McQuade, who is a middle school student and how he becomes the smartest kid in the universe. He literally goes on a pirate’s treasure hunt with his two friends Grace Garcia and Kojo Shelton, while trying to beat some dastardly villains to the treasure. They are also trying to save their worn down school, Riverview Middle School, from being torn down to build high rise condos. In all these adventures, he works with a mad scientist at the local university, Haazim Farooqi, the FBI, and with the Pentagon! I took this opportunity to read this book out loud with my 10 year old son and he loved it. There were many laugh out loud moments and suspenseful moments, when he asked “come on, just one more chapter.” The only comment from my 10 year old was that he wished the climactic moment towards the end of the book was just a little bit more dramatic. We cannot go into further detail without spoiling the story. But he did say, “this is now my favorite book.” This book is identified for age groups: 8-12. Random House Children’s and NetGalley provided me with an advanced reader copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.
June 13, 2021
This book was so much fun - and my favorite by the author to date! Readers who love Stuart Gibbs, James Ponti, Emily Ecton, and humorous, good vs. evil, spylike stories will want to grab this Grabenstein ASAP. With so much to enjoy, fans will be thankful there is a follow-up coming November 20, 2021.
Twelve-year-old Jake is lazy and he's comfortable with that. The only thing he puts real effort into is the latest video game he wants to conquer. Other than that he's the definition of chill.
Little does he know that his life is about to take a quick turn - and the catalyst is a jar of jelly beans. In his rush to curb hunger pangs, Jake has not only flooded his body with a rush of sugar. He's also ingested a scientific experiment created to enhance knowledge. And because Jake ate so many, his brain is almost instantly flooded with information and understanding at a level higher than anyone in the world.
At first, Jake sees the newfound intelligence as a nuisance. He can't seem to turn it off, and as word gets out of his genius-level knowledge, people are quick to come to him for help. While he's pulled in many directions, his heart is with his friends and their quest to save the middle school they attend. This launches the trio into a battle against bad guys, a race to find buried treasure, and an epic quiz bowl competition. Through it all, Jake matures and grows into his newfound gift, but will he be able to pull everything together in time to foil the evil plans of his principal?
Written at guided reading level V, this is the kind of book that gets reluctant readers hooked and avid readers fired up!
The Smartest Kid in the Universe
Twelve-year-old Jake is lazy and he's comfortable with that. The only thing he puts real effort into is the latest video game he wants to conquer. Other than that he's the definition of chill.
Little does he know that his life is about to take a quick turn - and the catalyst is a jar of jelly beans. In his rush to curb hunger pangs, Jake has not only flooded his body with a rush of sugar. He's also ingested a scientific experiment created to enhance knowledge. And because Jake ate so many, his brain is almost instantly flooded with information and understanding at a level higher than anyone in the world.
At first, Jake sees the newfound intelligence as a nuisance. He can't seem to turn it off, and as word gets out of his genius-level knowledge, people are quick to come to him for help. While he's pulled in many directions, his heart is with his friends and their quest to save the middle school they attend. This launches the trio into a battle against bad guys, a race to find buried treasure, and an epic quiz bowl competition. Through it all, Jake matures and grows into his newfound gift, but will he be able to pull everything together in time to foil the evil plans of his principal?
Written at guided reading level V, this is the kind of book that gets reluctant readers hooked and avid readers fired up!
The Smartest Kid in the Universe
March 24, 2021
Jake was just your average, lazy middle schooler until he got super hungry waiting for dinner at the hotel his mom works at and ate a jar full of jelly beans that had been left there by a scientist testing out IK, Ingestible Knowledge. Now he's suddenly the smartest kid at school. And just in time. The Quiz Bowl team at school needs to win to save their school from a conniving principal and her greedy land developer uncle who want to tear it down!
Grabenstein has done it again. The man is a genius himself in knowing just what will appeal to middle grade audiences. In this case, it is the idea of being able to eat jelly beans and be an instant genius, save your school with your brains, try and help the somewhat mad and inept scientist who developed the jelly beans figure out what he did, and maybe find some pirate treasure along the way. It is lots of fun, has some great lessons on friendship and responsibility cleverly mixed in, lots of great random facts to be absorbed, clever puzzles to be tackled, and will have kids daydreaming about finding secret tunnels and pirate treasure under their own schools. Highly recommended.
Notes on content: No language issues or sexual content. There's a perilous situation that could end very badly but Jake's brains save the day.
Grabenstein has done it again. The man is a genius himself in knowing just what will appeal to middle grade audiences. In this case, it is the idea of being able to eat jelly beans and be an instant genius, save your school with your brains, try and help the somewhat mad and inept scientist who developed the jelly beans figure out what he did, and maybe find some pirate treasure along the way. It is lots of fun, has some great lessons on friendship and responsibility cleverly mixed in, lots of great random facts to be absorbed, clever puzzles to be tackled, and will have kids daydreaming about finding secret tunnels and pirate treasure under their own schools. Highly recommended.
Notes on content: No language issues or sexual content. There's a perilous situation that could end very badly but Jake's brains save the day.
April 21, 2021
The Smartest Kid in the Universe by Chris Grabenstein is a juvenile fiction book for 4-6th graders.
Twelve-year-old, Jake McQuade, is perfectly content with living a mediocre life. He's happy living an easy-breezy life, putting in minimal effort and his only goal is to be a likeable guy. That is, until he eats a handful of jelly beans and suddenly becomes the smartest kid in the universe!
Suddenly, Jake is in high demand. Even the government wants his help cracking codes and catching bad guys. But will Jake have enough smarts when his friends and his school need him?
This was a fun read. An easy and fairly light book, with a couple of laughs and lots of, mostly interesting, facts.
My favorite characters in this book were Kojo and Haazim Farooqi. Kojo is your typical good natured, jokester. But he is also smart and sincere in his own way. And Haazim, just had this kooky scientist vibe going on. I just loved his forgetfulness and almost cavalier approach to science.
One thing I did not like about this book, was that the topic of the morality of Jake's new found ingestible knowledge. Only once, was it really mentioned that Jake's smarts were akin to cheating and even then, it was only glossed over. This is something we will definitely discuss in my book club. Was it really right for Jake to be on the quiz bowl team?
Overall, I think kids will really enjoy this novel. It's part trivia quest, part treasure hunt and part middle school fiction. This one gets 4 stars from me.
Twelve-year-old, Jake McQuade, is perfectly content with living a mediocre life. He's happy living an easy-breezy life, putting in minimal effort and his only goal is to be a likeable guy. That is, until he eats a handful of jelly beans and suddenly becomes the smartest kid in the universe!
Suddenly, Jake is in high demand. Even the government wants his help cracking codes and catching bad guys. But will Jake have enough smarts when his friends and his school need him?
This was a fun read. An easy and fairly light book, with a couple of laughs and lots of, mostly interesting, facts.
My favorite characters in this book were Kojo and Haazim Farooqi. Kojo is your typical good natured, jokester. But he is also smart and sincere in his own way. And Haazim, just had this kooky scientist vibe going on. I just loved his forgetfulness and almost cavalier approach to science.
One thing I did not like about this book, was that the topic of the morality of Jake's new found ingestible knowledge. Only once, was it really mentioned that Jake's smarts were akin to cheating and even then, it was only glossed over. This is something we will definitely discuss in my book club. Was it really right for Jake to be on the quiz bowl team?
Overall, I think kids will really enjoy this novel. It's part trivia quest, part treasure hunt and part middle school fiction. This one gets 4 stars from me.
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