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First Boy
A fast-paced political thriller
“You’re my first boy, Cooper, my first boy,” grandfather says just before he dies. All alone in the world, without even a dog, the only thing that keeps Cooper going is running the dairy farm.
Suddenly, black sedans are swarming all around Cooper’s small New Hampshire town, driven by mysterious men in dark suits. Cooper’s barn is burned to the ground, and his house is broken into and searched during the night. The President of the United States calls on Cooper for a visit, and her opponent wants Cooper to join him on the campaign trail.
This fast-paced political thriller will have the reader turning the pages in anticipation of the next clue.
“You’re my first boy, Cooper, my first boy,” grandfather says just before he dies. All alone in the world, without even a dog, the only thing that keeps Cooper going is running the dairy farm.
Suddenly, black sedans are swarming all around Cooper’s small New Hampshire town, driven by mysterious men in dark suits. Cooper’s barn is burned to the ground, and his house is broken into and searched during the night. The President of the United States calls on Cooper for a visit, and her opponent wants Cooper to join him on the campaign trail.
This fast-paced political thriller will have the reader turning the pages in anticipation of the next clue.
208 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
14 people are currently reading
441 people want to read
About the author
Gary D. Schmidt
76 books2,177 followersGary D. Schmidt is an American children's writer of nonfiction books and young adult novels, including two Newbery Honor books. He lives on a farm in Alto, Michigan,with his wife and six children, where he splits wood, plants gardens, writes, feeds the wild cats that drop by and wishes that sometimes the sea breeze came that far inland. He is a Professor of English at Calvin College.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
October 17, 2021
Who is Cooper Jewett? He is being raside by his grandparents Eli and Edna Jewett on their dairy farm. Like his grandfather, Cooper is a dairyman. Farming is in his blood. What happens when a state senator shows up asking Cooper to help him on his campaign? Does the senator know secrets about Cooper's past? Is it possible the Jewetts are not his grandparents? Who are his real parents? What really happened to them? In addition to being a story about the meaning of family and self-sacrifice, this is a political thriller about how far candidates will go to find dirt on another candidate.
Give this one to those who love Gary D. Schmidt's other works and cannot get enough of him, those looking for a stories about farm or rural life or teens looking for clean reads.
Give this one to those who love Gary D. Schmidt's other works and cannot get enough of him, those looking for a stories about farm or rural life or teens looking for clean reads.
July 21, 2019
Absolute amazing. Slow start, but for a 200 paged book it gets going if you stick with it. The last third I just sat there giggling away at Mrs. Perley and Mr. Searle's dialogues. This is my second book of Gary Schmidt and I believe it won't be my last.
November 17, 2012
A political thriller featuring two octogenarians and a fourteen-year-old boy living on a dairy farm-- as much as I never thought I'd string those particular words together, there you have it.
The magic of Gary D. Schmidt is that his stories center around that which is found through loss. He has a gift for writing such whole and complete young male characters, and having recently read this somewhat disheartening article, it was refreshing to come across this early work (which pre-dates both Okay for Now and What Came from the Stars ).
With the exception of clearly portrayed antagonists, each character is written with so much compassion, humor, and honesty, reading this fills me with a sort of wistful ache for "the good old days," even though there is nothing in this story to suggest that it takes place in the far past. (In fact, it could be said that a certain character makes this quite a modern tale, in a progressive sort of way.)
I love quick reads that are also good reads-- a much better alternative than getting caught up in a YouTube "study break" cycle that unintentionally lasts for hours. Ahem.
The magic of Gary D. Schmidt is that his stories center around that which is found through loss. He has a gift for writing such whole and complete young male characters, and having recently read this somewhat disheartening article, it was refreshing to come across this early work (which pre-dates both Okay for Now and What Came from the Stars ).
With the exception of clearly portrayed antagonists, each character is written with so much compassion, humor, and honesty, reading this fills me with a sort of wistful ache for "the good old days," even though there is nothing in this story to suggest that it takes place in the far past. (In fact, it could be said that a certain character makes this quite a modern tale, in a progressive sort of way.)
I love quick reads that are also good reads-- a much better alternative than getting caught up in a YouTube "study break" cycle that unintentionally lasts for hours. Ahem.
October 11, 2010
Suspense
Cooper Jewett is an ordinary dairy-farm boy--that is until his grandfather passes away leaving him an orphan, alone to run the farm, and a series of mysterious events begin to occur. Cooper is soon pursued to campaign for presidential-candidate, Senator Wickham, who turns out has an alternative motive. As the plot unfolds with car chases and kidnappings, it is discovered that Jewett is very much an ordinary boy related to very popular people. However, all Cooper really wants is to be himself and have his own life back, and be loved. In the end, he gets just that, discovering that he was never really alone.
Although the car chases, kidnappings and political scandal kept the plot moving, the forfeit of absolute independence for love and support is what will resonate to readers and did to me. I think Schmidt wants his readers to know that during the times when we feel most isolated and lost, we really just need to look around and realize that there are people who care for us. Other than that, the book falls short in answering impending questions, satisfying reader curiosity in plot elements, and carrying through with anticipated promises. Not one of Schmidt's best novels.
Cooper Jewett is an ordinary dairy-farm boy--that is until his grandfather passes away leaving him an orphan, alone to run the farm, and a series of mysterious events begin to occur. Cooper is soon pursued to campaign for presidential-candidate, Senator Wickham, who turns out has an alternative motive. As the plot unfolds with car chases and kidnappings, it is discovered that Jewett is very much an ordinary boy related to very popular people. However, all Cooper really wants is to be himself and have his own life back, and be loved. In the end, he gets just that, discovering that he was never really alone.
Although the car chases, kidnappings and political scandal kept the plot moving, the forfeit of absolute independence for love and support is what will resonate to readers and did to me. I think Schmidt wants his readers to know that during the times when we feel most isolated and lost, we really just need to look around and realize that there are people who care for us. Other than that, the book falls short in answering impending questions, satisfying reader curiosity in plot elements, and carrying through with anticipated promises. Not one of Schmidt's best novels.
November 10, 2020
I listened to the audiobook in one day, and this wasn’t on par with Gary D. Schmidt’s typical fare. I saw the ending pretty much from the start. There were no surprises and not enough heart. I could see this appealing to 9-11 year olds pretty well, but not much beyond that.
November 11, 2016
'Orbiting Jupiter' was great , but this book is really directed to the Junior High level . I would not recommend it to any adult friends .
February 26, 2019
13 May 2005 FIRST BOY by Gary Schmidt, Holt, October 2005, ISBN: 0-8050-7859-2
"But it's hard to stay angry while leaning against the flank of a cow. Cooper liked milking. He liked the work of the hoses and the swish of the thick blue-white milk coming through them. Most especially, he liked tending Moon and Star, who didn't care to be milked by machine, thank you."
I'm old enough to remember flying kites over expansive cow pastures on Manetto Hill Road, in Plainview, Long Island. But that, and the glass bottles of milk that were delivered to the front stoop by the milk man, were pretty much as close to cows as I came while growing up in the suburbs.
I remember listening to my sister Elaine once, after she'd read and re-read MISTY OF CHINCOTEAGUE. She must have been ten at the time, hanging out on a Saturday afternoon in Peggy Dean's backyard, solemnly listing for Peggy all the animals she was going to have on the farm she'd acquire when she was grown up. I recall quite vividly overhearing that conversation, as the idea of living on a farm seemed so exotic to me at the time.
It's fascinating to recall that afternoon now, having spent the latter half of my life (so far), living with a herd of dairy goats, fenced pastures, and the relatively open and rolling expanses that are so different from the confines of the fifty-by-hundred lot in Plainview and the fenced quarter-acre in Commack on which I grew up.
"Through Geometry he thought about filling the grain bins from the sacks he had carried in that morning. And after he got home from freshman cross, there would be the Orchard to mow. And there was still some splitting for this winter's woodpile--he was behind on that--and more hay to haul to the barn loft. And that top porch step to fix.
"He thought about the chores through every class and wondered how much he was missing what his grandfather used to do without saying anything about it. It worried him through World Cultures, where he found it hard to care much about Ancient Egyptian Trade Routes. And it worried him through English, where he couldn't muster up much concern for whether Beatrice served God, loved Benedick, and mended or not. But the ending of the play, when the prince was left all alone--that had something to it. He knew what that was about."
Fifteen year-old Cooper Jewett is feeling very alone after his grandfather dies. It has just been the two of them living on the New Lincoln, New Hampshire dairy farm for those years after his grandmother had passed away; so different from his buddy Peter Hurd, whose family was so large "they could almost field both sides of a baseball game." He loves the farm with all his heart, and is determined to stay on it, but after the first few days alone he seems about ready to drown in a bottomless pit of daily work, despite the assistance of the neighbors: Mrs. Perley, from up the hill, and a fellow farmer, Mr. Searle.
"As for homework: If Mrs. Perley hadn't brought his backpack in from the front porch, he would have forgotten he'd left it there. Not that it would have made much difference. He went up to his room with it but never opened it that night. Geometry theorems went unproved, Ancient Egyptian Trade Routes went unmapped, and Benedick's blank verse went unscanned.
"Cooper slept without moving all night long.
"And when he woke up in the morning, there wasn't even a moment when he didn't remember that he had to do it ALL OVER AGAIN."
Gary Schmidt captures both the natural beauty and down-to-earth reality of life on the farm in a way that I've never before had the pleasure of reading. I just love watching Cooper take one last walk through the barn before bedtime, making sure to gently pat each and every cow nose goodnight.
But that is only the beginning of what Schmidt sows in FIRST BOY, a satire in which he deftly intersperses community secrets and national political intrigue with (real) traditional values and gentle, folksy humor (a la Garrison Keillor) that pokes fun at the various religious denominations and makes frequent references to well-baked pies.
Especially notable amidst the craziness is the hero who emerges, Mrs. Perley, the retired teacher:
" 'They'll be arranging for someone to pick you up. It's for your own good.'
" 'Cooper is fine where he is,' said Mrs. Perley. "Now the sheriff came around his desk. His hands were clenching and unclenching like a gunfighter in an old Western.
" 'Neither of you has any idea what you're mixed up in,' he said, and it was as if his voice had become as cold as Fright. 'Not a single idea.' He looked hard at Cooper. 'Life isn't always what you expect it to be. Sometimes it can be full of surprises.'
" 'I've seen surprises,' said Cooper. 'I'll make due.'
"Mrs. Perley put an arm around him.
" 'We'll see how long that lasts.' Sheriff Gibbs turned back to Mrs. Perley. 'And maybe you'd better stay up in your own house. This isn't New Lincoln Elementary anymore.'
" 'Do not begin a sentence with a conjunction, Raymond. It is grammatically improper,' said Mrs. Perley.
"Sheriff Gibbs went back around his desk. 'Thank you for the visit,' he said. 'I'll be sure to type up a report and get right on the case--Raging Birth Certificate Thief on the Loose.' He sat down and put his feet up on the desk again. He rubbed his chin and clasped his hands on his belly, over which there was a lot to clasp. 'New Lincoln police, always at your service,' he said.
"Outside the sheriff's office, Mrs. Perley stood by her Plymouth with her key in her hand. 'He certainly is a most unpleasant man--as helpful as a thunderstorm during a Sunday School picnic. What does he mean by accusing you of making up the entire story?' She spoke more and more quickly and waved the key at Cooper. 'What did he mean by that? And how did he know about the black sedan? Drat!' She punched her hand into the air. 'See how upset he has made me? I've begun a sentence with a conjunction myself. And he's made me say drat. Oh, and there I go again with another conjunction.'
" 'I won't ever tell,' said Cooper.
" 'Thank you. And drat that man anyway.' "
Having spent a quarter century milking Nubian dairy goats myself, what impressed me above all about FIRST BOY is that while there is so much going on in this zany tale, Cooper Jewett never once fails to register that it is milking time.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
"But it's hard to stay angry while leaning against the flank of a cow. Cooper liked milking. He liked the work of the hoses and the swish of the thick blue-white milk coming through them. Most especially, he liked tending Moon and Star, who didn't care to be milked by machine, thank you."
I'm old enough to remember flying kites over expansive cow pastures on Manetto Hill Road, in Plainview, Long Island. But that, and the glass bottles of milk that were delivered to the front stoop by the milk man, were pretty much as close to cows as I came while growing up in the suburbs.
I remember listening to my sister Elaine once, after she'd read and re-read MISTY OF CHINCOTEAGUE. She must have been ten at the time, hanging out on a Saturday afternoon in Peggy Dean's backyard, solemnly listing for Peggy all the animals she was going to have on the farm she'd acquire when she was grown up. I recall quite vividly overhearing that conversation, as the idea of living on a farm seemed so exotic to me at the time.
It's fascinating to recall that afternoon now, having spent the latter half of my life (so far), living with a herd of dairy goats, fenced pastures, and the relatively open and rolling expanses that are so different from the confines of the fifty-by-hundred lot in Plainview and the fenced quarter-acre in Commack on which I grew up.
"Through Geometry he thought about filling the grain bins from the sacks he had carried in that morning. And after he got home from freshman cross, there would be the Orchard to mow. And there was still some splitting for this winter's woodpile--he was behind on that--and more hay to haul to the barn loft. And that top porch step to fix.
"He thought about the chores through every class and wondered how much he was missing what his grandfather used to do without saying anything about it. It worried him through World Cultures, where he found it hard to care much about Ancient Egyptian Trade Routes. And it worried him through English, where he couldn't muster up much concern for whether Beatrice served God, loved Benedick, and mended or not. But the ending of the play, when the prince was left all alone--that had something to it. He knew what that was about."
Fifteen year-old Cooper Jewett is feeling very alone after his grandfather dies. It has just been the two of them living on the New Lincoln, New Hampshire dairy farm for those years after his grandmother had passed away; so different from his buddy Peter Hurd, whose family was so large "they could almost field both sides of a baseball game." He loves the farm with all his heart, and is determined to stay on it, but after the first few days alone he seems about ready to drown in a bottomless pit of daily work, despite the assistance of the neighbors: Mrs. Perley, from up the hill, and a fellow farmer, Mr. Searle.
"As for homework: If Mrs. Perley hadn't brought his backpack in from the front porch, he would have forgotten he'd left it there. Not that it would have made much difference. He went up to his room with it but never opened it that night. Geometry theorems went unproved, Ancient Egyptian Trade Routes went unmapped, and Benedick's blank verse went unscanned.
"Cooper slept without moving all night long.
"And when he woke up in the morning, there wasn't even a moment when he didn't remember that he had to do it ALL OVER AGAIN."
Gary Schmidt captures both the natural beauty and down-to-earth reality of life on the farm in a way that I've never before had the pleasure of reading. I just love watching Cooper take one last walk through the barn before bedtime, making sure to gently pat each and every cow nose goodnight.
But that is only the beginning of what Schmidt sows in FIRST BOY, a satire in which he deftly intersperses community secrets and national political intrigue with (real) traditional values and gentle, folksy humor (a la Garrison Keillor) that pokes fun at the various religious denominations and makes frequent references to well-baked pies.
Especially notable amidst the craziness is the hero who emerges, Mrs. Perley, the retired teacher:
" 'They'll be arranging for someone to pick you up. It's for your own good.'
" 'Cooper is fine where he is,' said Mrs. Perley. "Now the sheriff came around his desk. His hands were clenching and unclenching like a gunfighter in an old Western.
" 'Neither of you has any idea what you're mixed up in,' he said, and it was as if his voice had become as cold as Fright. 'Not a single idea.' He looked hard at Cooper. 'Life isn't always what you expect it to be. Sometimes it can be full of surprises.'
" 'I've seen surprises,' said Cooper. 'I'll make due.'
"Mrs. Perley put an arm around him.
" 'We'll see how long that lasts.' Sheriff Gibbs turned back to Mrs. Perley. 'And maybe you'd better stay up in your own house. This isn't New Lincoln Elementary anymore.'
" 'Do not begin a sentence with a conjunction, Raymond. It is grammatically improper,' said Mrs. Perley.
"Sheriff Gibbs went back around his desk. 'Thank you for the visit,' he said. 'I'll be sure to type up a report and get right on the case--Raging Birth Certificate Thief on the Loose.' He sat down and put his feet up on the desk again. He rubbed his chin and clasped his hands on his belly, over which there was a lot to clasp. 'New Lincoln police, always at your service,' he said.
"Outside the sheriff's office, Mrs. Perley stood by her Plymouth with her key in her hand. 'He certainly is a most unpleasant man--as helpful as a thunderstorm during a Sunday School picnic. What does he mean by accusing you of making up the entire story?' She spoke more and more quickly and waved the key at Cooper. 'What did he mean by that? And how did he know about the black sedan? Drat!' She punched her hand into the air. 'See how upset he has made me? I've begun a sentence with a conjunction myself. And he's made me say drat. Oh, and there I go again with another conjunction.'
" 'I won't ever tell,' said Cooper.
" 'Thank you. And drat that man anyway.' "
Having spent a quarter century milking Nubian dairy goats myself, what impressed me above all about FIRST BOY is that while there is so much going on in this zany tale, Cooper Jewett never once fails to register that it is milking time.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
June 30, 2020
I thought this story was quite engaging. Cooper Jewett works on a dairy farm with his grandpa, and it doesn't take long for the action to get going, and Cooper finds himself in the middle of a political scandal that he wants no part of.
Gary Schmidt creates characters that I find myself always rooting for. They are well-rounded and likable. His stories usually revolve around loss or hardship, but the topics aren't overpowering or depressing. His main characters usually find themselves in some kind of turmoil. He is descriptive and you get a sense of what it's like for Cooper to tend to his cows, and how he finds comfort in the simple routines of a dairyman.
The novel emphasizes the importance of family, friends, and community. I thought it was a really good story, and I loved the narrator, Jesse Berns, and his interpretation of Cooper. Cooper's got moxie! The supporting characters, Mrs. Perley and Mr. Searle, were awesome. They each loved Cooper and expressed it in their own way.
Gary Schmidt creates characters that I find myself always rooting for. They are well-rounded and likable. His stories usually revolve around loss or hardship, but the topics aren't overpowering or depressing. His main characters usually find themselves in some kind of turmoil. He is descriptive and you get a sense of what it's like for Cooper to tend to his cows, and how he finds comfort in the simple routines of a dairyman.
The novel emphasizes the importance of family, friends, and community. I thought it was a really good story, and I loved the narrator, Jesse Berns, and his interpretation of Cooper. Cooper's got moxie! The supporting characters, Mrs. Perley and Mr. Searle, were awesome. They each loved Cooper and expressed it in their own way.
March 8, 2024
YA. This is one of Gary Schmidt’s earlier books and though not quite as good as his later works, I still quite enjoyed it. I would drop my rating a little when recommending it for adults as the plot is too outlandish but it’s still entertaining.
Cooper Jewett, 14, is now left on his own to run the small dairy farm as his grandfather has just died. His grandmother passed a bit before and Cooper never knew his real parents. Cooper loves the farm and all it represents. He works until darkness forces him to quit. Old friends of his grandparents pitch in as he’s clearly over his head trying to go to school and run cross country as well.
Then things go completely wrong when manipulative men begin to sabotage the farm, invade his home and threaten him. His parentage is now in question and has crucial implications for high powered political officials during an election.
The story does start a bit slowly but once it’s going, it’s full of action. I particularly like how hardworking and modest Cooper is and how he relates so well to the octogenarians who help him. He has a full appreciation for the homestead and life it represents. For me it was a fun clean read.
Cooper Jewett, 14, is now left on his own to run the small dairy farm as his grandfather has just died. His grandmother passed a bit before and Cooper never knew his real parents. Cooper loves the farm and all it represents. He works until darkness forces him to quit. Old friends of his grandparents pitch in as he’s clearly over his head trying to go to school and run cross country as well.
Then things go completely wrong when manipulative men begin to sabotage the farm, invade his home and threaten him. His parentage is now in question and has crucial implications for high powered political officials during an election.
The story does start a bit slowly but once it’s going, it’s full of action. I particularly like how hardworking and modest Cooper is and how he relates so well to the octogenarians who help him. He has a full appreciation for the homestead and life it represents. For me it was a fun clean read.
September 5, 2021
I'm a huge fan of The Wednesday Wars, and this had a similar style, just very different setting and I really enjoyed it.
Read
June 27, 2024Beginning doesn't have the same sweep as other Schmidt books. Pass for now.
Read
April 2, 2025DNF. I just could not get into this one at all.
May 12, 2025
I love Gary D. Schmidt, but this was not his best. Very entertaining and nothing incredible.
January 23, 2024
As far as books in general go, I liked First Boy. As far as Gary Schmidt books go, there are ones I like a lot better... the bar is higher :) But First Boy did include a lot of those charming elements from other Schmidt novels that I so enjoy.
April 7, 2009
"First Boy" can pretty much be summed up entirely by its title. Cooper Jewett is a fourteen year old boy who has pretty much lost it all - his parents, his grandparents recently passed away, and he is struggling to keep and mantain his farm. Then, several events send him spiraling into a political conspiracy that he never would've imagined.
I thought this was a decent book, the age group was probably a bit too young for me. It was well written but not terribly impressive, there were a few plot holes due to the far-fetched nature of the story though. Also, some of the dialogue fell flat and felt awkward, there was one partwhere a lady was correcting herself for starting sentences with conjugations, but that's not how people normally talk. Escpecially in the south, for that matter. Either way I thought it was a decent read but not Gary Schmidt's best.
I thought this was a decent book, the age group was probably a bit too young for me. It was well written but not terribly impressive, there were a few plot holes due to the far-fetched nature of the story though. Also, some of the dialogue fell flat and felt awkward, there was one partwhere a lady was correcting herself for starting sentences with conjugations, but that's not how people normally talk. Escpecially in the south, for that matter. Either way I thought it was a decent read but not Gary Schmidt's best.
January 5, 2009
This book does not have the same feeling of the other books by Schmidt that I have read. There is lots of politics and lots of action in this one but the gripping word choice is lacking here.
March 14, 2017
Made me miss the farm
July 27, 2020
I was blown away by how much I enjoyed this book.... It is listed as a YA book but really is interesting to all ages. Cooper Jewett lives on a dairy farm in New Hampshire. He was raised by his grandparents after his parents were killed in an auto accident. Now that his grandfather has passed, who he is, comes into question and he somehow gets tangled up in a national political election.
For a 200 page book, this little thing is packed with great characters and a plot so well written, it will thrill you! I had to put it down for a couple of hours and I was just dying to get back to it and find out what happened.
There are touchy topics, honesty, morality, violence, political backstabbing (WHAT?). It is only a couple of hours out of your life... give it a try. If you like the country life, I don't think you will regret it.
5 stars
Happy Reading!
For a 200 page book, this little thing is packed with great characters and a plot so well written, it will thrill you! I had to put it down for a couple of hours and I was just dying to get back to it and find out what happened.
There are touchy topics, honesty, morality, violence, political backstabbing (WHAT?). It is only a couple of hours out of your life... give it a try. If you like the country life, I don't think you will regret it.
5 stars
Happy Reading!
July 8, 2023
Wasn't expecting sabbage and mystery lol
Not sure what I was expecting when I picked this up. Maybe a President's son going on an adventure, or a kid running for President? Not sure, but it turned out to be much more interesting lol
Cooper is farm boy and just lost his grandparents, so he tries to keep it running as best he can, but soon there is a fire and people coming after him! The only clue he has is the envelope left with his information.
Lucky for Cooper, his grandparents weren't the only ones that cared for him and willing to protect him. He thought he was alone and he realized he wasn't, which was so sweet!
Loved how the big guys threatening him came to nothing and not sure if he was "The First Boy" or not, but it didn't matter because even if they weren't so honorable, he has his family and that's all he needed 😊
Not sure what I was expecting when I picked this up. Maybe a President's son going on an adventure, or a kid running for President? Not sure, but it turned out to be much more interesting lol
Cooper is farm boy and just lost his grandparents, so he tries to keep it running as best he can, but soon there is a fire and people coming after him! The only clue he has is the envelope left with his information.
Lucky for Cooper, his grandparents weren't the only ones that cared for him and willing to protect him. He thought he was alone and he realized he wasn't, which was so sweet!
Loved how the big guys threatening him came to nothing and not sure if he was "The First Boy" or not, but it didn't matter because even if they weren't so honorable, he has his family and that's all he needed 😊
October 3, 2018
First boy is a book about a boy named Cooper Jewett who is a boy that doesn't know his parents and thinks his parents died. Then one day in his own house people came in and broke into his house,smashed the windows and kidnapped him and his Grandfather.The only question they asked him was, where is your birth certificate.
My favorite part of the book was the characters and how in-depth the story was with Cooper's backstory. I like how Cooper and his Grandfather cared for each other so much.One of the parts I don't like is the plot of the story because the story is around someone being the "First Boy" and also the way it was set up was different from what I usually like. Never the less it was not a bad book.
My favorite part of the book was the characters and how in-depth the story was with Cooper's backstory. I like how Cooper and his Grandfather cared for each other so much.One of the parts I don't like is the plot of the story because the story is around someone being the "First Boy" and also the way it was set up was different from what I usually like. Never the less it was not a bad book.
January 28, 2020
Well, first of all, this is a Gary D Schmidt book, so I love it no matter what.
Secondly, this book is sweet, hilarious, action-packed, thrilling and heart-warming, so I love it!
I read it in one afternoon and think it would be a super fun read aloud for kids. (It does have to do with a kid born before his parents were married, fyi.)
Schmidt manages to take the smallest things (smell of a barn, feel of the morning air, etc.) have huge meaning and emotion. He also creates unforgettable characters (I'm looking at you Mrs. Perley and Mr. Searle...and you, too, Mr. Hupfer!)
My fave quote: "Cooper felt his hand on him and heard his voice for the rest of that night and for many nights after that."
Secondly, this book is sweet, hilarious, action-packed, thrilling and heart-warming, so I love it!
I read it in one afternoon and think it would be a super fun read aloud for kids. (It does have to do with a kid born before his parents were married, fyi.)
Schmidt manages to take the smallest things (smell of a barn, feel of the morning air, etc.) have huge meaning and emotion. He also creates unforgettable characters (I'm looking at you Mrs. Perley and Mr. Searle...and you, too, Mr. Hupfer!)
My fave quote: "Cooper felt his hand on him and heard his voice for the rest of that night and for many nights after that."
February 4, 2025
I stopped listening to this midway through and almost didn't continue. I had to look up first if it had a good ending or not, because by now I really cared about this poor kid! The first half of this book is pretty stressful to me, but the main character can totally handle it. He ends up being a favorite book character of mine, really a hero! I also loved Mrs. Perley and Mr. Searle -- they are actually hilarious. And yes, a great ending.
I listened to it, and the reader was fantastic.
I listened to it, and the reader was fantastic.
December 29, 2025
I'm torn, wish I could give it 3.5 stars. I really appreciated the theme of family and how we define that, who our real families turn out to be. I like that the mystery wasn't really "solved" but it became unimportant. I appreciated the setting of the farm, and the boy's love for it. Some of the other characters were too predictable and over the top. And the situation just seemed too contrived to be believable.
April 14, 2019
Gary Schmidt's young adult novel, First Boy, tells the tale of a fourteen-year-old boy, Cooper, and his questioning of who his parents truly are. The novel revolves around him being caught in the midst of a presidential election and having some of those involved claim to be his parents. Based off this description, this novel may appear to be relatively odd and this is certainly the case. As the novel progresses, the character development and story of the main character, Cooper, seems to be lackluster and this made this book a less than enjoyable experience for me to read.
Gary Schmidt
Gary Schmidt
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2021
I could tell this was one of Gary D. Schmidt's earlier works. It was still definitely his style, but not as good as many of his other books. It's also geared toward a younger age level than some of his later works. I did like the narrator of the audiobook. His voices were caricatures, but I think that was the intent.
December 29, 2019
2.5- Entertaining but a little over the top. The ending involves a life lesson, but it also seems a little lacking in closure in regards to the whole plot line. But, I guess that is the purpose of this book: just a little suspenseful YA novel with a little action. Pure brain candy.
May 27, 2022
Mystery/action type book about a middle school boy who is left all alone on his farm. Good, sad, not sure what era this was supposed to be from, but before cell phones. If you're into politics and love America, you might like this! It was short and I did really like it...could have been fleshed out into a longer book or series. The ending chapter seemed sort of abrupt-months went by in a few sentences. I would give this a 3.5 star.
May 25, 2022
Not sure what the expectation is from some of these reviews. It is well written and a fun little story. I think Gary Schmidt is an amazing writer and this book is typical for him (all his books are winners). We need to encourage great story tellers and Schmidt is near the top of that list.
May 29, 2024
Gary D Schmidt write with humor- fantastic insults—and compassion. Much like Hercules Beale, this book features an orphan, this timing running a dairy farm. He is bullied, harassed, and kidnapped by a senator, and possibly by the president, but finally returns to the home and community he loves.
August 28, 2024
I have enjoyed going back and reading Mr. Schmidt's older books. This one seemed the most different from his style now, but in the end, maybe not. It still captures hope and found family and the goodness that is capable in humanity.
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