School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-9-Jackson Greene claims to have sworn off heists once and for all, but he keeps getting blamed for them. When the school gets flooded, he and his friends are accused of pulling a prank. Soon after, a group of students from their school claim that they have proof that Jackson and his friends did it. In order to keep the video from being leaked to the principal, Jackson and his friends have to pull off the impossible: they must break into Mrs. Clark's room and steal a copy of her infamously hard end-of-term test. Will Jackson and his friends succeed or get caught red-handed? Who is blackmailing them? What is the blackmailer really after? This sequel is even better than the first book, The Great Greene Heist (Scholastic, 2014). It has more depth and character development, and the plot is complex and engaging. Although it is recommended that kids read the first one, this book can also be enjoyed as a stand-alone. VERDICT Those who enjoy realistic fiction with action, mystery, and humor will have a hard time putting this novel down.-Kira Moody, Whitmore Public Library, Salt Lake City, UT © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
After his crew succeeded at foiling a corrupt student council election in The Great Greene Heist (rev. 7/14), Jackson Greene retired from his con-man antics. Untilsomeone floods the Maplewood Middle School bathrooms and hallways, and a video surfaces incriminating Jackson and his diverse set of friends. Blackmail? Revenge? Who needs this distraction when things are going so well with Gaby de la Cruz, student council president and potential girlfriend? (Jackson, the master middle-school strategist, has yet to figure out the logistics of a first kiss.) To clear their names, Jackson and Gang Greene are back in action. The smart, complicated mystery caper, reminiscent of the Oceans Eleven movies, Mission: Impossible, and The Westing Game (to which Johnson slyly alludes later in the tale), involves outwitting the schools ultra-high-tech security system, stealing a final exam, and defeating an unknown mastermind. Back matter explains the novels various allusions to The Princess Bride, Star Wars, the Fantastic Four, Oceans Twelve, and other pop-culture references to geek out about. Sheer fun. dean schneider (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Jackson Greene wants to put his career as a middle-school con artist to rest, but his reputation is much harder to shake. He and his best friend are accused of flooding the school over the weekend, and there's security footage to prove it. No one believes him, but he is sure there's something fishy going on. The great Jackson Greene wouldn't stoop to mere destructive pranks, after all. With his team at his side, Jackson builds an elaborate flimflam to dupe his accusers, draw out the brains of the outfit, and make sure justice is properly served though not without his own share of justified rule breaking. With cinematic pacing and a sweet touch of romance, this caper is just as satisfying as Johnson's series opener, The Great Greene Heist (2014), and its schemes are even flashier. The gambits are occasionally tricky to follow, but it's all part of the fun, and Johnson even provides a key to his more obscure references. Fast-paced antics, clever writing, and a diverse cast of characters give this ample broad appeal.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2016 Booklist