Status
Checked out
Due 2022-12-07
Call number
Genres
Publication
Scholastic Press (2018), 240 pages
Description
Twelve-year-old Cooper Vega and his military family has moved so often that he is used to new schoolmates not knowing his name, but at the moment he has a bigger problem--his new phone is haunted by the ghost of Roderick Northrop, a boy from the sixteenth-century, who needs his help to finish a quest, which is somehow tied up in the Stratford Middle School production of Romeo and Juliet.
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User reviews
LibraryThing member sgrame
Cooper moves often with his dad in the military and sometimes his new school is okay; his new school is not so much. He's totally invisible with classmates just calling him "What's his face." But when his dad gives him a very expensive new cell phone, unusual things begin to happen. He finds out a
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ghost is living in it- specifically, the ghost of a 13-year old Elizabethan print shop apprentice named Roddy. Roddy is flabberghasted at today's wondrous world, but also has all kinds of advice on how to get a "maiden's" attention. Cooper really likes Jolie who is not only really sweet and pretty, and into Shakespeare but also extreme sports. This is a perfectly funny ghost story for middle school students. Show Less
LibraryThing member sweetiegherkin
As the younger child in a military family, Cooper Vega is used to moving a lot and trying to fit in at new schools constantly. His latest school is in a town practically run by its billionaire resident, who is devoted to all things Shakespeare. The kids here haven't bothered to learn Cooper's name,
This book seemed like it was going to be another school story about fitting in and overcoming bullying, which is perfectly fine, especially in the hands of a talented and popular author like Korman. The device of a haunted smart phone seemed a bit cheesy at first, but it actually ended up working out really well. I found the friendship that developed between Cooper and 16th-century Roddy to be quite heart-warming. Their relationship was also rather humorous at times, especially with Roddy being fascinated by all the changes that had occurred in the hundreds of years since his death. The various Shakespeare references were spot-on (including the rumors that perhaps Shakespeare didn't really pen all the famous works attributed to him), although I'm not 100 percent sure all middle-grade readers will get them, especially if their school hasn't introduced them to the Bard yet.
The book lacks any real diversity; it might be that the title character is Latino based on his last name, but there are no other indicators this could be true. Likewise, the other characters are not described in detail, and their names are fairly bland Anglo-American ones. There aren't many female characters either, just Cooper's mother (barely present), his sister (not much characterization, other than someone who always fits in as a foil to Cooper), and Jolie (who is really just there to be a love interest, although at least she has some personality). For Jolie's role, Cooper does make a point of saying she has a choice, but the plot does lean a *tad* too much into the battle between Cooper and his nemesis Brock to 'win' her affections. That's my only real big issue with this book; otherwise it's a solid and entertaining read for middle-grade students.
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resorting to calling him "Whatshisface" all the time, and things don't look any more promising when all seventh graders are required to try out for the annual Shakespeare production, this year's play being Romeo and Juliet with the girl Cooper has a crush on practically a shoe-in for the titular role. But Cooper has a strange advantage on his side; his new smartphone is haunted by a ghost from the 16th century -- and not just any ghost, but the real author of the world-famous love story!This book seemed like it was going to be another school story about fitting in and overcoming bullying, which is perfectly fine, especially in the hands of a talented and popular author like Korman. The device of a haunted smart phone seemed a bit cheesy at first, but it actually ended up working out really well. I found the friendship that developed between Cooper and 16th-century Roddy to be quite heart-warming. Their relationship was also rather humorous at times, especially with Roddy being fascinated by all the changes that had occurred in the hundreds of years since his death. The various Shakespeare references were spot-on (including the rumors that perhaps Shakespeare didn't really pen all the famous works attributed to him), although I'm not 100 percent sure all middle-grade readers will get them, especially if their school hasn't introduced them to the Bard yet.
The book lacks any real diversity; it might be that the title character is Latino based on his last name, but there are no other indicators this could be true. Likewise, the other characters are not described in detail, and their names are fairly bland Anglo-American ones. There aren't many female characters either, just Cooper's mother (barely present), his sister (not much characterization, other than someone who always fits in as a foil to Cooper), and Jolie (who is really just there to be a love interest, although at least she has some personality). For Jolie's role, Cooper does make a point of saying she has a choice, but the plot does lean a *tad* too much into the battle between Cooper and his nemesis Brock to 'win' her affections. That's my only real big issue with this book; otherwise it's a solid and entertaining read for middle-grade students.
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Awards
Children's Favorites Awards (Selection — 2019)
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
240 p.; 5.7 inches
ISBN
133820016X / 9781338200164