About this title: The fifth entry in the "Great Brain series of books. Here Tom (a.k.a. "The Great Brain") is forced to reform after one of his schemes almost kills two boys. Will Tom's money-loving heart and prodigious intellect allow him to change his ways?
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Dell Publishing
Date Published: 1977
Description: Acceptable. 1978 printing. #5. Used paperback in acceptable condition. May shows either signs of heavy use or wear. May have clipped corner on cover or wavy cover. A good reading copy. read more
Description: Good. 1979 Dell Publishing Reprint Softcover(Young Adult) Edition. Some wear to cover, tanning to pages due to age, text clean with strong binding. Ships Fast! read more
Edition: Twentieth Printing
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Yearling Books, New York, New York, U.S.A.
Date Published: 1981
Description: Mayer, Mercer. Very Good. No Jacket. Juvenile Clean and tight with light yellowing. A little edgewear. Part of the Great Brain series. Summary: What could bring this young con man to reform? read more
Description: Good. Light shelf wear and minimal interior marks. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
Description: Fair. B000GRYEE0 owner name, owner inscription, some yellowing, moderate cover wear, interior in good readable condition ** INTL BUYER-additional postage may be required. read more
Description: Very Good. No Jacket. VG. Paperback, scuffed spot on front cover, illustrated by Mercer Mayer, copyright 1973, 1978 Dell Yearling edition. read more
Edition: Fourth Printing
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: The Dial Press, New York
Date Published: 1978
Description: Mercer Mayer; Very Good in Very Good jacket. 8vo. 165 pp. Lime green cloth lettered in burgundy on the spine. Wear on the corners of the dustjacket with a short tear on the upper right of the front panel; price clipped; no interior markings. Dj art and interior line drawings by Mercer Mayer. read more
Edition: Second
Binding: Cloth
Publisher: Dial Books, New York, New York, U.S.A.
Date Published: 1973
Description: Mayer, Mercer. Fair in Good jacket. Juvenile. Signed by Illustrator Ex-library. Fairly clean but the first signature is loose. Boards repaired with linen tape. Edgewear but nothing quite through. The jacket liner has been glued to the boards, but the jacket looks nice in new protective covering. Three pages damp along the edge. Signed and inscribed by Mayer. read more
Edition: First Edition
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Dial Press, New York
Date Published: 1973
Description: Near Fine. A Near Fine hardback First Edition First Printing in a Very Good+ price clipped Dust Jacket with short closed tears, minimal soil and edge wear. 8vo. 165 pp. Uncommon. read more
Description: Acceptable. Front/back cover and spine showing signs of wear with yellowing of pages due to age. Previous owner's name stamped/marked through on inside front cover page. Readable copy. Noticeable wear to cover, pages, and binding (binding intact). Some yellowing and/or separation of pages is common. Dust cover may be missing. "Acceptable" books often have dog-eared pages and may also contain bent and/or creased corners. read more
"This is the book that makes the rest of them complete. Only 4 stars because this is not a standalone read, but if you read one or more of the first three Great Brain books, this is the payoff. (The Great Brain at the Academy is fun, but we're talking Adenville issues here.)
A lot of the charm of the Great Brain books is the contrast between the naive narration of J.D. and the shady dealings he recounts featuring his older brother, Tom Dennis, aka The Great Brain. It's funny for adults, but I found I had to coach my 6 year old a bit on the morality of the tales. Sometimes Tom uses his brain for good, and sometimes for selfish ends. That isn't always clear to young readers (or listeners). When adopted brother Frankie Pennyworth showed up, he added a new perspective of doubt -- Frankie didn't just fall for Tom's tricks and he suspected that Tom was cheating J.D.
In this fifth book of the series, J.D. himself realizes that the Great Brain is not the hero he had thought he was. After all, Tom has enough money to buy a $1 baseball or a $2.50 glove but instead he chooses to trick the other kids into betting their birthday gifts on fixed games that Tom is sure to win. (And those kids get whippings from their parents for losing those gifts.) Tom doesn't seem to realize the impression he makes on others, but when he ignores J.D.'s common sense advice and puts kids in real danger, J.D. decides it's up to him to reform his brother. At the end of the book, Tom is contrite.
Austin was thrilled by the adventures in this book and has a more nuanced view of the Great Brain because of J.D.'s awakening. Highly recommended."
We guarantee every item's condition, as described on Alibris. If you are not satisfied that an item is as described, return your purchase for a refund.
rating
