Rating: 4 1/2 stars

“Theodore Boone: The Fugitive” is the fifth book in this series by John Grisham aimed at middle grade readers. True to Grisham’s background, the young protagonist is destined to be an attorney and even a judge. In fact, he has learned a lot from his lawyer-parents and has his own “office” in an extra room at their law office.

In this case — er, book — Theo has discovered a fugitive from justice during a class trip to Washington, D.C. He recognized the escaped person as someone he has seen before because Theo was instrumental in causing that person to be charged with murder. That was a few books ago in the series. But then he recognizes the man as Pete Duffy, who is accused of killing his wife.

The FBI gets involved and Theo is excited to help. The story moves along at a quick pace, and the narrative is interesting enough to keep the attention of its young readers. The narrative also effectively captures a kid’s way of thinking about school. parents, and other important matters. Theo is quirky, but he’s still someone with whom kids will be able to connect.

Because of the nature of the other books in this series and how they are all related, this book should probably be read after those others.

Please note: This review is based on the final hardcover book provided by Dutton Children’s Books for review purposes.