The Boy Who Knew Too Much

Munchem Academy #1

by S.T. Bolivar III

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

Mattie has to get out. Fast.

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

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

Genres: Juvenile, Middle Grade, Adventure, Mystery, Childrens

300 pages, Hardcover

First published October 18, 2016

Reviews

[Alise · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was good.

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mattie steals a train, and gets sent to a reform school that his older brother also attends. When Mattie arrives, he just feels like the school is off somehow.

Mattie was an annoying main character at first, but he grew on me. I want to hear more about his later escapades. They sound fascinating. I also really like the twins and watching their friendship with Mattie grow.

[Romily Bernard]

Well, I wrote it so I've definitely read it more times than I can count...or WANT to count :)

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it will be a huge hit with its target audience. While the main characters are eleven and most of the secondary characters older, this is definitely a book for third to fifth graders based on the vocabulary, plotting, and humor. The author infused it with a sense of urgency and lots of foreshadowing to keep his audience eagerly reading. The school turns out to be rather wicked, where the children are forced to clean and have evil teachers. There is a huge plot to transform the students into model students as an achievement to show the parents. The big caper is when Mattie and his friends set out to find out what is going on after Mattie's brother Carter is the subject of the scheme. There are definitely thrilling moments of danger and the risk of discovery. Also there is a good bit of humor in the book that is well targeted toward it's audience. There were many chapters that started with allusions to how, later in life, Mattie would go on to become a great thief, master criminal, and head of the notorious gang formed by his friends. While these teasers were very entertaining, it fell a little flat with me because it seemed that Mattie never solved or really initiated very much. He fumbled many parts of the story and it was usually Elliot or Caroline who saved the day. Mattie never becomes bad or pulls off a great job like the book says he is going to, starting his career of crime. Instead Mattie is just a bland character, timid and confused. He can't see how slimy his father is or how hysterical and fake his mother is (although the readers will love seeing their over the top antics). Mattie always strives to be good and thinks that surely he will be forgiven for his one lapse in behavior (stealing a subway train before the story opens in an attempt to impress his older bad brother Carter) if he is good at school. Instead the lesson he learns over that term is that sometimes being good is in direct opposition with following the rules. At the end a sequel is indicated. I'm slightly tempted by the prospect of the next book because of the hints the author includes about the next outrageous and devilish adventures of the crew. Those who realize that the friends were actually being good and not bad will want to continue on to the next book just to see if it features badness. Those who enjoyed this one and were intrigued by all the hints will be clamoring to be there for future exploits! Sure to be a big hit with 3rd through 5th graders.

[Diego · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book over winter break, I discovered it by looking at ms. Monroy's shelf and this book had the most color than the others so it stood out more and I really liked the book because it's very exciting and always keeps you at the edge of your chair even when you barely begin the book.

Ways it awesome is that it had a really good plot and had really interesting characters like Della and Mattie because they are the most curious and exotic people and they do many things that could get them in trouble and not get back home but they don't care because they want to save the school.

Ways it could change is that it could give more information to the side characters because the main characters they give a lot of information about them and not enough for side characters that are important to the plot because you would like to know how they got into the school and their back grounded.

Middle schoolers who are into thrillers and spy books or movies like spy kids will like this book because they are around our age and they do a lot of detective work and have to fight back against all teachers because what they are doing to their students to make them behave well and have the best school ever is very cruel.

[Julie Guzzetta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute! I've been kind of craving a good middle-grade read recently. I'm not sure this necessarily hit that mark, but I still enjoyed the story. The characters were fun, and I appreciated seeing Mattie's growth. And even getting a slightly different side to Carter was nice, because he was a little two-dimensional otherwise.

The writing was a little prescriptive at times, and I didn't feel like we got enough of Eliot or Caroline. Again, those characters, while enjoyable, were a bit two-dimensional. However, I did read the ARC, so it's possible there were some changes made to the final version. But I enjoyed the story on the whole. It was silly and fun, and I can't really resist that combo.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and it was very entertaining. I wanted to pick up the book even after I had finished.

Brief Summary:
Mattie Larimore steals a train and his parents decide to send him off to the refining school that his brother Carter goes to. Mattie makes friends with Eliot and Caroline Spencer, and they need to find a way to expose Headmaster Rooney and his secret basement.

I think the author is trying to say to stay out of trouble or there will be consequences. Not necessarily being turned into a clone but there will be consequences.
The author used time as it went by. They didn't use it as in past tense or future tense, they used it as it went on.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great adventure that is far different from most books out there. I definitely did not expect the science fiction elements to pop up. The beginning was a bit slow, but the plot definitely moved among afterwards.

There were times when a few errors missed by the editor appeared. This became a distraction and, at one point, confusing because the wrong character name was used during an exchange. A quick once over will fix these mistakes.

Overall, this was a fun story that kids will enjoy. I’m looking forward to the sequel.

[Austin Higgins · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Boy Who Knew Too Much is a great book. It is about a young boy named Mattie who steals a train. After he steals it, he gets sent to a school called Munchem Acadamey. He finds out they've been cloning people to turn them good. He and his friends try to stop the school, and ends up getting his brother cloned. It is a great book that stands for indivisuality.

[Meghan Hunt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an ARC I received a while ago, but I just got around to reading it. It was a fun, quick read with an interesting premise. I would have liked more characterization. The people felt a little flat to me.

[Rena Ch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like it because it has comedy and I like books with comedy. I especially like the clones because they were hilarious, a little scary and mysterious. Mattie, the main character and my favorite character, was funny too. I would recommend this book to other kids between the ages of 7-12.

[WhatShouldIRead]

In view of the face that Disney published this, it would be a good thing if they were to turn these books into a movie or a series. Only then, I think, would they be good. This being said, the book moved very slow and didn't hold my interest for long.

[Emily Wylie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this out loud with my 6 and 9 year old sons. They absolutely loved it, even if it may have been a tad bit advanced for them. They were begging to read every night before bed. We already bought the sequel and will be starting it soon!

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun little book. With a few hints at older humor thrown in for us adults.

[Ellyn → Allonsythornraxx · Rating 4 out of 5]

02/03/18
3.5 stars
This was a fun little mg mystery and I'll definitely pick up book 2 if I come across it in my travels.

[Enea Musliu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very amazing, mysterious book.
I can't wait for the next part!

[Madeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fine. It is good for young readers. The book was easy to read, but had a lot of pages. I would definitely read more books like this.

[Raphael Zheng]

yeet

[Vanessa Ramos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was good.

[Andréa]

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Seth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am reading this book to my 9 and 13 year olds and we are greatly enjoying it! Well developed characters, and a great read-aloud with plenty of dialogue that one can add spice to. I also like the science fiction element and the added little twist: are perfect, flawless and delightful humans really that great?

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Commander S.T. Bolivar III seems to be one of those authors of the school of N.E. Bode, Pseudonymous Bosch, and Lemony Snicket, whose true identity may perhaps eventually become known, but who currently enjoys the freedom to paint himself into the background of a tale of hero kids measuring themselves against grown-up villains. In this first book of the "Munchem Academy" series, the Commander aims to set the record straight about the greatest thief who ever lived, starting with Mattie Larimore's first and only arrest - for stealing a subway train. A disappointment to his loud, bossy businessman father and his Dominican telenovela starlet mother, Mattie is condemned to join his juvenile-delinquent older brother Carter at a reform school called Munchem Academy.

As soon as he arrives at Munchem, Mattie can't wait to go home. He tries and tries to be good enough, but somehow he keeps getting into trouble. Call it an impulse-control problem, like when he hits the class bully on the nose with a wet washrag. Call it a conflict between wanting to be the son his parents want and the brother Carter wants. He tries so hard to make the teachers like him that he makes enemies of the other students, but still it isn't enough. In desperation, Mattie recruits his two best friends - technology nerd Eliot and his bossy, animal-rescuing sister Caroline - to break into the headmaster's office in search of a handbook on how to be good. Funnily enough, he doesn't spot the book (though an eagle-eyed reader might). Instead, he finds himself in the middle of a scary adventure involving a conspiracy to replace bad students with good clones. And his biggest worry is that if Carter doesn't shape up - Carter, who never listens to him - he'll be next.

This is a heart-warming, funny, exciting introduction to the career of a crook with a heart of gold. I know, I just used the word "heart" twice in one sentence, but this book has plenty of heart, as well as some wickedly clever banter, over-the-top goofy characters, strange-enough-to-be-almost-believable adventure, and a reform school setting that is both grim and quirky. It will be fun to visit again. And though there are many ways Mattie Larimore and Munchem are unlike Harry Potter and Hogwarts - notable examples including the older-brother character of Carter and the substitution of crime instead of magic - there are many more reasons to expect this new series to catch fire with fans of the boy wizard.

This review is based on a free Kindle proof made available through Netgalley dot com, though the book was already released in September 2016.

[aarifa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I dont know what happened I read this book first on goodreads but I think it restarted everything. But this was a great book! I liked to read it aloud, but I really want to know more!!!

[Jeff Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Closer to a 3.5.

I was actually pleasantly surprised by this book, more because of the subject/topic-matter for this age group than anything else. It's rare to find this topic in middle grade, so I was quite pleased.

At its core, Munchem Academy is just another reform school. But Carter quickly realizes that everything is a bit strange, teachers included, and he's going to get to the bottom of it. Doing so requires him to be a little more heroic than he's used to, and uncover a dastardly plan along the way.

I don't want to give away the big reveal, since it's such a major part of the charm of this, but the twist alone doesn't rescue this from being largely paint-by-numbers in many regards. The similarities to countless books in many ways keep this from being great, but also gooses the appeal to kids who might be more reluctant to branch out a bit. Overall, though, the end picks up better than the beginning, and that lifts it from being okay to being pretty good.

Good for kids looking for a fun creepy story, or who like more supernatural mysteries. Not a lot of adult appeal here.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from net galley for an honest review so here goes..

This books is the first in a new series about 3 young kids Mattie the good kid who does one bad thing and ends up in at a school for troubled kids, Coraline and Elliot two siblings that are to smart for their own good. Mattie just wants to be good so that he can go home unlike his older brother Carter who also attends the school but he is the true bad boy and is ok with it. While Mattie was trying to find out how to be good to get back home while snooping in the head masters office he stumbles across something with his partners in crime that will lead them down a whole me path of true crime forever. This book is told in parts very similar to the Series of Unfortunate Events narrator telling the story, and I think that anyone who likes that series like my self will love this series.

[The Keepers of the Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mattie Larrimore always considered himself the good son when compared to his brother, Carter. When he gets caught stealing a train, however, his parents send him to the world's greatest reform school, Munchem Academy. Determined to prove he's the perfect good kid, Mattie runs across a plot from the headmaster, who wants to get rid of the bad kids-permanently. Worse, Carter's next on the list. Can Mattie save his brother and stop the headmaster?

Filled with mystery and suspense, this is the perfect read for anyone looking for a slightly spooky and funny story. The characters are engaging, the plot is well developed, and this was a hard book to put down.

This book was featured on The Keepers of the Books' Halloween Reads 2016 YouTube episode. For more reviews and recommendation, visit: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK3v...

[Malinda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. Quick and interesting to read. The storyline is unique enough to keep me reading and wondering what will happen next. The ending however just seemed too easy. I wanted more. I wanted to be left wanting, questioning and waiting for the next book. It just didn't happen. Now as a middle school kid, I would be wondering, and questioning. I would be full of inquiries and that is a good thing. I look forward to the next book to see where it goes.

[Michelle Halber · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book had an interesting premise -- boy learning to become a master thief -- but unfortunately, the novel did not live up to the clever ideas.

The writing style is engaging and appreciate for the recommended target audience of 8-12. The humor is reminiscent of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson novels.

However, the execution of the plot was lacking. There appears to be little reason for the behavior or motivation for the characters. This is not a book I would recommend.

[Wensday · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great start to a unique series. The book is well written and the characters are so likeable. I look forward to more adventures with these characters in the books to come.

I received the ebook from NetGalley for my honest opinion.

[Sharon Pegram · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good read for fans of Artemis Fowl and Alcatraz and the Evil Librarians. Mattie's struggle to figure out what being good really means while in the throes of saving his brother and their school, makes for entertaining reading, especially as told in Commander Bolivar's wryly humorous prose.