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High Score
Oceans 11 goes to the arcade in this wildly entertainng heist adventure that is perfect for fans of Gordon Korman, Varian Johnson, and Celia P rez.
We do this my way.
No one gets hurt.
And if I call it off, it’s off.
Got it?
My name’s Darius James—but everyone calls me DJ. At my old school, I was the go-to guy for all kinds of tricky problems that needed creative solutions. But at my new school, Ella Fitzgerald Middle, I’m just trying to blend in.
Well, I was, anyway, until my best friend, Conor, got himself transferred to the Fitz too. Now Conor owes 100,000 arcade tickets to the biggest bully around—and he only has two weeks to make it happen.
Impossible? Not with my head in the game.
We do this my way.
No one gets hurt.
And if I call it off, it’s off.
Got it?
My name’s Darius James—but everyone calls me DJ. At my old school, I was the go-to guy for all kinds of tricky problems that needed creative solutions. But at my new school, Ella Fitzgerald Middle, I’m just trying to blend in.
Well, I was, anyway, until my best friend, Conor, got himself transferred to the Fitz too. Now Conor owes 100,000 arcade tickets to the biggest bully around—and he only has two weeks to make it happen.
Impossible? Not with my head in the game.
301 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 28, 2022
16 people are currently reading
213 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
December 19, 2023
The best middle grade book I've read this year! This Ocean's 11 spin off is so fun and thrilling! The characters are easy to get attached to an absolutely adorable even when they are planning an arcade heist. I highly recommend this one!
January 3, 2024
Ocean's 11 with a touch of The Equalizer. Great fun. The main kids were all basically good-hearted and also really good at their specific skill-sets. A quick fun read to start the year.
December 4, 2024
I don’t typically write reviews, but this novel was written by one of the most creative and thoughtful writers I know and thus deserves a few remarks on why I love it so much.
A high-octane middle grade heist story, High Score is a snappy and smart read. "Ocean’s Eleven meets kids in an arcade" is a fantastic premise in and of itself, and this story delivers on those promising expectations. The events are heightened and hyperbolic (think The Great Splash by Jack D. Ferraiolo, or The Great Greene Heist by Varian Johnson), and that’s part of what makes it so much fun. Balancing time spent between the threatening halls of school and the neon floors of the arcade, readers follow Darius James/DJ, a retired ‘conkid’ who is forced back into the game when his best friend owes the notorious school bully a whopping 100,000 arcade tickets within a time limit. He pulls together a dream team to achieve this, each fulfilling a specific role in the upcoming heist (the Brains, the Face, the Fingers, and the Muscle, respectively). My favorite of the quartet is Audrey, a bubbly theater kid who’s dream role in the upcoming school play The Little Mermaid is Ursula rather than Ariel. Gentle giant Monty is a close second. I adore character-driven work, and I love that these kids feel familiar and fresh at once. The first half of the novel is gathering the players and setting up the heist, and the second is the execution. The actual heist is rollicking from start to finish, with plenty of mishaps and surprises to keep readers engaged. I especially enjoyed the twist at the climax, just when things are looking most dire.
Excellent reading for kids and kids-at-heart, High Score has earned its Publishers Weekly and Booklist accolades. I very much look forward to giving it a reread. Pick it up and strap in for a phenomenal ride!
A high-octane middle grade heist story, High Score is a snappy and smart read. "Ocean’s Eleven meets kids in an arcade" is a fantastic premise in and of itself, and this story delivers on those promising expectations. The events are heightened and hyperbolic (think The Great Splash by Jack D. Ferraiolo, or The Great Greene Heist by Varian Johnson), and that’s part of what makes it so much fun. Balancing time spent between the threatening halls of school and the neon floors of the arcade, readers follow Darius James/DJ, a retired ‘conkid’ who is forced back into the game when his best friend owes the notorious school bully a whopping 100,000 arcade tickets within a time limit. He pulls together a dream team to achieve this, each fulfilling a specific role in the upcoming heist (the Brains, the Face, the Fingers, and the Muscle, respectively). My favorite of the quartet is Audrey, a bubbly theater kid who’s dream role in the upcoming school play The Little Mermaid is Ursula rather than Ariel. Gentle giant Monty is a close second. I adore character-driven work, and I love that these kids feel familiar and fresh at once. The first half of the novel is gathering the players and setting up the heist, and the second is the execution. The actual heist is rollicking from start to finish, with plenty of mishaps and surprises to keep readers engaged. I especially enjoyed the twist at the climax, just when things are looking most dire.
Excellent reading for kids and kids-at-heart, High Score has earned its Publishers Weekly and Booklist accolades. I very much look forward to giving it a reread. Pick it up and strap in for a phenomenal ride!
April 5, 2023
This is a really cleverly written book. It was super fun to read. I couldn’t even put the book down at night!
January 7, 2024
This was a fun read, and I liked how dynamic DJ was while still being a believable middle schooler. I wonder if this will become a series? The ending left that door open. Definite contender for IBOB.
February 16, 2024
Fun heist book that was a good bellwork read!
February 5, 2024
This was basically oceans 11 meets leverage set in a middle school. Calling it realistic fiction might be a bit of a stretch but it really work lol. I wasn’t sold on the writing style at first but it definitely grew on me
January 17, 2023
Eds. Preface: the reviewer read the last half of this book in the ER with a sick spouse. As such, their opinions can likely be taken as those of a somewhat distracted, less than fully observant reader.
Eds. Afterward to the Eds. Preface: Spouse is fine, thanks. So kind of you to think of them. It speaks well of your kindness in general. The world is lucky to have people like you. We could use more of you, in fact. Can we clone you or at least take you home to our parents?
2.5-3. A middle school heist caper.
What, you don't think a heist book can be set in a middle school?
Well, you're kind of right.
DJ and his friend have two weeks to get a ridiculous number of arcade tickets to pay off the school's gangster (what? You don't think middle schools can have gangsters who control the announcements and can send out hall passes?). In order to do save themselves from social rejection, they have assemble the perfect crew, and execute the perfect plan.
I dug the heist caper itself. It was a fun quick narrative, and I didn't see the reveal of their sleight of hand coming (I was not, however, at my most attentive).
But.
The book was so far outside being potentially realistic that I had trouble buying into the story. Like, the impossibility of it kept pulling me out. Coupled with its flat characters, I found myself as frustrated as I was compelled - perhaps more so.
My friend Liz insists that the unrealism of the story is exactly what will appeal to the intended audience of this title. And she may be right. I'm sending her a hall pass to get out of third period math so that we can further discuss it. It'll cost her 300 tickets.
Eds. Afterward to the Eds. Preface: Spouse is fine, thanks. So kind of you to think of them. It speaks well of your kindness in general. The world is lucky to have people like you. We could use more of you, in fact. Can we clone you or at least take you home to our parents?
2.5-3. A middle school heist caper.
What, you don't think a heist book can be set in a middle school?
Well, you're kind of right.
DJ and his friend have two weeks to get a ridiculous number of arcade tickets to pay off the school's gangster (what? You don't think middle schools can have gangsters who control the announcements and can send out hall passes?). In order to do save themselves from social rejection, they have assemble the perfect crew, and execute the perfect plan.
I dug the heist caper itself. It was a fun quick narrative, and I didn't see the reveal of their sleight of hand coming (I was not, however, at my most attentive).
But.
The book was so far outside being potentially realistic that I had trouble buying into the story. Like, the impossibility of it kept pulling me out. Coupled with its flat characters, I found myself as frustrated as I was compelled - perhaps more so.
My friend Liz insists that the unrealism of the story is exactly what will appeal to the intended audience of this title. And she may be right. I'm sending her a hall pass to get out of third period math so that we can further discuss it. It'll cost her 300 tickets.
July 29, 2023
What a fun little book of shenanigans!
July 4, 2022
Summer is for hijinks and adventure and that's just what this fun, engaging, action story about a group of kids is all about and I loved it.
DJ has a new lease on life now that he's at a different middle school and it has its own hierarchy and the currency is tickets at the local arcade. But DJ plays it cool and under the radar choosing to be the smart kid that he is... until the friend he ghosted from the previous school shows up and gets himself into trouble pretty quickly thinking that DJ is the same kid he was at the old school- so DJ and friends get together a group to help outwit the king of the school from outing them on the announcements that makes you a social pariah.
The entertainment value as well as the cunning they employ as they connect to win over the head bully is an action adventure without machine blasts and crazy antics, simply outmaneuvering the others to beat them at their own game. And with the best middle grade, the underdogs prevail and DJ ends up in the school play, The Little Mermaid.
DJ has a new lease on life now that he's at a different middle school and it has its own hierarchy and the currency is tickets at the local arcade. But DJ plays it cool and under the radar choosing to be the smart kid that he is... until the friend he ghosted from the previous school shows up and gets himself into trouble pretty quickly thinking that DJ is the same kid he was at the old school- so DJ and friends get together a group to help outwit the king of the school from outing them on the announcements that makes you a social pariah.
The entertainment value as well as the cunning they employ as they connect to win over the head bully is an action adventure without machine blasts and crazy antics, simply outmaneuvering the others to beat them at their own game. And with the best middle grade, the underdogs prevail and DJ ends up in the school play, The Little Mermaid.
March 27, 2024
A Maine Student Book Award Nominee for 23|24.
To plan a good heist, you gotta have a good crew. No one knows this better than DJ. Even though he's been out of the business for awhile, he finds himself in need of a crew to help a friend. They have to pull off the biggest heist yet; or one of his friends is about to get rocket boosted.
Full of fun characters, and a great premise, this was a really fun ride.
To plan a good heist, you gotta have a good crew. No one knows this better than DJ. Even though he's been out of the business for awhile, he finds himself in need of a crew to help a friend. They have to pull off the biggest heist yet; or one of his friends is about to get rocket boosted.
Full of fun characters, and a great premise, this was a really fun ride.
July 28, 2022
Heist, heist, heist!
September 12, 2022
This is Leverage for kids! I loved the premise and loved the execution of the book. The author made the ending open-ended and I can only hope for more books from this author.
April 27, 2024
sequoia 10/10 FAWTTTTTTT I DID IT JUST IN THE NICK OF TIME TOO!!!! I CAN FINALLY BE DONE WITH THIS STUPID FUCKING DUMD ASS SHIT PILE OF DONKEY POOP. IT WAS HELL ON EARTH
July 4, 2024
Solid middle grade heist story.
November 7, 2022
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
DJ has transferred to Ella Fitzgerald Middle School to escape his dodgy past running scams at his previous school. He keeps his head down, is known only for his ability to get projects done, and has few friends, although he does have a crush on Audrey in his class. When Conor also transferes, the only piece of advice DJ can give his former partner in crime is to not run afoul of Lucky. The student economy at "Fitz" is based on tickets from the nearby Starcade arcade, and Lucky runs several cons, including a lottery for these tickets. If anyone crosses him, he submits a "Rocket Booster" morning announcements that sounds like a compliment but in reality is a jab that will sink a student's social life at Fitz. Of course, Conor crosses Lucky. In order to escape the "Rocket Booster", Conor gives up DJ's past. Lucky and his henchman, Mariposa (whose aunt is the school secretary) call DJ to the library and offer him a deal; get a huge number of tickets, or Conor goes down. DJ doesn't want to comply, but soon acquiesces to save his friend. At first, they find a work around; the Starcade throws out old tickets, some partially shredded, and they don't feel its stealing since tickets are in the trash. They are doing well on collecting the points, but find out that the machines are being upgraded, and their ticket stream will soon dry up. There is a mega Starcade 45 minutes across town, and the boys decide that their best bet for getting there is to be invited to a birthday party. DJ enlists Audrey to help him manipulate Haily into having a party there so she can invite her crush, Tyler, and soon the group is on their way to getting Lucky what he wants. Will DJ be able to pull this final scam before convincing Conor to retire?
Strengths: This was written in a fast paced, engaging style, and I really liked DJ. He was a little bit of a man of mystery, and his personality was unfolded slowly in an intriguing way. I liked how his relationship with Audrey developed, and it was fun to watch her get pulled into his schemes. It is true that middle school students are prone to embracing odd fads, like fidget spinners and silly bandz, so I can see tickets being coveted. (Although I can see enterprising youngsters buying rolls of them online and counterfeiting them!) The adult characters were very shadowy, which worked well for all of the escapades. The cover is absolutely fantastic.
Weaknesses: This was one of those books that was so unrealistic that I had trouble enjoying it personally. Do game arcades even exist anymore? Lucky hangs out in the library and summons people from class? There's a peer "therapist" with an office? The principal allows students to submit the "Rocket Booster" announcements that take down students' social lives? Lucky runs businesses? It's all very clever, and if I think of this as a fantasy book, it makes more sense. This is a "me issue" more than a book issue, but I do appreciate it when authors understand how actual middle schools work.
What I really think: This is a book that I will purchase even though I had problems with it. Students will be drawn to the cover and the goofy shenanigans of DJ and his friends. Hand to readers who enjoyed Rylander's The Fourth Stall, Ferraiolo's The Big Splash, Johnson's The Great Greene Heist, and Calabreese's Wild Ride.
DJ has transferred to Ella Fitzgerald Middle School to escape his dodgy past running scams at his previous school. He keeps his head down, is known only for his ability to get projects done, and has few friends, although he does have a crush on Audrey in his class. When Conor also transferes, the only piece of advice DJ can give his former partner in crime is to not run afoul of Lucky. The student economy at "Fitz" is based on tickets from the nearby Starcade arcade, and Lucky runs several cons, including a lottery for these tickets. If anyone crosses him, he submits a "Rocket Booster" morning announcements that sounds like a compliment but in reality is a jab that will sink a student's social life at Fitz. Of course, Conor crosses Lucky. In order to escape the "Rocket Booster", Conor gives up DJ's past. Lucky and his henchman, Mariposa (whose aunt is the school secretary) call DJ to the library and offer him a deal; get a huge number of tickets, or Conor goes down. DJ doesn't want to comply, but soon acquiesces to save his friend. At first, they find a work around; the Starcade throws out old tickets, some partially shredded, and they don't feel its stealing since tickets are in the trash. They are doing well on collecting the points, but find out that the machines are being upgraded, and their ticket stream will soon dry up. There is a mega Starcade 45 minutes across town, and the boys decide that their best bet for getting there is to be invited to a birthday party. DJ enlists Audrey to help him manipulate Haily into having a party there so she can invite her crush, Tyler, and soon the group is on their way to getting Lucky what he wants. Will DJ be able to pull this final scam before convincing Conor to retire?
Strengths: This was written in a fast paced, engaging style, and I really liked DJ. He was a little bit of a man of mystery, and his personality was unfolded slowly in an intriguing way. I liked how his relationship with Audrey developed, and it was fun to watch her get pulled into his schemes. It is true that middle school students are prone to embracing odd fads, like fidget spinners and silly bandz, so I can see tickets being coveted. (Although I can see enterprising youngsters buying rolls of them online and counterfeiting them!) The adult characters were very shadowy, which worked well for all of the escapades. The cover is absolutely fantastic.
Weaknesses: This was one of those books that was so unrealistic that I had trouble enjoying it personally. Do game arcades even exist anymore? Lucky hangs out in the library and summons people from class? There's a peer "therapist" with an office? The principal allows students to submit the "Rocket Booster" announcements that take down students' social lives? Lucky runs businesses? It's all very clever, and if I think of this as a fantasy book, it makes more sense. This is a "me issue" more than a book issue, but I do appreciate it when authors understand how actual middle schools work.
What I really think: This is a book that I will purchase even though I had problems with it. Students will be drawn to the cover and the goofy shenanigans of DJ and his friends. Hand to readers who enjoyed Rylander's The Fourth Stall, Ferraiolo's The Big Splash, Johnson's The Great Greene Heist, and Calabreese's Wild Ride.
January 13, 2023
I don't really do reviews on here anymore but I have to say something about this book.
It's so tonally fun and weird. These middle schoolers inhabit a criminal underworld right under the noses of all the adults, replete with its own lingo, rules, history. Our main character is a tone-perfect "career criminal, roped in for one last job" type. His penchant for math and planning plant one of his feet in the real world and the other in this delicious underworld Howell has created. He feels so wonderfully fleshed out. He's cool, he's effective, he's moral but not a goody two-shoes. I instantly bought that he could fly under the radar at his new school and then turn on a dime and be suddenly a magnetic personality, drawing several characters from various walks of life to him.
Howell also writes dialogue in a way that does the really tricky job of belonging to the heist "genre" but also belonging indelibly to young adults. So many authors simply cannot write authentic kid-talk, and they wind up sounding like mini-adults or extremely cringe "hello, fellow kids" stereotypes. As an example, one character asks the main character if he's friends with the star baseball player. The answer is: though the player seems to like our MC well enough, they're merely acquaintances. The MC wants to say yes, unequivocally, so he can extract a favor from his inquirer, but he knows a lie might come back to haunt him. So he responds, "We're chill." And this response not only succinctly captures the conflict implicit in the dialogue (which I've laboriously unpacked) but also accurately describes the relationship in a way that "He's my friend" cannot.
Even "We're friendly," despite being a superficially positive response, implies a no—the need for corrective accuracy. But "We're chill" reads more like an embellishment, a "yes, and..." whose warmth and mystery invites his inquirer further in toward complicity and agreement.
There are elements that felt underdeveloped. The character of Monty, for instance, was merely sketched in, which is a shame because the narrative fully sets us up to fall in love with him. It's the perfect lead-up to the "hard lug with a soft heart" stereotype but that's all he gets to be. The sketch never gets filled in, satisfyingly. I also felt like there were one too many complications during the final heist but that's very much a matter of taste. I'm not sure which one I would take out, either, as they're all relevant to either the characters' arcs or to the final confrontation with the "mob boss." Oh, I don't know. I think I'm just poking at the memory of a perfect meal, thinking things like, "Just one less leaf of spinach, perhaps..."
Speaking of spinach, I don't know if kids will like this. I think I would have, at the age it's intended for, but I really do think that previous experience of the genre heightens one's enjoyment of this book. But if you've never seen, like, The Sting, there's bound to be stuff that you don't get. But maybe I'm wrong. I hope I'm wrong! I'd love a sequel.
It's so tonally fun and weird. These middle schoolers inhabit a criminal underworld right under the noses of all the adults, replete with its own lingo, rules, history. Our main character is a tone-perfect "career criminal, roped in for one last job" type. His penchant for math and planning plant one of his feet in the real world and the other in this delicious underworld Howell has created. He feels so wonderfully fleshed out. He's cool, he's effective, he's moral but not a goody two-shoes. I instantly bought that he could fly under the radar at his new school and then turn on a dime and be suddenly a magnetic personality, drawing several characters from various walks of life to him.
Howell also writes dialogue in a way that does the really tricky job of belonging to the heist "genre" but also belonging indelibly to young adults. So many authors simply cannot write authentic kid-talk, and they wind up sounding like mini-adults or extremely cringe "hello, fellow kids" stereotypes. As an example, one character asks the main character if he's friends with the star baseball player. The answer is: though the player seems to like our MC well enough, they're merely acquaintances. The MC wants to say yes, unequivocally, so he can extract a favor from his inquirer, but he knows a lie might come back to haunt him. So he responds, "We're chill." And this response not only succinctly captures the conflict implicit in the dialogue (which I've laboriously unpacked) but also accurately describes the relationship in a way that "He's my friend" cannot.
Even "We're friendly," despite being a superficially positive response, implies a no—the need for corrective accuracy. But "We're chill" reads more like an embellishment, a "yes, and..." whose warmth and mystery invites his inquirer further in toward complicity and agreement.
There are elements that felt underdeveloped. The character of Monty, for instance, was merely sketched in, which is a shame because the narrative fully sets us up to fall in love with him. It's the perfect lead-up to the "hard lug with a soft heart" stereotype but that's all he gets to be. The sketch never gets filled in, satisfyingly. I also felt like there were one too many complications during the final heist but that's very much a matter of taste. I'm not sure which one I would take out, either, as they're all relevant to either the characters' arcs or to the final confrontation with the "mob boss." Oh, I don't know. I think I'm just poking at the memory of a perfect meal, thinking things like, "Just one less leaf of spinach, perhaps..."
Speaking of spinach, I don't know if kids will like this. I think I would have, at the age it's intended for, but I really do think that previous experience of the genre heightens one's enjoyment of this book. But if you've never seen, like, The Sting, there's bound to be stuff that you don't get. But maybe I'm wrong. I hope I'm wrong! I'd love a sequel.
June 22, 2022
High Score is a fast-paced, high-stakes filled heist story that any young reader will find engaging. Schools will want this on their shelves, and children's bookstores will have no trouble finding an audience for this title. I don't always post my reviews for the ARCs I read on social media, but this story was special enough to warrant branching out into the world of Goodreads to post my thoughts.
The book throws the reader into the action almost immediately, perfectly catching the attention of any reluctant readers. The premise is that DJ, who's recently transferred schools, gets roped into running a scheme that will save his best friend Conor from being humiliated by the school bully. In an attempt to win 100k arcade tickets in just two weeks to pay off Conor's debt, the dynamic duo recruit reliable allies, take risks, create new approaches on the fly, and use their wiles to ultimately perform a ticket heist amidst a crowded birthday party at the city's arcade.
The kids are daring and ingenious, but they also maintain a healthy level of empathy and concern for the people they rope into their schemes. I appreciated that the book explored the idea of mental health concerns of the students, as well as tackling the theme of taking accountability for one's actions. There's a level of suspension of disbelief necessary while reading this story for us grown-ups, but I think a younger reader could be easily immersed into this fantastical take on a realistic middle school setting. The elaborate detail put into the school's social hierarchy as well as its underground economy is simultaneously exciting and cutthroat, and it provides many opportunities for the main characters to show off their best skills and ideas.
This book would be great for readers who like stories with plenty of stealth and espionage, such as Stuart Gibbs' Spy School novels, as well as fans of charming and humorous thieving stories such as Emily Ecton's The Great Pet Heist. It features boys and girls with different passions and varying life experiences, and I think any reader would find these characters realistic and relatable. The ending both satisfies the reader and sets up the premise for an equally exciting and creative sequel.
ARC sent by Scholastic to independent bookstore
The book throws the reader into the action almost immediately, perfectly catching the attention of any reluctant readers. The premise is that DJ, who's recently transferred schools, gets roped into running a scheme that will save his best friend Conor from being humiliated by the school bully. In an attempt to win 100k arcade tickets in just two weeks to pay off Conor's debt, the dynamic duo recruit reliable allies, take risks, create new approaches on the fly, and use their wiles to ultimately perform a ticket heist amidst a crowded birthday party at the city's arcade.
The kids are daring and ingenious, but they also maintain a healthy level of empathy and concern for the people they rope into their schemes. I appreciated that the book explored the idea of mental health concerns of the students, as well as tackling the theme of taking accountability for one's actions. There's a level of suspension of disbelief necessary while reading this story for us grown-ups, but I think a younger reader could be easily immersed into this fantastical take on a realistic middle school setting. The elaborate detail put into the school's social hierarchy as well as its underground economy is simultaneously exciting and cutthroat, and it provides many opportunities for the main characters to show off their best skills and ideas.
This book would be great for readers who like stories with plenty of stealth and espionage, such as Stuart Gibbs' Spy School novels, as well as fans of charming and humorous thieving stories such as Emily Ecton's The Great Pet Heist. It features boys and girls with different passions and varying life experiences, and I think any reader would find these characters realistic and relatable. The ending both satisfies the reader and sets up the premise for an equally exciting and creative sequel.
ARC sent by Scholastic to independent bookstore
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June 14, 2023A cute, very well-written heist story!
DJ has a secret. He is known for being smart, but little does anyone know that his cleverness has led him to the shady side of school dealings in the past. Despite the thrill he gets from making plans, he is trying to turn over a new leaf at a new school—and leave the guilt of his past life behind him. Although with the potential for some serious deviousness, DJ is also really soft-hearted and likable. When it comes down to it, he is a loyal friend who is not afraid to stand up to his bullies—and outwit them.
Other characters, though not as fleshed out, are also likable. Everything changes for DJ when his (former) best friend shows up at school, ready to get back into the game. Though DJ is committed to staying on the straight and narrow, Conor quickly gets into trouble. And that probably describes Conor best: troublemaker. Conor is a rash thrill-seeker (he was probably my least favorite character), but ultimately is likable, too. Despite his taste for action, he follows DJ and doesn't really want anyone to get hurt, either. Then there's Audrey. Her bubbly personality, levelheadedness, and love for theater made me incredibly happy ("Were you named after Audrey the girl or Audrey the man-eating plant?"). DJ might also have a personal reason for bringing her into his drama. A large cast of side characters round out the story and make it feel more believable.
And even though the middle school is basically run by a 12-year-old mob boss, the kids' desires—buying unhealthy snacks out of the bathrooms, cheating on tests, maintaining social image—increased believability. Also, all transactions are made in tickets, not actual cash, which keeps the action lighthearted if not still incredibly concerning. (I mean, seriously, some of the teachers would have to know what's going on, right? They couldn't have been paid off in tickets.)
All in all, this proved to be a nice break from my usual fair with likable characters, witty writing, and even a few twists.
DJ has a secret. He is known for being smart, but little does anyone know that his cleverness has led him to the shady side of school dealings in the past. Despite the thrill he gets from making plans, he is trying to turn over a new leaf at a new school—and leave the guilt of his past life behind him. Although with the potential for some serious deviousness, DJ is also really soft-hearted and likable. When it comes down to it, he is a loyal friend who is not afraid to stand up to his bullies—and outwit them.
Other characters, though not as fleshed out, are also likable. Everything changes for DJ when his (former) best friend shows up at school, ready to get back into the game. Though DJ is committed to staying on the straight and narrow, Conor quickly gets into trouble. And that probably describes Conor best: troublemaker. Conor is a rash thrill-seeker (he was probably my least favorite character), but ultimately is likable, too. Despite his taste for action, he follows DJ and doesn't really want anyone to get hurt, either. Then there's Audrey. Her bubbly personality, levelheadedness, and love for theater made me incredibly happy ("Were you named after Audrey the girl or Audrey the man-eating plant?"). DJ might also have a personal reason for bringing her into his drama. A large cast of side characters round out the story and make it feel more believable.
And even though the middle school is basically run by a 12-year-old mob boss, the kids' desires—buying unhealthy snacks out of the bathrooms, cheating on tests, maintaining social image—increased believability. Also, all transactions are made in tickets, not actual cash, which keeps the action lighthearted if not still incredibly concerning. (I mean, seriously, some of the teachers would have to know what's going on, right? They couldn't have been paid off in tickets.)
All in all, this proved to be a nice break from my usual fair with likable characters, witty writing, and even a few twists.
September 15, 2022
4.5. This was fantastic! It had everything you'd want from a heist book: fast pacing, multiple obstacles, and not quite being in the loop with the characters. The arcade atmosphere was so distinctive and nostalgic. I loved DJ as the MC. He was a quick thinker and schemer, but had a moral compass. On top of all this I was also obsessed with the way that Howell described the world of DJ and his fellow middle-schoolers as a pseudo-adult world, like having peer therapy and temporary tattoos and businesses and work contracts. On top of this there was so much creativity regarding Ella Fitzgerald Middle School itself - the black market which used arcade tickets as currency, getting rocket boosted to Pluto, etc.
My one criticism was that I wished the side characters had more development, although I do acknowledge that for this type of action plot, characters are not meant to be the focus.
My one criticism was that I wished the side characters had more development, although I do acknowledge that for this type of action plot, characters are not meant to be the focus.
March 28, 2025
Okay, for sure middle school doesn't work like this, at all, but if you can suspend disbelief, this is a lot of fun. I love a heist story, especially with a conflicted "one last job" type of arc, so it was perfect for me. And I can't think of many heist books for kids, so it's something fresh and different. The writing moves quickly, the characters are somewhat stock but in a way that makes sense for the story, and it would be a great summer read.
Definitely bringing on school visits, although I have to figure out how to sell it (a lot of people describe it as Ocean's Eleven meets middle school, but do middle grade readers know/care about Ocean's Eleven? I think probably no, so I'll have to think of a different hook. But I do think there's a lot of readers for this book!
Definitely bringing on school visits, although I have to figure out how to sell it (a lot of people describe it as Ocean's Eleven meets middle school, but do middle grade readers know/care about Ocean's Eleven? I think probably no, so I'll have to think of a different hook. But I do think there's a lot of readers for this book!
August 2, 2023
How far will you go to save your friend from being ostracized at school? Would you be willing to pull off a heist? DJ, Audrey, Monty, and Conner are about to pull a heist at the biggest Starcade, and if they fail, it's game over.
I wasn't expecting to like this book as much as I did. I've never read a book centered around heists completed by children, so this was a first. The beginning was a bit slow, but once we started pulling off the heist, it was so much fun! The characters were entertaining and made me chuckle. Even though I had to suspend my disbelief for a bit, I really can't fault this book for it. I truly think children and adults will have a lot of fun with this book!
I wasn't expecting to like this book as much as I did. I've never read a book centered around heists completed by children, so this was a first. The beginning was a bit slow, but once we started pulling off the heist, it was so much fun! The characters were entertaining and made me chuckle. Even though I had to suspend my disbelief for a bit, I really can't fault this book for it. I truly think children and adults will have a lot of fun with this book!
September 4, 2023
4 stars because it is a quick read and a fun plot. DJ, a 7th grader, has moved schools to start fresh. However, when his best friend from his old ‘crew’ follows him and gets into trouble, DJ comes up with a heist to help him. It involves the arcade, tickets, a new crew, and not doing anything that will harm someone. I liked the characters and the intricacies of the heist. If only all middle schoolers put in that much time and effort into their work. I also liked that it has a diverse representation of characters and they were all good kids. No swears, no violence, and very minimal crushing on someone for romance. 5th grade and up.
February 22, 2023
Ocean’s 11 meets middle school. DJ is determined to keep his head down at his new school but when his friend Connor follows him to the new school, he is soon drawn into Connor’s drama. DJ and Connor need a crew to figure out a way to collect 100,000 arcade tickets that Connor owes Lucky. Arcade tickets are the school currency. Lucky runs a lotto to keep his trove of arcade tickets full and holds office hours in the school library. Far-fetched and hilarious!
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February 10, 2025Cannot be compared to Gordon Korman. On its own it's alright. It reminds me of "Griff Carver, Hallway Patrol" in that there's a middle school criminal underworld theme that parodies adult detective novels (in this one, the main character used to be involved in the life and is no longer—until his friend gets in trouble with the school criminal boss and he does "one last job" to bail him out), which most kids probably won't get. And there is some romance (crushes, asking out to dances).
October 8, 2025
This was really fun! Heist with a heart.
DJ is a likeable, principled guy, forced to resume his con man ways by his bestie, who turns up at his new school and runs afoul of Lucky, the kid who runs it, via video arcade tix. We don't initially know why he's changed his ways.
DJ put together a team of Audrey, the Face, for distractions and geneala cting chops, and Monty, for muscle, a shy, big sweety.
Hints at a sequel...Second to None.
DJ is a likeable, principled guy, forced to resume his con man ways by his bestie, who turns up at his new school and runs afoul of Lucky, the kid who runs it, via video arcade tix. We don't initially know why he's changed his ways.
DJ put together a team of Audrey, the Face, for distractions and geneala cting chops, and Monty, for muscle, a shy, big sweety.
Hints at a sequel...Second to None.
November 16, 2022
Fun contemporary middle-school caper novel, reminiscent of The Great Greene Heist. DJ has switched schools to curb his addiction to running heists, but something happens to get him right back in the game.
February 2, 2023
I normally don't do reviews in this site but OMG this book was so much fun that I needed to talk about it. I read it entirely in a couple of hours and loved everything about it and the characters. I really hope it has a sequel, the protagonists are really charming and I'd love to see more of their hijinks.
July 20, 2023
An inviting cover, a fast-paced read, Oceans Eleven but with middle schoolers...this is a book quite a few students will enjoy! As an adult I had to suspend belief for a few elements, but I think a lot of kids will overlook that. Definitely one to add to your classroom library.
July 24, 2023
A heist story that involves gaming. Kids will enjoy it! Definitely have to not think about how they did certain things, but overall it's fun!
Reminded me of Varian Johnson's The Great Greene Heist.
Reminded me of Varian Johnson's The Great Greene Heist.
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