Best Nerds Forever

by James Patterson, Chris Grabenstein

When a lifelong friendship just isn't long enough, two friends connect from beyond the grave in this heartwarming ghost story from a New York Times bestselling author.

One minute, Finn was biking home from school, and the next, he was run off the road by a maniac in a big van. Now, he's a ghost. He can do lots of fun things, like try every ice cream flavor in the store, sneak up on people, and play as many video games as he wants. Finn even has a new ghost friend, Isabella, to show him the ropes. But he also has a lot of BIG questions, like: who wanted him dead? And can he stop the maniac from striking again? 

Packed with hilarious moments, epic friendships, and fun art,  Best Nerds Forever  celebrates the nerd in each of us and the joy of living life to its fullest. 

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Mystery, Fiction, Ghosts, Young Adult, Childrens

256 pages, Hardcover

First published May 3, 2021

About the author

Official US Site
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead

James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.

Reviews

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

BEST NERDS FOREVER
BY JAMES PATTERSON and Chris Grabenstein

First, wow, James Patterson? I think this duo has authored Patterson's best work in it is in the middle school and YA genre!

I actually really enjoyed this book as it was fast-paced, was totally entertaining, and presented several elements that were well written and appropriate for that age group. I appreciated that one of the messages of the book was to take some risks and chances to live a full life. I think that this group of children has been helicoptered and overwatched so that the joys of childhood have been sucked out... so take a little chance and step up to life's plate in a cautious way, but step up.

Like other readers, I think the ending was a cop-out and sort of defeated the message of being brave and taking a chance. Other than that, it was a pretty good read, regardless of your age.

4 stars

Happy Reading!

[anna ✩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

This was a super fast paced, entertaining and emotional read. I don’t know what I expected going into it, but it wasn’t to tear up on multiple occasions.

This is a beautiful and fun story that raises some strong points about what it really feels like to be alive, in a way that’s not heavy and very easy to stick with you.

To me the epilogue felt a little bit like a cop out - even though it was probably just meant to be seen as a happy ending. It’s a personal preference of mine and so that was what brought this down from a 5 star read.

However this is a beautiful story and so so good. It kept me so hooked that I read it all in one sitting.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced with short chapters - narrated by Finn who is dead.
After an accident on his bike sends him over the cliff, Finn is floating in the almost afterlife - not quite sent over as he has unfinished business. He wants to find out who was driving the van that sent him over the edge. He meets a girl who also has unfinished business and together they try to get closure so they can pass over.
Humor, friendship, and family.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very typical middle grade story about a boy who dies, and his ghost has to discover his unfinished business. There are pictures that are usually used to tell (bad) jokes, and it's kept pretty light-hearted in tone. The epilogue is a little unnecessary, and there are plot holes in the ghost lore of the book, but I'm just leaving those under the 'middle-grade' umbrella.
I was expecting from the cover to have a group of kids who are best friends with ghosts, (I know, you should never judge a book by its cover) but in this story the only one who can see Finn is the other ghost. So no ghost bestie sidekicks in this one, and admittedly I was a little disappointed by that. The ghosts do make things cold though, and a few other standard ghost type reactions occur.
I've given this to my son to try because I think he'll love it, somewhere in that 7-10 year old age group seems ideal.

[Kadi P]

I'm not a fan of James Patterson. Actually, thinking about it, of all the 10+ James Patterson books I've read none of them have actually been good. Still, I love a good murder mystery, and ghosts are an added bonus so I'd be willing to give old Jimmy a try once again.

[Grace Erickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so fun to read and it had sad moments happy moments and so many twists and turns! Would definitely recommend!!!

[Avery Wendland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me feel things that can hurt to feel sometimes it gave me a sense of surroundings of comfort I loved it more than anything especially the epilogue READ THE EPILOGUE I promise it made me cry it’ll make you cry and if you don’t cry the something my be wrong with you it doesn’t need to be a water fall of tears like me but at least a jab in the heart.

[Oyinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was SO good

[Siddharth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant!!!! A thriller about a ghost who has to find out who killed him? This book is awesome! i would give this book 10 stars but i can't.👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

4.5 hours listening time.
James Patterson has written a great ghost story for middle schoolers. Chris Gravenstein aced narrating this sometimes humorous story about a boy dying in an accident.

[Kate Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was something else. I have honestly never read a book quite like it. It really moved me several times when I thought about kids reading it, and whether it would ring with them the way it did with me at moments. And I would have given it more stars, if only it had ended about 2 pages sooner. Even though I had a hunch all along it would end that way, it felt wrong. It should have ended at the lake.

[A.J.]

the sample got me hooked.. I want this one so bad T-T

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

When they said that this book was gripping, mysterious and fun.. they weren't lying.

[Dax · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this up until the ripoff ending. It showed a true lack of belief in children and undermined so much of the grieving process. Felt too Narnia-esque for me.

[D'ale lui Damian · Rating 5 out of 5]

❓️Știați că James Patterson este un luptator asiduu în lupta pentru eradicarea analfabetismului în America, un campion neobosit în citirea și promovarea cărților? Are cele mai multe cărți #Bestseller New York Times, iar o mare parte din profitul obtinu din vânzarea cărților sunt distribuiți fondurilor de cărți studențești și armatei care oferă burse educaționale pentru elevi si profesori (21 de colegii și universități).Tot el sprijină 40.000 de biblioteci scolare, precum și librării independente.


Tocilarii, împreună pentru totdeauna, Chris Grabenstein, James Patterson

Cărțile pentru copii nu se adresează numai acestora, ci și părinților......îți schimbă perspectiva vieţii, te face să te întrebi dacă și tu procedezi la fel, sunt amuzante, pline de învățăminte...

✍️Frica este adevăratul inamic...

Din punctul de vedere al unui părinte e dureroasă, tristă, dar totodată sesizam tipul de părinți în categoria cărora nu dorim să ne clasificam, cei care-i interzic absolut orice copilului, de teamă să nu se rănească, și am înțeles că ar avea motive să se comporte astfel tatăl lui Finn.

Din perspectiva copilului e interesantă, haioasă, intrigantă... nu ai parte zilnic de un personaj principal care moare în prima pagină parcursă și care ajunge fantomă și face tot felul de lucruri hazli. Totodată, regretă că nu și-a trăit viața din plin, precum și TOT ce nu mai poate să învețe...... face câteva excese: maraton de filme, jocuri, degustă toate sortimentele de înghețată, se bucură de culorile cerului, ciripitul păsarelelor...

Încă nu poate părăsi această lume, mai ales că toți au impresia ca a încercat o schemă cu bicicleta, iar el isi dorește să se afle adevărul.

✍️"Cineva a supt toată energia din casa lor, din viata lor. Iar ăla sunt eu."

Spre surprinderea lui, dar și a mea, întâlnește o altă fantomă, o fostă colegă ce lipsea de 4 luni, anume Isabella Rojas.

✍️ Ne grăbim mereu să creștem, fără să ne gândim măcar o clipă la ce ne așteaptă după.

Dacă Finn era norocosul prieten al altor 4 copii, Isa nu a fost atât de norocoasă, fiind o fire foarte retrasă.

Cei doi, cu toate ca Finn este la început reticent, ajung să devină prieteni și sunt hotărâti amândoi să elucideze părinților, cunoscutilor cauza accidentului, dar și a dispariției Isabelei.

✍️Acum că am ajuns la finalul acestui joc numit viață, mi-aș fi dorit să încetinesc un pic trecutul. Mai bine nu mă grăbeam să cresc și să devin adult.

Nu as vrea să vă dezvălui mai mult, dar finalul a fost epic...de la tristețe si lacrimi înghițite am ajuns la lacrimi de fericire.

📖Aventurile lui Huckleberry Finn

[Jessica Angulo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely fell in love with this book. It is mostly about how a thirteenth year old boy named Finn who was one day riding his bright orange bike and suddenly heard this wired engine sound from behind him. Finn heard it coming closer and closer to him when he has the opportunity to look back he sees a black van chasing him and as Finn got faster so did the black van. When Finn sees some bushes he thought he could lose him in the bushes when he turned the black van went forward. Finn though he was very smart not knowing that on the other side of the bush was a cliff with sharp rocks at the bottom of the cliff. He fell off of course then died however he became a ghost as he was at his funeral a bright light came out behind it was his dead grandfather. Telling Finn that the reason he is a ghost is because he has unfinished business Finn is the only one that knows it was the black vans fault for his death.So Finn immediately thought his unfinished business was finding his killer. Fast forward a couple of days he was in school. When he was in school everybody was talking about Finn’s death at school and this reminded him about four months ago the same thing happened to another student a girl. A couple of days later Finn is back at schooling see a girl it was the missing child. Finn found out that the missing girls name was Isabella. Isabella had four months in the afterlife while Finn only started his me journey. Isabelle a had forgotten her death when Finn tried to ask and not only did she not remember she was also very shy. They start hanging out together and end up becoming close friends. They were not only friends they also helped find each other unfinished business. One day while walking together Finn started thing about the day he died. Suddenly he was back in that moment of time and he looks back there’s the black van he saw more this time and saw an old man and two letters from the license plate. Fast forward a couple of family moments Isabella starts remembering the day she died. She was going to be with her dad after her parents divorced she was with her mother and wanted to visit her dad but he never picked her up. With her heart broken she goes with her aunt Maria who always shows her how much she loves her. On her there it was poring rain so much that Isabella thought she died from coldness. But suddenly she remembers something else she was also on the cliff Finn was. They thought she fell down the cliff then they try to go and send a message to a helicopter person which is Finns best friends mom and they find Isabellas body face down in the lake. They also find out what killed Finn was his fear and the the driver was focused on the pedals of the van because the van was old so he was going faster for the uphill. After their discoveries they finish their unfinished business and do the thing that scared Finn the most jumping off the cliff. Then Finn and Isabella hold hands and jump together half way they disappear leaving earth into their next journey.

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book for young readers, encouraging you to live life to the fullest every day.

[Andrea Frazee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook

[♡Emma Brown♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me almost wanting to cry....But the ending was soooo good and happy!

[Zombi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I was expecting more of a mystery? Or like, some way he could communicate with his friends to solve his death? The story was classic middle grade with male protagonist (complete with fart jokes, video games, and being borderline creepy about girls). I'm 100% not the target audience for this, I was intrigued by the major plot points (of the main character starting off dead and trying to figure out who killed him) but it was kinda boring and the epilogue was, I think a failed attempt at a happy ending? Like I guess, but how? Why? I guess I was hoping for more of a mystery/adventure. Again, not the target audience. I think middle grade kids (and kids who like James Patterson) would defiantly enjoy this book, even though it was, I think, a little heavy obviously with the main characters being dead. I just wish it was handled a bit better and made a bit more exciting.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised that i liked this so much (James Patterson? Really?) but it was a very sweet book about a kid whose parents are super anxious. Their anxiety indirectly results in his death, but he isn't willing to go quietly into the light. Instead, he follows his friends around to see how they are dealing with his loss and trying to help them feel better.
I don't want to keep going because there are spoilers, but I read the whole thing in one night and found the end a BIT contrived, but otherwise it was very sweet. Definitely a nice read.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun middle grade read with an unexpected twist at the end.

[Logan DeShazer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it the ending was so unexpected like WOW 10/10 is there gonna be a second book I Really want to know!!!

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not even going to finish it or give a rant about how a disliked this book.

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

For middle school books, I'm a fan of both James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein and this book does not disappoint. Being familiar with Mr. Lemoncello, I was expecting something a bit more laugh-out-loud humor, but instead, it was more melancholy in nature, although moments of humor definitely were present (for example when he discovered that his best friend actually wore a *gasp* bra!). The main message of this book had to do with not being afraid of life, about taking risks sometimes (no, not stupid risks), and living life to the fullest or you end up as a ghost, full of regrets. There was a message in there about helicopter parenting too, although that was probably a message more to the parents who might read this book than to the middle school audience this book is meant for. There was one moment with Finn's dad and the gaming system that absolutely tore my heart out. But I feel like the ending was a bit too rushed and it didn't really resolve anything for the ones left behind (particularly Finn's parents). I would have loved it if the messages of these books were more obviously relayed to his friends and family somehow so that when he and Isabella finally left, they could leave knowing they left those behind better off. It just didn't feel completely resolved for me. That said, I really enjoyed this story and I hope the two of them will team up again in the future.

[Bryan L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lo había comprado como a 4/5 dólares en Barnes and Noble porque necesitaba completar el mínimo y qué sorpresa de historia.

Similar a un inicio tipo Magnus Chase, aquí Finn, nuestro protagonista muere en el primer capítulo y vemos la forma en que desde la perspectiva de fantasma ve la vida de sus amigos y familiares. Es un libro infantil pero que tiene mucho por decir y mucho por enseñar.

Las segundas oportunidades son importantes y más si tienes la persona que pueda ayudarte con lo necesario.

Por la forma en que está contado no impacta tanto en ciertos puntos, pero hay situaciones que arrugan el corazón.

La verdad me sorprendió mucho la historia y lo rápido que se puede leer y cómo conectas con el protagonista y lo divertido que puede ser en ciertas situaciones.

[Katie Samsock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved loved loved this! I’ve actually never read a James Patterson book before (sorry, Sir) and that is definitely going to change. I had seen this around but felt funny taking out a middle grade book from the library. So I made my 7 year old take it out for me.

I devoured this in an afternoon. The characters are amazing. The plot is so creative. 13 year old Finn passes away after a horrific bicycle accident caused by a crazy driver. He he then finds himself stuck on Earth in spirit form until he finishes his unfinished business.

The emotions in this book are so real, I never expected my heart strings to be tugged on as much as they were.

Mr Patterson please please PLEASE tell me there is a sequel coming!!!! Off to read this with my seven year old.

[Angus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very unusual in the best way possible. I loved the storyline and the idea of the main character dying and becoming a ghost so soon into the book is just amazingly creative in and of itself. The book is targeted at children, but I think it would suit all ages. This book conveys feelings of sadness, discovery, and heart-warming friendships all at the same time, which I think is very special. All in all, I loved this book, it was one of my favourite books of 2021 (I read a lot this year), and I think you should read it too!

[Mortisha Cassavetes · Rating 5 out of 5]

WoW! I loved this book and it made it to my 2022 Favorites List! The book is a murder mystery that follows young Finn. One day while riding his bike, Finn was run down by a man in a black van which Finn fell to his death over a cliff. While a ghost, Finn and his new ghost friend, Isabella who went missing days ago, set out to find Finn's killer and what happened to Isabella. No Spoilers! I can not recommend this book enough. It is an amazing read of friendships, grief and all the great things to see, hear, taste and do while alive.

[Clau · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I guess I'm not totally in control of everything as a ghost. Huh. In some ways, being dead is just like being alive".
Este es un libro para niños 10+.
No hubo nada que me encantara como en otros libros para niños que tienen una prosa maravillosa o una historia muy bien estructurada. Es una historia fluida, en un lenguaje muy sencillo y con capítulos cortos.
A mi parecer, la historia es demasiado simple pero creo que está bien orientada para niños de esa edad.
La mayor decepción fue el epílogo. El final creo fue bueno y el epílogo lo destruyó por completo.