Griff Carver, Hallway Patrol

by Jim Krieg

Griff Carver Knows a Thing or Two About Fighting Crime!

No, he cannot be bought. He cannot be frightened. And he will not sleep until justice is served. Because Griff Carver is not just any kid—he’s a kid with a badge.  And if you are a rule breaker, he’s your worst nightmare.

Griff might be the newest officer on the Rampart Middle School Patrol Squad, but he’s no rookie. And he’ll do whatever it takes to clean up the school’s mean hallways, even if it lands him in trouble with the Old Lady (a.k.a. Mom).

But when he links cool kid, Marcus “The Smile” Volger, to a counterfeit hall pass ring, can Griff and his friends close the case? Or will his habit of ruffling feathers mean he’ll let down the force—and lose his badge—for good?

Genres: Humor, Mystery, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult, Childrens, Middle Grade, Fiction

Audio CD

First published April 29, 2010

About the author

Jim Krieg has been working as a writer for the film and television industry for the past decade, and has written screenplays for Warner Brothers, New Line, and 20th Century Fox. He enjoys his growing family, surfing, and writing about himself in the third person. In that order. Griff Carver, Hallway Patrol is his first novel. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and children.

Reviews

[Kelly J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Griff Carver, Hallway Patrol
by Jim Krieg
mystery
224 pages

Griff Carver Hallway patrol is about a 12 year old boy who is new to Rampart Junior High. Even though he is new to the school doesn't mean he's new to hallway patrol Griff has been doing this at his old school to which means he knows what to expect and do so he has had some experience doing hallway patrol. One day Griff finds out about that the most popular kid in school is also in the counterfeit hall pass scheme. So this means Griff must find a way to take him down. Griff will do anything he has to do to stop him even if it gets him in trouble. Griff Carver genre is a mystery because you don't know if he will stop the most popular kid in school. Even though Griff is in the hallway patrol his mother wants him to be in the school band. The reason he had to go to a new school is because he got expelled from his old school. This book was really funny. The setting of the story is at his school. On the first day of school Griff punishes the principal for leaving a gum wrapper on the floor which to me seems like he takes his job way to seriously.

I really liked this book for a couple of reasons. One of the reasons is that i thought this book was really funny and i always love funny books to read because i think they are one of the best books to read and have fun reading. Another reason i liked this book is because it made me always ask myself questions like will he actually catch the bad guy or what will he do to him when he catches him. Also, i liked this book because every couple of chapters it would be a letter to the co or he will be writing in his diary, and i thought that was really cool how Jim Krieg put that in the book. One of the other reasons i liked this book was because Griff would either be having an interview or a direct conversation with someone else and again i thought that was cool. Another reason i liked this book was because at the beginning of every chapter it said where Griff Carver was. Also, i liked this book was because in the beginning the book i thought had a really good description of Griff and what he was doing. Another reason out of the many reasons is that there was an election for class president and i thought that Jim Krieg put a lot of description into that part of the story. And Griff had a lot competition to win the election. I thought that Griff had lots of conversations with the principal and for some reason i thought that was interesting but i dont know why because it makes sense sense he's the principal and Griff is part of hallway patrol. Griff Carver, Hallway patrol is a book i will never forget and will always come back to me.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Griff Carver is a legend in school law enforcement, but he was expelled from his old school for going too far in the name of justice. Now he’s at Rampart Middle School, a school that is perfect on the surface, but seething with crime underneath. Griff is not a rookie. He can sense littering out of the corner of his eye, nabbing the principal of the school on his first day on patrol. Griff finds himself partnered with Tommy, a Camp Scout, who is unable to see past the thin veneer of respectability at his school. Instead, Tommy accuses Griff of being the bad guy, resulting him getting him kicked off of Patrol Squad. That won’t be enough to get Griff to stop seeking out the real bad guy who is running a fake hallpass scheme.

Tongue-in-cheek and riotously funny, this book takes the crime genre and sets it in middle school. Fans of crime fiction and crime programs will love seeing some of the favorite tropes of the genre played with. The lingo Griff uses is dead on, adding to the humor of the book. The pairing of the veteran Griff with the naive Tommy is also directly out of the genre. Adding to the feel is the use of recorded statements and Patrol Squad reports to form the storyline.

The setting here is humorously drawn as well. The middle school is depicted not in lengthy descriptions but through the eyes of hall patrol. I especially enjoyed No Man’s Land, the area on the school grounds where the erasers are cleaned, forming a permanent fog of dust. What could be more perfect for the genre than a meeting in the fog?

A great summer read, this book will have middle school readers laughing out loud, engaged with both the humor and the action itself. Appropriate for ages 10-13.

[BAYA Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

For 7th grader Griff Carver, it seems like he was born with a badge – a shiny, tin school safety patrol badge. With a track record dating back to first grade, he has years of proven success with crosswalk rescues and hallway pass enforcement. His enthusiasm comes with a price, however; he was asked to leave his old school, though the reason was sealed along with his record. Now at Rampart Middle, he puts his fresh start with the school’s Safety Patrol into jeopardy when he uncovers a violation so subversive that he’ll sacrifice his badge to bring the wrong-doers to justice. With a wonderfully sarcastic narrator, pitch perfect secondary characters and witty dialog, Griff Carver, Hallway Patrol is a fun, funny look at the struggles of a burgeoning lawman. Though the tone is sarcastic, this middle school read would also be appropriate for upper elementary students. Pair this with Josh Lieb’s I Am A Genius Of Unspeakable Evil And I Want To Be Your Class President for a scathing glimpse into middle school politics.

[Josh Newhouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked this a lot, reminded me of Big Splash, but not quite as polished... Good, if frustrating ending... Quite a lot of good vocabulary... Cover is deceptively young...

[Amy Gay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was amusing from start to finish. Although I am now an adult, it reminded me of middle school life and our required rotations as hall guard. If you like humor and solving mysteries, this is the book for you, for all ages.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

If 7th grade was a hard boiled police noir, Griff Carver would be the detective we need to survive.
You laugh, relate, and cheer for the no-nonsense snarky tough guy as he grapples with the intricacies of 7th grade safety patrol.

[Ankit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Griff is who every kid wishes they were when they were staring at the window in math class, wishing that life was more exciting. Unlike any other children's author, Mr. Krieg understands the centrality of a young person in their own narrative.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a little boring and original. Not my best book.

[Ansate · Rating 5 out of 5]

You like Veronica Mars, Brick? High school noir gets you giggling? Griff Carver takes it to middle school, and it's better than ever.

[Vic · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just plain old bad

[Ingrid · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun book that fans of the The Fourth Stall would enjoy.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My original blog review:http://bcplreviews.blogspot.com/2011/...

Rating: 4.5/5
Audience: Middle Grade/Tween
Genre: Mystery

Summary: Griff Carver is a safety patrol legend, but after going too far in the name of justice he was expelled from his old school. Now he's at Rampart Middle School and determined to sniff out the corruption lurking beneath the squeaky-clean surface. Unfortunately, Griff makes an immediate enemy of the school principal after calling him out for littering, and his new partner is an overly chatty Camp Scout who is blind to the fishy goings-on at Rampart.

Tracy's Thoughts:
This is one of the best middle-grade novels I've read in ages—perhaps ever. Television writer Jim Krieg has cleverly taken the tone of a 40s' noir film and applied it to a modern-day middle school. Griff is a hard-nosed, dedicated hall cop with an uncanny instinct for crime-solving. He's suspicious of everyone and quickly catches on to a fake hall pass scheme. Along the way, he makes unlikely allies in his naive by-the-books partner, the school's ambitious girl reporter, and a wise but mysterious janitor. Plus, an arch villain emerges who is sure to butt heads with Griff in future books. (Are you listening, Mr. Krieg? We want sequels, and lots of 'em!)

The narrative is actually a blend of first person accounts, most of them made up of guidance counselor interview transcripts from Griff's perspective and incident reports from his super-conscientious partner Tommy. There are also a handful of snark-filled diary journal entries from ace reporter Verity King. I think this style allows each of the characters' personalities to shine, and will likely appeal to Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans ready for a slightly more challenging read without the cartoons. There are a few words that will challenge younger readers, but Krieg's easy, relaxed writing style will keep them eagerly turning the pages.

Overall, this is a smart, laugh-out-loud whodunit with style. Krieg creates a slightly skewed yet wonderfully realistic version of middle school, and his characters are engaging and likeable. Griff's dedication is so intense it is comical, and his pithy remarks are often startlingly funny. Tommy's bumbling earnestness is equally endearing. Griff Carver is a clever, fast-paced read, with kid-friendly humor and a vivid setting and characters. As I said earlier, I am really hoping for sequels so that I can visit again.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

7th grade Griff Carver has been around the hallway a time or two. He’s part of the Brotherhood of Officers – Hallway Patrol Officers that is. His job is to keep the order in middle school. Or at least, it was at his last school, the school he was expelled from. Although he’s promised The Old Lady (his mom), that he won’t join the Patrol at his new school –- he can’t help it. It’s in his blood. But things aren’t always as they seem at Rampart Middle, and some of the most popular kids in school may be involved in an underground counterfeit hall pass ring. Can Griff get to the bottom of this? Or will his asking questions and enforcing the law get him into the same type of trouble he found at his old school? Read this middle school police-procedural to find out.


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I enjoyed the tone of this book from the beginning, liking the idea of a sort of dark, police procedural for the dirty halls of the middle school. Griff has that brusque sort of cop-talk that you expect of someone on NYPD Blue or something -- someone who has seen more than he cares to see, but is always there to do his job. But while I could appreciate this a bit, I don't know if I exactly liked the book. There isn't a whole lot of character development, and all in all I'd say I could say I see it working more like a cartoon.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twelve-year-old Griff Carver knows a thing or two about fighting crime. Because Griff’s not just any kid—he’s a kid with a badge. And if you are a criminal, he’s your worst nightmare. Griff might be the new kid on the Rampart Jr. High Patrol squad, but he’s no rookie. And he’ll do whatever it takes to clean up the mean hallways of his middle school—even if it lands him in hot water. But will a counterfeit hall pass ring be Griff's downfall? (Goodreads Summary)

This parody of adult detective stories is spot on. Griff's hard boiled detective talk put into a middle grade school is hilarious and entertaining. The other main characters are fun with Tommy as the slightly naive boy scout partner, Verity as the sarcastic school reporter, Delane as head of School Safety patrol and Marcus "The Smile" Volger as class president candidate and power seeker. The use of recorded interviews and Hallway Patrol incident reports works well. A sequel looks possible. The story is interesting and will appeal to fourth grade through middle grade readers, including male readers, and even adult mystery readers can enjoy the parody and characters.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never considered the possibility of a hard-boiled hallway patrol procedural.
Griff, the protagonist, has been involved with school safety patrols ever since first grade, and he considers it to be a major part of his life. Unfortunately, his mother really wants him to be in the school band instead, now that he's transferred to a new school. His dedication has gotten him involved in some interesting scrapes in the past, not entirely his fault, but still leading to difficulties.
Griff doesn't really like music, doesn't want to be in band, and will probably grow up to be a police detective, based on the way he thinks and acts. So, he joins the new school's hallway patrol, against his mother's wishes, and gets caught up in crime, corruption and the underworld of middle school.
The school has a pompous principal, a cryptic wise janitor, and a host of other oddball cliched characters that somehow fit this dizzy romp of a story.
This book is as much fun as the Sammy Keyes books by Van Draanen, and better suited for boys.

[Salsabrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A funny spoof of all the detective mysteries in print and on screen that have ever inspired the author, but set in middle school. Griff's raison d'etre is to be a safety monitor, having first made his mark in the first grade when he tamed the rowdy corner of Third and Maple. Now he’s the new kid at Rampart Middle, having been kicked out of his previous school for an unspecified infraction on his watch. Griff takes safety and justice seriously but not necessarily by the book; he’s a rogue cop and his famous reputation has already put the principal and classmates on the alert. Griff sniffs out a hall-pass scam at his new school and suspects Marcus Volger, class president candidate, as the ring-leader. But although Griff busts the counterfeiting work (a hilarious venture with his partner safety monitor Tommy), oily Marcus just slips his grasp, promising future detective adventures at Rampart Middle.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Griff Carver is a legend among hallway patrolmen, and he's just gotten his badge at his new school when he discovers the dark underbelly of crime hidden within the highly rated middle school. He sets out on an investigation that indicates the most beloved and popular kid in school, Marcus Volger, just might be the ringleader, but can Griff come up with the evidence before Volger takes him out?

The tone is firmly tongue in cheek and hilarious throughout. The story is told from several different perspectives, and using different writing techniques including: journals, interviews, and incident reports. In the audio version each perspective is given a different narrator, which works really well.

[Zandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a humorous book about a 7th grader named Griff Carver who takes his job as hall monitor way too seriously. On his first day at his new school, he busts the principal for throwing a gum wrapper on the hallway floor. Griff’s penchant for going above and beyond the line of duty, without regard for the consequences, gets him thrown off the patrol. However, his innate sense of bringing justice to light compels him to work undercover to solve the mystery of the fake hall passes. Krieg, writer for such places as Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel, does a fine job at describing scenes and fully developing the characters. I could easily see this one being made into a movie. This is a great read I recommend to tweens and teens alike.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in a gruff, Hawai 5-0 clipped dialogue filled with satire, this is the tale of a boy who is consume with safety patrol. Griff is a legend- already kicked oout of one school gfor his vigilante ways. When he joins his new school's patrol, he uncovers a counterfeiting operation so entrnched and complex it's hard to believe. The characters aren't terribbly felshed out, but enough so you get a feel their words and actions ring true. From the nosy school reporter to the thick headed bully, raging principle to the sage janitor, there's quite a cast of characters. The ending is satisfying, but hints at a sequel.

[Chrissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you took Law and Order, most buddy cop movies you've seen and dragnet and crammed it all into middle school, you'd have Griff Carver. All the usual suspects are there, the hard boiled cop (safety patrol officer), the scrappy journalist, the eager young partner, and even the crooked politician (who's running for class president). Add in a ring of fake hall pass pushers, a principal who is only interested in quiet well-behaved cops, and even a nervous snitch and you've got a great story told through incident reports, recorded interviews with the guidance councilor and entries from a diary...no wait, journal. Never call it a diary.

[Angie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Griff Carver is starting at a new school, after being expelled from his last. He is known for being a hallway patrol officer at his old school and he plans to join the patrol at his new school. He doesn't like his partner, but figures he'll make the most of it. Things start to go a little wrong while he's on patrol and he is kicked off the squad, but this doesn't stop his desire for justice. When he figures out about some underground problems going on, he's determined to catch the culprits.

Written in alternating narrators, and using different formats, this book does a nice job of encompassing the life in a middle school.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Griff Carver was born to wear the badge. Arriving at a new middle school with the intention of starting fresh, he can't resist the call to duty. Hallway patrol duty, that is. This hilarious middle school detective story has holes and leaves questions unanswered but Griff Carver is a great character - a deadpan beat cop in school where corruption lies right below the surface. Throw in his boy scout partner, Tommy, who likes to "play by the rules", and no-nonsense newspaper reporter Verity in search for this year's "big story", and you've got one truly entertaining read.

[Miss Carman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Griff Carver is serious about hallway patrol. So serious he got kicked out of his old school before coming to Rampart Middle School because of it. But then his fellow hallway patrolman starts to suspect that something might be wrong and that Griff was using his hallway patrol powers for no good. Is he right, or has Griff just gotten onto the scent of even bigger trouble?

A funny read and a great story with a few twists I wasn't expecting. It was nice to have the story told from a few students' points of view. I hope for a sequel!

Recommended for grade 6.

[Colette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Griff Carver, Hallway Patrol is a humorous Middle-Grade read. Krieg exaggerates a Hallway Monitor's life in a way that fans of the movie Mall Cop will enjoy. Readers of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series will be able to relate with the main character Griff or one of his classmates as they go on their crazy, school adventures. The only negative about this book is that the conclusion is very open ended, and being that there isn't yet a sequel on the way, it ruined the story a bit of me. Overall 3.5/5 stars; I would read another book by Krieg.

[Anastasia Tuckness · Rating 4 out of 5]

Griff is a hard-boiled detective who happens to be a middle school safety patrol officer. I found his dry narrations to be laugh-out-loud funny and will not hesitate to recommend this book to middle school boys who might be on the, well, nerdy side of things.

*2018: listened to the audio, which was quite good. Alex enjoyed it as well. Perhaps he, too, was a middle school boy on the nerdy side of things. :)

[Miss M · Rating 1 out of 5]

BORING!!! he is a hall moniter who should be In class learning (because he isn't doing so well) who gets a kind in the schools "black market" to get him homework answers and test answers for not rating on them. retarded

7/8/15 Ooo, how daring. "retarded" is your word of choice?

Really, really?

I didn't actually read any of this book (nor did I spell check my original review, but whatevs)

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Griff Carver is a new student at a new middle school. He had to change schools because of an "incident" at his old school. Unfortunately, his reputation follows him and he is quickly accused of being the trouble maker. In truth, as part of the student patrol (a kid with a badge) he has stumbled upon a counterfeit hall pass ring. As he searches for the facts, will anyone believe what he discovers?

[StorySnoops · Rating 4 out of 5]

Griff Carver, Hallway Patrol is a funny survival story--surviving middle school, that is--that features a savvy and snarky young crime-fighter. Told in journal entries, incident reports, and recorded interviews, the book is chock-full of insightful observations about the middle school pecking order and social dynamics. The author expertly creates relatable, authentic characters readers can't help but... (click for full review http://www.storysnoops.com/detail.php...)

[Laura Leonard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Griff Carver is starting at a new middle school and although he promised his Mom he wouldn't, he just can't resist the temptation of joining the School Safety Patrol. Griff has a reputation as the best safety patrol officer in the state, some have even referred to him as a hero. Why then, does it seem like he is letting a perp go on purpose?

Written like a police procedural for the middle school crowd, this one had me laughing.