Book Description

The best con man in the Midwest is only ten years old. Tom, a.k.a., the Great Brain, is asilver-tongued genius with a knack for turning a profit. When the Jenkins boys get lost inSkeleton Cave, the Great Brain saves the day. Whether it’s saving the kids at school, orhelping out Peg-leg Andy, or Basil, the new kid at school, the Great Brain alwaysmanages to come out on top—and line his pockets in the process. ... Read more

Reviews (57)

I remember this book from when I was a nine year old boy...
I never read any of the books in the Great Brain series; they were actually read to me when I was a child. It was a ritual that my mother and I had every night. Just after I got in bed she would sit or lie down next to me and pull out a book. Over the years she read many different series, and to be honest, at the age of 23 all of these stories are a bit of a blur, except one series, The Great Brain. The Great Brain was by far my favorite I remember the stories as though they were read to me yesterday. One bit, which I remember particularly, is a scene in one of the books involving a headmaster (I think) and one of the brothers. I remember something being said about adults finding it admirable when children looked them in the eye while being addressed. That little bit has stayed with me all my life. After my Mother read that part I immediately started holding my head high and looking every adult who spoke to me in the eye. I've done that ever since, and when I do it I remember The Great Brain. Anyhow, I thought I would share this the world, especially any parent looking for a book that their child might like. If you haven't done it yet, you should consider reading this series to your own kid.

I was so EXCITED--
I was an avid reader as a child, and the GREAT BRAIN books were some of my favorites. I am now a mother of an avid reader, and tried to locate the books in several book stores. (For some reason, the library did not occur to me--shame on me!) I am so glad to have found them on Amazon.com that I am buying the whole set. This will be a great way to spend time with my son this summer! To parents--you will enjoy reading these with your children (sons or daughters)To children--you will enjoy reading these yourself (or listening, if you don't read yet). Very humorous series! Have a great time reading!

Two stars in the story--Tom D. and John D.
Many books have complex plots or narration and attempt to pull together many characters or ideas, or they take place in some annoyingly exotic location. John D. Fitzgerald's books feel natural being in the town of Adenville, Utah and chart the progress of two brothers. Best yet, it introduces you to Adenville so you feel like you're there in a few pages and is overall nice and short--the chapters can stand alone as stories, but the book's short enough you'll have no problem reading it in one sitting. But the best part about this short book is--it has several sequels at least as good.

On the one hand, there's John D., the narrator, who's sentimental and well-meaning but easily pushed around. Being eight he also overreact to everything, yet at the same time the narration tells you exactly what's going on. Then there's Tom D., who uses his Great Brain for swindling and occasionally for helping schoolmates and even adults.

One chapter involves his charging money for kids to see the first instance of indoor plumbing in their hometown and trying to swindle John D., whom he hired to do the dirty work, into paying more than he should when things go wrong. Another involves his teaching a Greek immigrant boy how to be a 'real American'--for a fee, as he pulls some sharp deals along the way. But later Tom helps a friend who is seriously depressed without looking for repayment. You sense it can't last, and you don't want it to, because his hijinks are amusing, and as a reader, you don't have to worry about getting caught by them.

Mercer Mayer's illustrations fit the book wonderfully, and the whole Great Brain series tends to cover issues of potential inferiority without being the least bit whiny. Although this book doesn't contain any of my favorite Great Brain swindles, it focuses more on emotions and people trying to fit in. The whole series is an overlooked set of contemporary classics.

Mr. Locker's 4/5 grade class reading group, loved this book!
Mr. Lockers 4/5 grade readers, Oliver,Tori, Madison,Luc,Sam & Nick, January 26, 2004,
Mr. Locker's 4/5 grade class reading group, loved this book!
The Great Brain was a very funny book. I liked how the Great Brain figures out funny solutions. I think the author did a very good jobwith the book. I like how the author took his childhood and fit it into the book. I thought it was really GREAT!-Oliver M.age10 The Great Brain is a very interesting book. It is based on the funny happenings of the author, J.D.Fitzgerald's childhood.The story is told by J.D., the youngest brother. He tells of the exciting things that his older brother Tom(aka the GREAT BRAIN)does.THis is a very good book.-Madison C. age 9 The Great BRain is a great book to read when you are just having fun. THis book is about a boy named Tom who has a 'GREAT BRAIN'. HIs younger brother J.D., always wants to be like Tom. Sometimes Tom's 'GREAT BRAIN' gets him rewards and sometimes it get him into trouble.-Tori T.-age 10 'Tom (THE GREAT BRAIN) is hysterical with his weird ideas'! I liked this book and hope others do too.-Sam F.-age 11 MR. Locker's 4/5 Grade Reading Group @ Carter Elementary-Palm Desert, CA Loved the GREAT BRAIN!

Also recommended: The Great Brain at the ACademy, Me and my little Brain, THe GREAT Brain does it again, More Adventures of The Great Brain

One Great Brain
I read these books as child by checking them out of a library. Now almost 20 years later, I have decided to reread them all starting from the beginning. The Great Brain book is as good as I remembered. Some things may seem goofy at first from an adult perspective, but give the book a chance and read the whole thing. Many things come together later or at the end. John Fitzgerald gives every book a complete feeling, so you feel satisfied after completing each. Keep in mind the time and setting of the book and you'll be able to enjoy it. The book is written from JD's viewpoint, but is largely about TD aka the Great Brain. I enjoyed these books a child, I am enjoying them now, and my friends in their 50's are enjoying them too. These are for all ages and are my all-time favorite children's series. Now, I hope that they re-release the books or I'll have to look for them used. ... Read more

Book Description

Tom, a.k.a. the Great Brain, is off to boarding school. Now his little brother, J. D., is freeto follow in Tom’s ingenious, conniving, and profitable footsteps. All of J. D.’s attemptsat turning a profit fail miserably, and he soon realizes that he just doesn’t have that craftyGreat Brain knack. But when his younger brother is kidnapped, J. D. finds that his littlebrain may not be so ordinary after all.... ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Get the series, they are great, classic children's books
John Dennis Fitzgerald intended to chronicle his youth in Utah for adults, not children. His publisher thought otherwise and the result are these gems. I don't even call them children's lit gems because I find them just as enjoyable as an adult. Before I go on, you should know that Fitzgerald wrote one book about his youth that is for adults, called "Papa Married a Mormon". It is one of the most amazing books on the American west that I have ever read. Sadly, it is out of print, and you may, like me, have to pay an exorbitant sum to get a copy. Trust me, save up and do it. Now back to this book. Every single Great Brain book in the series is pure gold, and the entire set can be had cheaply, so I say buy them all at once. I "put my money where my mouth is" as Tom the Great Brain would say, and bought the lot.

Great for the 4th grade reader
I was introduced to "Me and My Little Brain" back in the late 70's when my 4th grade teacher assigned it to the class. Not only do I remember being obsessed with this book, I made my parents go out and buy the rest of the Great Brain books so I could read them all. It was an excellent beginning for me as a reader, and it became the first series of books I wanted to read, not just because I had to for school. The fact is, I can't wait to share it with my own son when that time comes. I highly recommend this one, and Fitzgerald's entire catelog of Great Brain books.

If I Only Had a Brain
I read these books as child by checking them out of a library. Now almost 20 years later, I have decided to reread them all starting from the beginning. In this book, J.D. decides that he can fill the Great Brain (T.D.)'s shoes, while T.D. is away at the Academy in Salt Lake City. It turns out to be a humbling experience, thus the title, Me and My Little Brain. While some people may tell you that this book isn't as good without the presence of the Great Brain, I found this book just as entertaining as the rest. The storytelling is as superb as the rest. You don't want to miss this book because it introduces the character, Frankie, who allows this book to still be about brothers. Towards the end of this book, we find out that J.D. can still do some amazing stuff even though he has a little brain. This book and The Great Brain at the Academy are parallel books, which describe events happening at the same time, however, you should read this book first to have things make sense.

Great & not so great brain
The third book in the series has mighty big shoes to fill but it lives up to expectations very well.
Other reviewers have expressed concern over the lack of stories with the main character (Tom), but this book is true to it's title and deals with the younger Fitzgerald in very well.\

I applaud the author for taking time to focus on the troubles of a younger sibling when his older (and more conniving) brother is absent.

I enjoyed this book very much when I was younger, and still enjoy it now that I am an adult and father.

This series is one that I hope to share with my children as they grow up, and I hope they will get as much pleasure from the stories as I did.

The Great Brain himself does not appear.
J.D.'s brother Tom, the Great Brain himself, does not appear at all in this particular book. This one takes place after Tom has left for the Catholic Academy and is mostly about J.D. trying to follow in the Great Brain's footsteps, a task that J.D. doesn't fulfill until the last chapter, which makes this one a pretty tedious read. Tom's absence leaves a gaping hole. Try to imagine if J.K. Rowling were to write another book about Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and Harry Potter is not in it. That's how boring 'Me and My Little Brain' is without Tom. But readers of the Great Brain series still shouldn't skip this one. It explains the adoption of a youngest son named Frankie, who will be mentioned in the fourth book, 'The Great Brain at the Academy.' ... Read more

Book Description

J. D. idolizes his older brother Tom, a.k.a. The Great Brain, a silver-tongued con artist with a genius for making a profit. No matter what the situation, The Great Brain will always find a way to turn it to his advantage--usually, his financial advantage. As boys growing up at the beginning of the 1900s, J. D. and Tom have plenty of scope for their adventures. And while J. D.'s ingenuity may not equal his conniving brother's, as a narrator he is endearingly sympathetic and wildly entertaining.

First published in the late 1960s and early 1970s, this classic series has been popular ever since. Now the first three books are again available in hardcover, complete with their original illustrations. Join the amazing Great Brain and his befuddled brother as they continue to captivate generations of young readers. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

More Laughs
I read these books as child by checking them out of a library. Now almost 20 years later, I have decided to reread them all starting from the beginning. While, the first book ends with T.D., aka the Great Brain, supposedly reformed, after he receives that shiny new bike for Christmas he's back at it again in More Adventures of the Great Brain. One of my favorite chapters in this book is the one about Old Butch because it shows T.D.'s feeling side and allows his character to have depth beyond his tricks. Much of this book is typical of the Great Brain and is good for some laughs. I recommend all the books of this series to children and adults alike.

Great for any age
John Dennis Fitzgerald intended to chronicle his youth in Utah for adults, not children. His publisher thought otherwise and the result are these gems. I don't even call them children's lit gems because I find them just as enjoyable as an adult. Before I go on, you should know that Fitzgerald wrote one book about his youth that is for adults, called "Papa Married a Mormon". It is one of the most amazing books on the American west that I have ever read. Sadly, it is out of print, and you may, like me, have to pay an exorbitant sum to get a copy. Trust me, save up and do it. Now back to this book. Every single Great Brain book in the series is pure gold, and the entire set can be had cheaply, so I say buy them all at once. I "put my money where my mouth is" as Tom the Great Brain would say, and bought the lot.

My Absolute Favorite Childhood Book Series
Growing up, this series was my absolute favorite. The western themes, the sibling plots and the historical aspect of it kept me interested and kept me reading. The books stood on their own, but the characters developed from novel to novel. I read them in fourth grade, vigorously, and can not recommend them strongly enough.

It was the first real page-turned I ever came across.

More Adventures of the Great Brain
This book was an adventurous, and exciting book. It always kept me off my seat, and always kept me wondering.

Great reading for all.
I am surprised at the lack of attention the "Great Brain" series gets. There is a great charm to small town America which is represented in each book. Futher, the interplay between the "kill or be killed" attitude of Tom and the sweetness of his brother John makes for great reading. As well, young children learn the benefits and drawbacks of both attitudes. Truly a great read for kids and a great re-read for adults. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

LIKE THE WONDER YEARS....
I am now 33 years old and still love the Great Brain series. I read them as a child and bought the paperback set then. I still have it.......covers off, torn pages and raggedy books overall, but I still love them. The Great Brain series is great for kids..........it teaches them a lot about what life was like back then with no t.v or computers. It is also a great series for adults. Takes you back to a childhood like the Wonder Years series. You will love it. Makes a great gift. The person you gift it to will love you for it!!

Get the series, they are great, classic children's books
John Dennis Fitzgerald intended to chronicle his youth in Utah for adults, not children. His publisher thought otherwise and the result are these gems. I don't even call them children's lit gems because I find them just as enjoyable as an adult. Before I go on, you should know that Fitzgerald wrote one book about his youth that is for adults, called "Papa Married a Mormon". It is one of the most amazing books on the American west that I have ever read. Sadly, it is out of print, and you may, like me, have to pay an exorbitant sum to get a copy. Trust me, save up and do it. Now back to this book. Every single Great Brain book in the series is pure gold, and the entire set can be had cheaply, so I say buy them all at once. I "put my money where my mouth is" as Tom the Great Brain would say, and bought the lot.

Enjoyable story
I read all of the Great Brain books as a child, and enjoyed them thoroughly. I was thrilled to discover this new (to me) volume out. It does follow the same formula as the other books, with chapters where Tom's money loving heart swindles the kids out of their money, as well as chapters where his Great Brain saves the day. The characters are all there, too: J. D., Sweyn, Frankie, Parley, Basil, Danny, and the other kids in the town, as well as Mamma, Papa, and a new influence on Tom's Great Brain: a girl!

There's nothing new here, as the anecdotes are like those in the other books. I enjoyed best the chapters with the Paiute tribe and the fishing expedition, as it reminds me that life on one hand may not be the same, but maybe on the other hand it is.

If you enjoy the Great Brain books, and would like some new stories, pick this book up. If you've never read the Great Brain before, go back and read them in order, or try a few of the paperback editions first.

The Great Brain
I read the book The Great Brain. But there were some parts that I did not like. Overall, most of the book was great. If you ever get a chance to read The Great Brain, I think you will like it very much. A.M.

A GREAT BOOK!
I think THE GREAT BRAIN WAS A GREAT BOOK. I thought the book was a great book to read. I like the part when Tom was helping Andy on his pegleg. At the end, Tom turned out to be a very good kid. I couldn't see how Tom had the guts to do the things to Mr.Standish. Whoever reads my book review, I encourage you to check it out and read it. It is a very good book for kids and adults. It's very entertaining and cheerful. The sad part was when Abie died of malnutrition. But even though he died of malnutrition, that's nothing to keep you from reading THE GREAT BRAIN.It's a great book. ... Read more

Book Description

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Reviews (5)

The Behavior that Drives Reform
Once again the Great Brain aka TD manages to swindle his friends out of money by being smart enough to bet on a sure thing, but words it in such a way that his friends believe that they will win. For example, TD bets his friends that he can magnetize a wood stick. They fall for it since they know that he can't possibly magnetize wood. Well, we later find out that he made a boomerang and pretends to use a magnet to bring it back to him. My favorite part of the stories in this book is how TD livens up the swindles and money-making schemes with his story telling. Who wouldn't want to ride the raft, Explorer, after hearing him narrate during the ride? The author tells the story in such a way that it makes you smile. This book concludes with JD getting fed up with his older brother TD and devising a plan to make him reform. You won't want to miss it.

An Unforgettable Classic: A Must Read
John D. Fitzgerald, in the tradition of Mark Twain, wrote a semi-fictitious account of his childhood as a Mormon in Utah. The milieu and time for "The Great Brain" series is a Victorian, early 1900's era, making the stories more in the lines of Tom Sawyer and Huck Fynn. But that does not belittle this timeless classic written in the 70's. The Great Brain is in fact an interesting character to follow. The stories are told from the point of view of his younger brother, as he follows him through many schemes (all of which are money scams) and escapades, which somehow wind down to moral lessons. The Great Brain is a humorous, brilliant and witty work of historic fiction that is sure to touch every reader in some way. I first read the series as a young child myself, growing up in much the same way The Great Brain does- a strict religious family that promotes hard work and academic education. These stories are hard to find nowadays, Victorian morales having slipped away somehow in our modern day. I am glad to know that Amazon.com still has these great books and I recommend them to everyone, young and old. For me, reading the novels was a form of escape, as well as an insightful glimpse of a time that was far more innocent than our own- the violent gangs of today and MTV, Britney Spears, Joy of Pepsi, Ossie Osbourne generation compare nothing to the rebelliousnes of the Great Brain. All of the books are enjoyable, and it is not until the last book in the series, "The Great Brain Reforms" (the name says it all) that we discover the startling growth and changes the punky, swindling, intelligent adult-trapped in the body of a child Great Brain undergoes. A Must Read.

Trust me, he doesnt actually
John Dennis Fitzgerald intended to chronicle his youth in Utah for adults, not children. His publisher thought otherwise and the result are these gems. I don't even call them children's lit gems because I find them just as enjoyable as an adult. Before I go on, you should know that Fitzgerald wrote one book about his youth that is for adults, called "Papa Married a Mormon". It is one of the most amazing books on the American west that I have ever read. Sadly, it is out of print, and you may, like me, have to pay an exorbitant sum to get a copy. Trust me, save up and do it. Now back to this book. Every single Great Brain book in the series is pure gold, and the entire set can be had cheaply, so I say buy them all at once. I "put my money where my mouth is" as Tom the Great Brain would say, and bought the lot.

Best series of books ala Tom Sawyer-esque
The Great Brain series is my very favorite of all the books I read as a kid. I recall beginning reading the series as a fourth grader, and re-read them ...and even now if I want an easy read that is guaranteed to make me chuckle I pull them out and read them. Also, Harriet the Spy, Little House series, and of course classics like Treasure Island, Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer will appeal as well.

Funny and realistic..An excellent book for all ages
The "Great Brain"(also known as Tom) is one of the most clever characters I have ever seen. He proves to be above both the children as well as the adults with his money-loving heart and his great brain. Tom manages to swindle every single child in his town (especially his simple-minded brother) and gets away with it most of the time. He could argue his way out of everything and he uses this advantage over others to have his own way over everything. I loved this book mainly because it was hilarious and was very realistically written by the author. I would certainly recommend this book to anybody who loves to read!! The "Great Brain" reminds me a lot of what I used to do to my brother, Chandu, when we were little. I used to get my way with him every time just like the Great Brain did with his brother, John. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

THIS BOOK MOLDED MY FUTURE
It's funny, heartwarming and really involving. All these feelings I felt when I read it when I was 9 yrs. old. It'sso amazing how one can be so enterprising and witty at such a young age! Tom definitely had an impact on me then and alwayswill! I grew up wishing to be like him...and I think I got my wish. EVERYONE: Grab this book, in fact, the whole GREAT BRAINseries as soon as you can. The little ones will love you forthis great gift! On a personal note: I lost all my GREAT BRAIN books to kidswho borrowed from me and never returned. Now that I'm 22 I'mvery happy to get a second chance to collect THE GREAT BRAIN SERIES!Victoria Miranda

My Review on The Great Brain Academy
The Great Brain at the Academy is a book told from John Fitzgerald the author of the book about his brother Tom, the great brain, and his time at the Catholic Academy. Tom is a smart boy so he countines his education in the 7th grade a year earlier than the other boys his age. At the Academy Tom has to deal with the horible Father Rodriguez the superetient at the school. Tom learns from him that the school is almost no fun and he must use his great brain to give the other boys some reason of coming to the school besides by the force other their parents. Tom runs a candy store, finds a card shark, and swindles many kids as he does in all the books of the Gret Brain Series. This is a very good book loaded with pranks and Great Brain fun.

I read it until it fell apart
When I was in third grade or so, my mother bought a boxed set of the first five Great Brain books for us for Christmas. This one (the fourth in the series) was my favorite; I read it until the pages were so dog-eared that it was almost impossible to slide them back into the box, and then I read it some more until I had it nearly memorized, and then I read it some more until it fell apart.

I still have the books; I ran across them when we moved recently and realized that I need to look for hardcover editions. They are all in bad shape, despite attempts at mending them over the years.

The books are still funny, and they still develop the important critical and analytical thinking skills needed to imagine a different time, place, and way of life.

I think that the books are well suited to the 9-to-12 age range that is usually recommended. Each chapter is typically a separate story, which makes the series ideal for the reader who struggles with longer works. They're officially "boys' books," but the publisher's notion of the primary market segment didn't stop me or my sisters from enjoying them.

(A slightly technical aside: what makes a publisher think of a book as a "boy's book" or a "girl's book" is not just the gender of the main characters (which are all boys here). It's also the style: boys usually buy action-oriented books, and girls usually buy books which invest more time in thought, dialogue, and emotion.

(To give one example of this phenomenon, Bridge to Terabithia, whose main character is a boy, is definitely a girl's book.

(While the Great Brain stories are almost always action-driven, there is a fair bit of thought analysis in these books, so I think they're a little closer to the midpoint of the gender spectrum than the typical "boy's book."

(For example, something will happen, JD (the narrator and the Great Brain's younger brother) will then analyze the situation: if I do this, my friends will think this, Papa will think this, and Mama will think this. If I do this other thing, then everyone except Mama will react this way. So I will do this other thing, and be prepared to give Mama this excuse for what I'm doing.)

I want to add for the sake of those who might have to listen to complaints (e.g., those on school library committees) that various bias and sensitivity organizations which review children's literature have occasionally rated books in this series as racist, sexist, materialist, individualist, and conformist.

That is, the various stories (many of which are at least semi-autobiographical) in the series depict things like:

* the horrible treatment of a new Greek immigrant boy at the hands of the town bully (as well as the silent compliance of most of the boys -- isn't that just like real life?), and the town people's shocking indifference to the welfare of an elderly Jewish man (thus the racist label: people behaved badly at times in the books -- just like they do in real life -- except that here, they're all sorry for it in the end);

* fairly run-of-the-mill girls-have-cooties themes and some historically accurate gender roles (and some historically accurate breaking of gender roles: for example, Mama is a crack shot with a rifle) (thus the sexist label);

* The Great Brain himself is tormented by his Money-Loving Heart and constantly scheming to get more money (thus the materialist label);

* The Great Brain has a me-first attitude (which is partly balanced by actions like whipping the bully for mistreating the immigrant boy) (thus this individualist label); and

* the boys in the story have an informal code of honor (you don't pick on kids younger than yourself, for example) that they all conform to, and social censure is applied by the whole group (none of the other boys will play with you any more if you break the code of honor) (thus the conformist label).

I was thinking of their code of honor the other day when I took a couple of neighborhood girls to the park and witnessed a (completely unsupervised) boy of about eight or ten annoying a couple of preschoolers. It sure made me wish for a time when boys thought that annoying little kids was dishonorable.)

Over all, I think these are excellent books which every child should have the opportunity to read -- and I'm searching now for a complete set of the books in hardback editions.

Don't Doubt the Great Brain
This book and Me and My Little Brain are parallel books, which describe events happening at the same time, however, you should read the other first to have things make sense. This book describes the Great Brain (T.D.)'s first semester away at the Academy in Salt Lake City. This book is interesting from the beginning with T.D.'s antics on the train ride to the end when T.D. introduces basketball into the Academy, the first Catholic school to have an organized sports program. The trouble that T.D. gets into is good for plenty of smiles and laughs. Amazingly enough this book is still told from the perspective of T.D.'s little brother, J.D., which allows continuity with the other books.

I had this series as a kid...
And book number four, The Great Brain At The Academy, is the best out of the whole series. Tom, a boy genius, who has a 'great brain' and a money-loving heart, is always conning people out of money, candy or whatever else they might have. His father sends him to a Catholic Academy for boys in Salt Lake City, figuring that the priests there will tame him. But Tom refuses to be tamed and does his best to get around the rules, outwit the superintendent AND make money in the bargin!
Watch Tom become the fastest potatoe peeler in the west, open an illegal candy store and introduce a new kind of game called basketball. I plan to get the rest and enjoy my childhood memories. The better parts, anyway. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

He¿s At It Again
While the Great Brain aka TD was supposedly reformed two books back, he's at it again wheeling and dealing full force in this book. The Great Brain comes to the rescue in two to the chapters proving his worth to society. However, a couple other stories show his money-loving heart getting the best of him, but Papa manages to put TD in his place atleast once. This book and all the others ones in the series are super entertaining. I highly recommend this series to all ages.

The Great Brain Does It Again
The book named "The Great Brain Does It" by John D. Fitzgerald is about two boys solving cases like thievery, stealing and so on.The main character is named Tom.Tom is a smart boy.He knew his alphabets, could write the numbers one thru one-hundred, and knew how to spell some words before going to school.He had help from his mama and papa though.The other character is Tom's brother which they don't mention his name,not until the middle of the book.He and Tom go solve a case which involves a stolen puppy,which by the way is theirs.They have alot of suspects and they're going to find out who stole the puppy.This is a very good book, and to make it better, I won't tell you what happens next.

Great for any age
John Dennis Fitzgerald intended to chronicle his youth in Utah for adults, not children. His publisher thought otherwise and the result are these gems. I don't even call them children's lit gems because I find them just as enjoyable as an adult. Before I go on, you should know that Fitzgerald wrote one book about his youth that is for adults, called "Papa Married a Mormon". It is one of the most amazing books on the American west that I have ever read. Sadly, it is out of print, and you may, like me, have to pay an exorbitant sum to get a copy. Trust me, save up and do it. Now back to this book. Every single Great Brain book in the series is pure gold, and the entire set can be had cheaply, so I say buy them all at once. I "put my money where my mouth is" as Tom the Great Brain would say, and bought the lot.

The Great Brain #7
The Great Brain #7 was, at the time, a great way to end a series, with Tom not doing any big swindles, but instead going out rather quietly; he had grown up by that point. Of course, I say "at the time", because John Fitzgerald had decided a decade later to start work on what was to be the last of the series. Number 7 wasn't as humorous or adventurous as the other six, but it still makes for a good read.

The Great Brain's swindles are great fun to read about.
I think this a great book. It is about a boy named Tom that everyone called the great brain. He was very smart and liked to outsmart other people, but only if he got money for doing it. He could outsmart every kid in town and most adults. The Great Brain wasn't very likable--he took people's things, especially money, and he made fools of people. But what he did was entertaining. He put his great brain to work on how to swindle someone to get what he wanted. What motivated him to do this was his money loving heart. In this book he is involved in the buried treasure swindle, the horse race, and the chute the chute (a thrill ride). In all of those he gets money. I really think you should read his book because the characters each have an interesting, believable personality, The swindles he pulls off are fun to read about, and it is a really funny book. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

So is He Reformed? Or Isn¿t He?
This book solves the problem of the Great Brain aka TD's return to the Academy by building an Academy right in town. Now, the story can take place in our favorite town, Adenville, and utilize all of our favorite characters. TD works under the guise of being reformed throughout this book, but still ends up with all of the other kids' the money. He's also able to word his tricks in such a way that he can't be caught or punished. It's funny because while JD, TD's little brother, has been swindled the most he miss the excitement and even encourages TD in his money-loving ways.

One of my favorites
This is a light-hearted, funny book. I am way beyond the suggested age level, but i still read all the books in this series every other year. This series is one of two other books that has EVER made me laugh out loud, even when i was younger. So give the gift of laughter to a special kid in your life with this whole series!!

Enjoyable Book
This book was really entertaining, and I have read it more than once. I have not read a better book than this about what kids did in the past etc. It had intresting situation and intresting characters and I recomend it for everyone!

A Great Book
The Return of the Great Brain is a excellent book to read!!! Tom ( the great brain ) is on trial. He has to reform.Tom uses his brain to solve a train robbery,to get a jackass, and many other things. Read The Return of the Great Brain to find out what happens! ... Read more