Graysen Foxx & the Treasure of Principal Redbeard by J. Scott Savage

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Book Review of Graysen Foxx and the Treasure of Principal Redbeard by J. Scott Savage

When you were in elementary school, did you ever wonder what lived down in the school’s basement? Or up in the attic? Or in that old storage closet? How big were your ambitions? Are we talking old files from 1963 or are we talking treasure? Which one sounds more fun? Treasure, of course! Well, if you stick with Graysen Foxx, you might walk past those old 1963 files…enroute to finding the treasure! When you think Graysen Foxx, think mini–Indiana Jones: the school edition. He may not be exploring the Pyramids in Egypt, but he is exploring the pyramids of old desks! I think you’re going to love Graysen Foxx and the Treasure of Principal Redbeard by J. Scott Savage just as much as I do!!

Blurb:

Join Graysen Foxx on a wild, treasure-hunting adventure!

Ordinary Elementary is anything but ordinary. Below the classrooms are winding, abandoned, underground passages filled with lost treasures. Fifth-grader Graysen Foxx, aka The Gray Fox—finder of secrets, solver of mysteries, and explorer of the unknown—is hot on the trail of the legendary treasure of Principal Redbeard, which includes decades of confiscated gadgets, rare comic books, first-edition Pokémon trading cards, an original Rubik’s Cube, and a retro handheld video game.

Graysen is determined to find the treasure and share it with his fellow students. His nemesis, Raven Ransom—nicknamed “Red Raven”—plans to stop him and claim the prizes for herself, just like she did with the game-winning home run kickball everyone thought was lost on the roof of the school.

Wearing his adventurer-iconic fedora, journaling in his field notebook, and wielding his elastic stretchy hand, Graysen is ready for action. But can he avoid the second-grade spy network working for Raven? Could the third-grade twins, Maya and Jack, give him an advantage? Can he avoid the ruthless sixth graders while trying to protect the innocent first graders? And who is the mysterious Midnight Moth who is leaving cryptic notes and riddles?

It’s a battle between courage and cunning, smarts and shrewdness, charity and cheating. With the treasure on the line, can Graysen trust his rival—or is it just another one of her traps? May the best treasure hunter win!

My Book Review:

What a fun story! Let’s start with the cover art. The amazing Brandon Dorman has done it again! The cover art captures Graysen Foxx and his adventures perfectly. Brandon Dorman has even added a few illustrations here and there throughout the book, and they add the perfect touch. He’s so talented!

Now, let’s get to the story. What a fun adventure! Seriously. I’m an adult, and I couldn’t stop reading. I read the whole book in one sitting! The writing captures your attention right from the beginning. Savage’s writing style is easy to read, understand, and follow, and it has some fun puns, alliterations, metaphors, and descriptions. When you get to the part about The Forsaken Field or the Diabolical Dump, call me—I shudder just thinking about them!

I love the creativity of this book! Savage manages to capture your attention because all the different places Graysen Foxx goes bring back memories of elementary school. Of course, if you’re a middle-grader in elementary school, it would feel true-to-life, I think! The plot seamlessly flows while also taking you on a crazy ride. Hold on! There are a few twists and turns that manage to turn everything upside down!

Another thing I loved about this book was the human element. Not only is Graysen Foxx a great adventurer, he’s also a great kid. He’s kind, thoughtful, helpful, and puts people first. He runs into 2^nd grade spies and 6^th grade bullies, but he always keeps his head and his heart. By doing this, he brings the other students around him up as well.

If your early-reader to middle-grader (3rd to 6th grades) like adventure/exploration/treasure finding stories, he or she will love this book! I hope there are many more to come just like it! I love the creativity, the fun literary elements, the excitement and adventure, the kindness, and the lessons learned. I highly recommend Graysen Foxx and the Treasure of Principal Redbeard by J. Scott Savage!