The story of a family of liars... and the son who wants to break the family tradition.(goodreads summary)
Trey is used to moving around and being the new kid in school. While attending boarding schools, he knows how to make friends with the rich kids. Once they are hooked, it is then his dads turn to lure in the parents for one of his investment scams. Trey's dad is a con artist and good at his profession. But once the investment scheme is completed and the money is all set, Trey and his family pull a Houdini. A Houdini is when it is time to take the money and run, immediately leaving everything behind to disappear for a while. But Trey starts questioning what he has been taught to do after settling in Boxelder, Tennessee and starting a public school for the first time. His dad offers a new investment on a fake start up electric car company, the biggest scam by far. Trey longs to lead a normal life but does not know how to tell his dad he is tired of lying and running.
In this new middle grade novel, readers will find themselves pulled into Trey's story. It is filled with internal conflicts and life lessons as Trey tries to navigate his 12 year old self while being his con man dad's partner in crime. When his social studies teacher does a unit on debating ethical issues, he begins to take a different look at the family business. On top of this, his teacher's daughter takes an environmental stance to save a local pond polluted with sludge. Things begin to become personal when Trey joins the cause and he begins to care for the friends that he is making at his new school. He also questions his dad's swindling lifestyle and sees things differently after his 10 year old sister becomes a little to enthusiastic about ripping people off. She is quite a feisty character but does not have the maturity to fully understand what is going on. Trey has a lot of character development and readers will connect with him as he questions right from wrong and longing for a normal life. His dad promises it will stop after the big one but will it ever? The book touches on many themes such as; morals, values, friends and family relationships, trust, lying, guilt and even environmental issues. The book is a quick read and has some twists and turns. The ending wrapped up a little fast but had a positive outcome. If kids are looking for a book to start the school year off with this would be a great read. I think this is a "just right book" for ages 10-12.~
Title: Faker
Author: Gordon Korman
Pub. date: July 2024, Scholastic Press
Genre: middle grade, realistic fiction
Hardcover, 224 pgs.
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