FAKER, by Gordon Korman, Scholastic Press, July 2, 2024, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 8-12)
The son of a professional conman starts to question his father’s motives in Faker, a middle-grade novel by Gordon Korman.
Trey knows the drill: His dad gets him into a school full of kids with rich parents. Trey makes friends, and his dad makes connections. Soon, there’s the con, where Trey’s dad suckers the other parents into investing in one of his schemes. Once the money’s in the bank, Trey, his sister, and their dad are on the run… until they set up somewhere else and start again.
Trey believes his father when he says no one’s getting hurt. After all, these parents have money to spare.
But Trey’s starting to get tired of running… and lying… and never having a friend for longer than a few months. But how do you get your family to stop lying when your lives depend on it? —Synopsis provided by Scholastic Press
Author Gordon Korman likes to take on topics that aren’t always black-and-white. Not only are his books entertaining, but they make you think, too.
Trey can’t believe his dad is making him a full partner in the family business. It’s something he’s been dreaming of. But when he makes a real connection with the kids in his new neighborhood, he starts to realize maybe the family biz isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Faker starts out with a great hook, one that will attract a large cross-section of readers, and builds from there. He expertly connects with his audience through humor and a bit of trickery that really helps you see how easily people can fall for all sorts of schemes.
Faker is fast-moving story about family, friendship and discovering your own values. It’s a strong contemporary novel with broad appeal.
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