The Great Brain by John D. Fitzgerald
The Great Brain by John D. Fitzgerald, illustrated by Mercer Mayer
(Suggested reading level: Ages 9-12)
Amber (9) and I read this together. It was first published in 1967 and set in Utah in 1896, but if Amber's any example, today's kids will still find plenty to enjoy.
The Great Brain is Tom D. Fitzgerald and the story is told by J.D., his admiring younger brother. Tom is an expert at making money from his friends, but he does help a lot of people along the way, even if his motives are not entirely unselfish. Each chapter is like a mini-adventure. Tom gets a mean teacher fired and then rehired, finds two kids lost in a cave, helps a Greek immigrant boy fit in, saves a friend from committing suicide by teaching him that he's not useless even after the lower part of his leg is amputated. Tom really is a brilliant kid, and it's a fun book. As soon as it was...