Starred Review ALA Booklist

Starred Review Seventh-grader Thelonius Mitchell has earned his rep as a troublemaker, so when a gun is discovered near his middle school's campus, he and his "special ed" classmates are unjustly accused, as usual. Thelonius might be an infamous prankster, but he doesn't cause that kind of trouble, and he has just one week to clear his name or risk being expelled. Pitched as a cross between Encyclopedia Brown and The Wire, this middle-grade noir is set in a school where kids play at being gangsters, dealing candy in the schoolyard and throwing down on the basketball court. Despite the gun MacGuffin, this isn't an "issue" book. Thelonius, whose insightful, often hilarious, narration guides the story, is a good kid who sees through the unfair system in which he's stuck, but he isn't trying to change the system 's trying to survive it. Broaddus, known for his adult speculative fiction, brings a welcome sophistication to middle grade, and his respect for young characters as well as readers is what makes this book shine. Through its discerning, young Black protagonist, it tackles difficult subjects with nuance, humor, and heart, always bringing it back to the characters. A great choice for upper middle-graders in search of a fun and meaningful read.

Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

When a gun is found near their school, seventh-grade pranksters Thelonius Mitchell and his best friend, Nehemiah Caldwell, must work together to solve the mystery before being blamed for something they didn't do. Thelonious narrates: "I've seen this movie play out many times before. Something goes missing? Must be one of us. Something gets broken? Must be one of us." On the other hand, their innocence is not so easily proven given their track record of pranks. How do they manage to pull off such hijinks as borrowing the homeroom teacher's credit card to pay for online poker? They are severely underestimated as students "warehoused" in the Special Ed room, where the revolving-door administration hopes to "fix" them instead of listening to and supporting them. This old-school system of rules enforced upon them, which Thelonius frequently compares to prison, ignores their gifts, such as Nehemiah's computer wizardry. There is righteous rebellion within their mischief; as Thelonius explains, "sometimes we have to turn the system on itself for us to get by." But that gun in the park is much more intense than their usual antics. Yet and still, they ain't no snitch. Broaddus spins a hilarious, honest tale that sees Thelonius wrestle with circumstances beyond his control and grow into a leader while doing so. His cleareyed narration describes an unjust system too many kids know intimately.Readers will love watching these two uniquely gifted black boys explore the complicated tensions between impulses and choices, independence and support, turnin' up and getting through. (Fiction. 8-13)

Horn Book

Middle-schooler Thelonius Mitchell is a bright student, but he's also disruptive. As a result, he's placed in the special education class. He and his classmates are perceived as guilty until proven innocent when a gun is found near the school; Thelonius sets out to clear his classmates' names. A satisfying whodunit that inspires readers to root for the misfits.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

When a gun is found near their school, seventh-grade pranksters Thelonius Mitchell and his best friend, Nehemiah Caldwell, must work together to solve the mystery before being blamed for something they didn't do. Thelonious narrates: "I've seen this movie play out many times before. Something goes missing? Must be one of us. Something gets broken? Must be one of us." On the other hand, their innocence is not so easily proven given their track record of pranks. How do they manage to pull off such hijinks as borrowing the homeroom teacher's credit card to pay for online poker? They are severely underestimated as students "warehoused" in the Special Ed room, where the revolving-door administration hopes to "fix" them instead of listening to and supporting them. This old-school system of rules enforced upon them, which Thelonius frequently compares to prison, ignores their gifts, such as Nehemiah's computer wizardry. There is righteous rebellion within their mischief; as Thelonius explains, "sometimes we have to turn the system on itself for us to get by." But that gun in the park is much more intense than their usual antics. Yet and still, they ain't no snitch. Broaddus spins a hilarious, honest tale that sees Thelonius wrestle with circumstances beyond his control and grow into a leader while doing so. His cleareyed narration describes an unjust system too many kids know intimately.Readers will love watching these two uniquely gifted black boys explore the complicated tensions between impulses and choices, independence and support, turnin' up and getting through. (Fiction. 8-13)

School Library Journal

Gr 6-8 Middle-school pranksters Thelonius Mitchell and his best friend Nehemiah have been labeled "emotionally delinquent" and put in Mr. Blackmon's special education classroom, where they feel they're always taking the heat for things that aren't their fault (in fairness, they take the heat for some that are, too). When a handgun is discovered on the grounds of a nearby playground, the students in the special education class are the first ones hauled in for the principal's line of questioning. As Nehemiah and Thelonius work together to clear their names, they uncover information that has the power to exonerate thembut it also implicates a classmate who may not deserve to take the fall. Broaddus's experience as a teacher is front and center here; Thelonius's world and his self-awareness as he interacts with the adults around him (particularly Mr. Blackmon) provide insight into contemporary special education, and the thought processes of neuroatypical students and students with learning disabilities. Though the large cast of characters and uneven pacing makes narrowing down the culprit of the gun incident difficult, fans of whodunits with a social conscience will find lots to like here. VERDICT Broaddus's first foray into middle grade fiction is an overall success that provides a rare and much-needed glimpse into the world of exceptional learners. Katherine Barr, Cameron Village Regional Library, Raleigh, NC