Rating: 5/5 Stars
Genre: Children-Adventure
7th Grade Revolution by Liana Gardner opens in a seventh-grade classroom at Washington Academy Middle School where the students are met with a great declaration: a bloodless and successful revolution means they are now in charge of the school. Their assignment? Work together to form their own system of governing rules. Adding to the excitement, their progress is to be covered by the news media and followed through a popular social media site, QuackerMe (the equivalent of Twitter). Before long, their assignment takes on new meaning as the F.B.I. arrives on the scene intent to find a hidden artifact inside the school and then close it permanently. The students race against time to follow clues hidden by the school’s benefactor, a Revolutionary War devotee named Silas, who has hidden the artifact somewhere on the school campus, which was once his home. Will the students find it and save their school?
7th Grade Revolution by Liana Gardner is a fun, fast-paced, epic adventure story! Akin to a great treasure hunt with ancient maps and clues just waiting to be revealed, 7th Grade Revolution unfolds against a ticking clock and the potential of danger around every corner (and secret passageway, hidden room, and dark, bat-filled cavern). Liana Gardner’s novel is part mystery, part history, and everything contemporary as the students cleverly utilize social media and their own ingenuity to save their school even as the F.B.I. stands ready to breech the doors. Strong characterization makes 7th Grade Revolution truly memorable as the individual stories and traits of Dennis, Rhonda and all the students are woven effortlessly into the overall story. In addition, 7th Grade Revolution includes striking, fun illustrations by Luke Spooner at the beginning of every chapter. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and highly recommend it.