CANR
WORK TITLE:
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.jamespatterson.com/
CITY: Palm Beach
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COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: SATA 348
http://www.familycircle.com/teen/parenting/celebrity-parents/james-patterson/
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born March 22, 1947, in Newburgh, NY; son of Charles and Isabelle Patterson; married; wife’s name Susan; children: Jack.
EDUCATION:Manhattan College, B.A. (summa cum laude) 1969; Vanderbilt University, M.A., 1970.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and advertising executive. J. Walter Thompson Co., New York, NY, junior copywriter, beginning 1971, vice president and associate creative supervisor of JWT/U.S.A. Co., 1976, senior vice president and creative director of JWT/New York, 1980, executive creative director and member of board of directors, 1984, chair and creative director, 1987, chief executive officer, 1988, chair of JWT/North America, 1990-96.
AWARDS:Edgar Allan Poe Award, Mystery Writers of America, 1977, for The Thomas Berryman Number; ThrillerMaster Award, International Thriller Writers, 2007, for outstanding contribution to the thriller genre; Chicago Tribune Young Adult Literary Award, 2014; Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community, National Book Awards, 2015; recipient of six Emmy Awards.
WRITINGS
Also author, with others, of “BookShots” series of short stories and novellas; author of “Middle School” series for young readers; author of “House of Robots” and “I Funny” series for young readers, with Chris Grabenstein. Several of Patterson’s books for young readers have been adapted for graphic novels.
Along Came a Spider was filmed by Paramount in 1997, starring Morgan Freeman and directed by Lee Tamahori; Kiss the Girls was filmed by Paramount in 1997; Cross was adapted as the film Alex Cross by Summit Entertainment and released in 2012; Roses Are Red was adapted for film. First to Die was adapted for an NBC television miniseries; the “Women’s Murder Club” series was the basis for a pilot for ABC television.
SIDELIGHTS
Best-selling novelist James Patterson is the former chair of the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency. Writing in Publishers Weekly, Andre Bernard and Jeff Zaleski described Patterson as “a novelist who has achieved fame and great fortune through violence-splashed, suspense-pumped crime thrillers.”
After writing five novels with modest sales, including the Edgar Allan Poe Award-winning The Thomas Berryman Number, Patterson found overnight success with Along Came a Spider. The story of a crazed math teacher who kidnaps two of his students, the novel, according to Marilyn Stasio in the New York Times Book Review, “does everything but stick our finger in a light socket to give us a buzz.”
Along Came a Spider, Roses Are Red, and Violets Are Blue
Along Came a Spider, the first in what has become known as the “nursery rhyme adventures,” introduced Alex Cross, an African American police psychologist who figures into several of Patterson’s thrillers. Cross, wrote Cynthia Sanz in People, “is known for his obsessive investigations and his ability to get inside the minds of the most deranged killers.” Patterson explained to Bernard and Zaleski why a white author chose a black lead character for his mysteries: “It struck me that a black male who does the things that Alex does—who succeeds in a couple of ways, tries to bring up his kids in a good way, who tries to continue to live in his neighborhood and who has enormous problems with evil in the world—he’s a hero.”
A Publishers Weekly contributor noted that Patterson dedicated his eighth “nursery rhyme” mystery book, Pop Goes the Weasel, to “the millions of Alex Cross readers who so frequently ask ‘Can’t you write faster?’” The next release, Roses Are Red, which reveals the identity of Cross’s nemesis elicited the comment from Rebecca House Stankowski in Library Journal that “Patterson’s formulaic suspense machine is once again in high gear, and fans of his usual breakneck plotting won’t mind that the story is implausible and the surprise ending so surprising that any hint of motivation is sacrificed. They’ll be waiting for the next installment.” That installment, Violets Are Blue, finds Cross following a chain of vampire-like murders across the country as he attempts to find a pattern in the seeming randomness of the bloody killings. At the same time, the Mastermind is closing in on Cross, leading—as Kristine Huntley wrote in her review of the book for Booklist—“to the showdown fans have been waiting for.”
The Big Bad Wolf and Cradle and All
In London Bridges, Patterson features two characters from earlier books in the so-called “nursery rhyme” series. The tenth book in the series has appearances by the eponymous villain from 2003’s The Big Bad Wolf, as well as an earlier Cross enemy known as the Weasel. A contributor to Publishers Weekly wrote that “the book is a model of economy, delivering a full package of suspense, emotion and characterization in a minimum number of words.”
Between writing Pop Goes the Weasel and Roses Are Red, Patterson wrote Cradle and All, the “reimagined” version of his long-out-of-print Virgin. The plot, described by a reviewer for Publishers Weekly as “an exciting and moving religious thriller,” centers around two pregnant virgins. According to a real-life Third Secret of Fatima carefully guarded by the Roman Catholic Church since 1917, one of these young women may bear the Son of God and the other the Son of the Devil. “While not subtle, this novel tackles issues of faith with admirable gusto,” wrote a Publishers Weekly contributor. Steven Womak, who interviewed Patterson for the BookPage website, called Cradle and All a “crossover” book, in which the author “ventured into an area few mainstream authors have attempted: spiritual millennial fiction.” Another interesting aspect of the book is that Patterson writes through the voice of two different women. When asked if he felt comfortable doing so, he commented to Womak that he “grew up in a house full of women—grandmother, mother, three sisters, two female cats. I cooked for my grandmother’s restaurant. … I like the way [women] talk, the fact that a lot of subjects weave in and out of conversations. Sometimes men are a little more of a straight line.”
First to Die, Second Chance, and Mary, Mary
While continuing to write his “nursery rhyme” series, Patterson began a new series with First to Die, which he followed with Second Chance. This series—also written through the female voice and from women’s points of view—revolves around a Women’s Murder Club consisting of a detective, an assistant district attorney, a reporter, and a medical examiner. Kristine Huntley, reviewing the second book for Booklist, commented: “As with Patterson’s best novels, the surprises keep coming until the final pages. This novel solidifies the new series and helps guarantee that readers will flock just as eagerly … as they do to the Alex Cross novels.”
Mary, Mary also features black police psychologist Alex Cross. Vacationing in Disneyland with his family, Cross is asked to help the Los Angeles police work on the case of slain and mutilated actress Antonia Schifman, whose chauffeur has also been murdered, along with a prominent movie producer. Although a person named Mary Smith is sending e-mails to the Los Angeles Times claiming responsibility for the murders, Cross is not sure that Mary is the real killer—or even if the confessed murderer is really a woman. Writing in Booklist, Kristine Huntley commented: “The thrills in Patterson’s latest lead to a truly unexpected, electrifying climax.”
Cross and Sam's Letters to Jennifer
In Cross readers flash back in time and get a detailed account of the murder of Alex Cross’s wife, Maria, in 1993. In the present story, Cross is asked to help former partner John Simpson on a case involving a serial rapist of Georgetown coeds. Maria’s killer was never found, but Cross soon discovers that there may be a link between the current case and his wife’s death. In a review of Cross in Booklist, Mary Frances Wilkens commented: “Even as the story whips by with incredible speed, Patterson manages to pack it full of suspense, emotion, and a resolution that … carries the author’s trademark teaser” of more to come.
Patterson delves into the romance genre with Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas and the similarly themed Sam’s Letters to Jennifer. The latter concerns the recently widowed Jennifer, a Chicago newspaper columnist whose grief is compounded by the failing health of her beloved grandmother, Sam. When Sam falls into a coma, Jennifer rushes to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, to care for her. To her surprise, she discovers a stack of letters Sam has written for her, which outline the grandmother’s life story. The letters reveal that Sam’s marriage was less than ideal and the love of her life was actually a man with whom she had an affair many years before. Jennifer, still reeling from the loss of her own husband, takes comfort in the letters and develops a friendship with Sam’s neighbor Brendan. The novel quickly hit the best-seller list, firmly establishing Patterson as a successful cross-over genre novelist. As a romance novel, it is “cut from the same sentimental cloth” as its predecessor, wrote a contributor to Publishers Weekly, the critic calling Sam’s Letters to Jennifer “compulsively readable.” Kristine Huntley, writing in Booklist, appreciated Patterson’s trademark surprise ending, which she found “unexpected, touching, and satisfying.”
Lifeguard and Honeymoon
Ken Bolton introduced his Library Journal review of Lifeguard by writing that “Patterson’s latest output … is the quintessential summer read.” The story follows a lifeguard named Ned Kelly, whose idyllic beach life is suddenly transformed when he accepts a job helping some friends commit an art heist. Shortly thereafter, his coconspirators, as well as his girlfriend, are all found murdered, and Kelly’s name gets added to the FBI’s Most Wanted list. A contributor to Publishers Weekly wrote: “It’s a twisty story that will engage the interest of beach-goers everywhere.”
Patterson worked with Howard Roughan to write Honeymoon, another crime story, this time featuring FBI agent John O’Hara, who is searching for a serial killer named Nora Sinclair. The plot twists and turns as Sinclair manages to seduce her tracker, a fact that, as a Publishers Weekly contributor commented, makes “the narrative … nearly impossible to stop reading.” The reviewer went on to write that Honeymoon contains “two of Patterson’s most complex characters yet.”
Maximum Ride
Turning to younger readers in 2005, Patterson produced the science-fiction-oriented thriller Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment. The story involves six children who are part human and part bird. The mutants are on a secret mission to save another child, named Angel, from rogue mutants. A Library Bookwatch contributor wrote that, while the book is a “departure from Patterson’s usual formula … it shouldn’t be missed.” Commenting on his effort in juvenile fiction, the author told Booklist contributor Stephanie Zvirin: “There’s a crisis in this country to get kids reading. There’s not enough today to compete with screens.”
Patterson continues the adventure of his young mutants in Maximum Ride: School’s Out—Forever. In this installment, Fang, one of the mutant children, is injured and taken to hospital, resulting in an appearance by the FBI to investigate the child who is obviously not completely human. FBI agent Anne Walker takes the winged children, or “flock,” home to her country farm to help them live a normal live, with the kids going to school and simultaneously looking for their birth parents. However, things begin to go wrong when the children are betrayed and once again find themselves in danger from their archenemies, the Erasers. Booklist contributor Diana Tixier Herald wrote that the author “once again demonstrates his ability to write page-turning action scenes.” A Kirkus Reviews contributor noted that many “questions are yet unanswered, leaving readers breathless for the follow-up to this action-packed page-turner.”
4th of July and Beach Road
Patterson has also continued to produce novels in collaboration with several other writers. For example, Patterson and Maxine Paetro are the joint authors of 4th of July, part of the “Women’s Murder Club” series of books. This fourth installment in the series features Lt. Lindsay Boxer of the San Francisco Police Department, who finds herself charged with police brutality while involved in the investigation of a series of murders. “Heroic super-sleuthing, a steadily gripping plot line and 146 snappy chapters add up to suspense fiction euphoria,” wrote a Publishers Weekly contributor.
In Beach Road, written by Patterson and Peter de Jonge, who collaborated with Patterson on the earlier novel The Beach House, three locals in the Hamptons, New York, are murdered over the Labor Day weekend and suspicion falls on a local black basketball star from a poor family. It is up to down-and-out lawyer Tom Dunleavy to prove Dante Halleyville’s innocence. He soon learns of a connection between the local cops and a drug dealer. Huntley, writing in Booklist, referred to the thriller as “gripping” and went on to note: “The novel races toward a conclusion so shocking that even longtime Patterson devotees won’t see it coming.”
Step on a Crack
In the first installment in another new series, Patterson and coauthor Michael Ledwidge introduce Michael Bennett, a New York cop raising ten children on his own. The novel, Step on a Crack, finds Michael’s wife dying in a hospital from cancer as he struggles with his children. Before long, Michael finds he has more troubles as he grapples with the case of the Neat Man, a clever killer whose many “A-list” victims include a former first lady of the United States and a pop singer. However, the Neat Man has a much bigger plan in mind when he traps the late first lady’s millionaire friends in the church where her funeral is being conducted. “Totally gripping and downright impossible to put down, this is a promising start to a potential new series,” wrote Kristine Huntley in Booklist.
During their interview, Womak also asked Patterson about his writing style and whether he made a conscious decision to write in a “decidedly unliterary” manner, although he studied classic literature in the doctoral program at Vanderbilt University. Patterson responded in the affirmative: “I read Ulysses and figured I couldn’t top that, so I never had any desire to write literary fiction.” At about the age of twenty-six, Patterson explained, he read The Exorcist and The Day of the Jackal. “And I went, Ooh! This is cool. I like these. … And I set out to write that kind of book, the kind of book that would make an airplane ride disappear.”
A contributor to Publishers Weekly called Patterson “always a generous author (lots of plot and intrigue) if not a stylish one.” Patterson told Bernard and Zaleski that in the early books, “I was writing sentences, and some of the sentences were good. What I’ve learned over time is telling stories. … Ideally, somewhere along the line, I’d like to write sentences that tell a story.” In a review for Violets Are Blue in the New York Times, Janet Maslin commented that much of the popularity Patterson finds among his audience can be attributed to his “shorthand approach.” Maslin added: “This author likes simple sentences. He keeps his chapters quick and neat. It is very easy to read them. Nobody has to think hard. And the dialogue is uncomplicated, too. ‘Martha! There’s something behind me!’ exclaims one of the … victims. ‘Oh God! Run! Run, Martha!’ It’s as if Spot were stalking Dick and Jane.”
The Black Book and Woman of God
Patterson has continued an impressive career in writing, with almost two hundred novels published and over three hundred million copies sold worldwide—more books than J.K. Rowling or Stephen King. He collaborates with a wide variety of authors on adult fiction and nonfiction as well as children’s and young adult titles. In addition to continuing the series featuring Alex Cross and that focusing on Michael Bennet, he has written or cowritten a huge number of stand-alone titles, and brought several of his books to the screen.
In his 2017 title, The Black Book, written with David Ellis, Patterson posits a black book of names and addresses of prominent citizens of Chicago who frequent a high-class bordello. A murder brings Chicago cop Billy Harney to the brothel but soon his investigation almost leads to his death and the death of his partner and the female assistant state’s attorney. Now Harney and his twin sister and fellow detective get to the bottom of this seedy business. “The mystery is authentic, the lead-up genuinely suspenseful, and the leading characters and situations more memorable than Patterson’s managed in quite a while,” noted a Kirkus Reviews critic. Washington Post contributor Carol Memmott also had praise for the novel, calling it an “engaging read.” Memmott added: “Patterson throws every trope into the blender: dirty cops, undercover officers, internal-affairs investigations, protection rackets and beautiful female prosecutors. The result is a goes-down-easy smoothie of a story that will satisfy most crime-novel-lite junkies. The plot twists will give you whiplash.”
Woman of God is a novel about Bostonian Brigid Fitzgerald, a doctor volunteering in South Sudan. There she helps the needy and marries a fellow doctor who is later killed. Bridged then travels to Berlin, marries an older playwright, and has a daughter. Further tragedy strikes, however, ending this Berlin phase. Back in Boston she meets a catholic priest whom she ultimately marries, becoming a priest herself in his small church, but tragedy once again strikes. Later, the movement she helped found goes worldwide, and she becomes the pope. A Kirkus Reviews critic called this a “high-concept pitch, a potboiler on the page, and a protagonist to cheer for, but the authors do not quite tie it all together.” Roanoke Times Online contributor Suzanne Wardle similarly termed this an “interesting spin on a rote thriller that fails to develop the themes that should make up its core.”
Filthy Rich
Writing with John Connolly, Patterson turns to nonfiction with Filthy Rich: A Powerful Billionaire, the Sex Scandal That Undid Him, and All the Justice That Money Can Buy: The Shocking True Story of Jeffrey Epstein. This is the true-life tale of Jeffrey Epstein, a college dropout, who became a billionaire in New York financial and investment markets. He was additionally a philanthropist who counted presidents and princes among his friends. He lived in a Palm Beach mansion and seemed to have it all, but privately he wanted more. His sexual appetite for underage girls was ultimately his undoing, convicted on state felony offenses for solicitation of prostitution and the procurement of minors for prostitution. He pleaded guilty and escaped even harsher punishment, serving only a year of an eighteen-month sentence.
Reviewing Filthy Rich in USA Today Online, David Holahan noted: “The reader should be forewarned that this is not a seemly saga on many levels. Keep a can of Lysol handy. The testimony of Epstein’s ‘masseuses’ to police meanders from soft porn to more graphic fare and goes on page after page. These sections comprise the longest stretches in a book otherwise organized into many scanty chapters, a few barely a page.” New York Journal of Books Online contributor Michael Thomas Barry similarly commented: “This book leaves the reader with a feeling of dread at the shameful realities of our deeply flawed legal system as it pertains to the haves and have nots. Reader be warned, more than soap and water will be necessary to wash away the sleazy grimness of this obscenely shocking tale.”
Jacky Ha-Ha and Pottymouth and Stoopid
Patterson has also continued to cowrite a number of books for young readers, often collaborating with Chris Grabenstein. In Jacky Ha-Ha, a twelve-year-old girl compensates for the difficulties in her life—an emotionally distant father and a mother serving in a faraway war—by making people laugh. Still Jacky cannot forget her worries and so she makes a bargain: she will give up her joking and humor if only her family can stay together. Writing in Booklist, Carolyn Phelan remarked on the “fun of following this good-hearted but smart-mouthed tomboy through the ups and downs of her seventh-grade year.” A Kirkus Reviews critic similarly felt that this is a “typical Patterson plot significantly elevated by its title character.” School Library Journal reviewer Jessica Bratt, however, was less impressed, noting that the “jokes fall flat in this mediocre tale of family, middle school mishaps, and personal acceptance.”
Pottymouth and Stoopid, also written with Grabenstein, looks again at the traumas of seventh grade. Here a pair of best friends, David and Michael, try to live down their awful nicknames, while dealing with bullies, new friendships, and family problems with a sort of humorous resiliency. A Kirkus Reviews critic offered a varied assessment of this middle-grade novel, noting: “An entertaining—but not particularly original—addition to the perennially relevant genre.” Others found more to like. “Both clever and sweet, the revenge the friends exact bonds them to other outsiders at their school,” noted a Publishers Weekly reviewer. Similarly, School Library Journal contributor Elizabeth Swartz observed: “A solid addition to collections serving upper middle grade and middle school readers. Hand to fans of goofy, realistic school stories.”
Patterson teams up with author Gabrielle Charbonnet on the young adult dystopian thriller, Crazy House, set in the near future. Twins Becca and Cass live a peaceful existence in the farming area, but when wild Becca is kidnapped and imprisoned in a fearful institution, it is up to conforming Cass to come to her aid, with the help of Nathaniel, part of an underground rebellion.
A Publishers Weekly reviewer found little to like in Crazy House, calling it a “derivative story with predictable twists, fairly shallow characters, and revelations that won’t surprise anyone familiar with the dystopian genre.” Similarly, Voice of Youth Advocates contributor Jamie Hansen observed: “In this novel, the authors sacrifice style and character development in an effort to capture the teen market with a plot that relies heavily on violence and crude language,” and a Kirkus Reviews critic called it “yet another bland, half-baked dystopian exercise.” Booklist writer Briana Shemroske, however, had a higher assessment, noting that “action-packed fight scenes, flickers of romance, and Patterson’s signature speedy chapters should satisfy teens who like their suspense served with a side of political revolt.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Book, May-June, 2002, Chris Barsanti, review of The Beach House, p. 76.
Booklist, November 1, 1995, Donna Seaman, review of Hide & Seek, p. 435; September 1, 1996, Bill Ott, review of Miracle on the 17th Green, p. 3; September 1, 1997, Emily Melton, review of Cat and Mouse, p. 8; August, 1998, Emily Melton, review of When the Wind Blows, p. 1924; May 15, 2001, Kristine Huntley, review of Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas, p. 1708; October 15, 2001, Kristine Huntley, review of Violets Are Blue, p. 356; January 1, 2002, Kristine Huntley, review of Second Chance, p. 777; April 15, 2002, Kristine Huntley, review of The Beach House, p. 1363; September 15, 2002, Kristine Huntley, review of Four Blind Mice, p. 180; February 1, 2003, Kristine Huntley, review of The Jester, p. 956; May 1, 2003, Kristine Huntley, review of The Lake House, p. 1554; July, 2004, Kristine Huntley, review of Sam’s Letters to Jennifer, p. 1799; April 15, 2005, Kristine Huntley, review of 4th of July, p. 1413; September 15, 2005, Kristine Huntley, review of Mary, Mary, p. 7; May 1, 2006, Kristine Huntley, review of Beach Road, p. 38; May 15, 2006, Diana Tixier Herald, review of Maximum Ride: School’s Out—Forever, p. 54; May 15, 2006, Stephanie Zvirin, “Man with a Mission. (Story behind the Story: James Patterson’s Maximum Ride),” p. 54; October 15, 2006, Mary Frances Wilkens, review of Cross, p. 6; February 1, 2007, Kristine Huntley, review of Step on a Crack, p. 5; March 15, 2016, Carolyn Phelan, review of Jacky Ha-Ha, p. 62; July 1, 2016, Kay Weisman, review of Word of Mouse, p. 77; March 1, 2017, Briana Shemroske, review of Crazy House, p. 62.
Bookseller, November 18, 2005, review of The 5th Horseman, p. 40; February 3, 2006, Joanna Trollope, review of The 5th Horseman, p. 10, March 3, 2006, Patrick J. Eves, “Horseman Rides High,” p. 18.
California Bookwatch, July, 2006, review of Maximum Ride: School’s Out—Forever.
Economist, December 13, 1997, review of Cat and Mouse, p. S14.
Entertainment Weekly, January 20, 1995, Gene Lyons, review of Kiss the Girls, p. 46; March 10, 2006, “Horseman by a Nose,” p. 73; April 28, 2006, Jennifer Reese, review of Beach Road, p. 139; February 9, 2007, Jennifer Reese, review of Step on a Crack, p. 77.
Kirkus Reviews, December 15, 2001, review of Second Chance, p. 1712; April 15, 2002, review of The Beach House, p. 519; September 1, 2002, review of Four Blind Mice, p. 1257; May 1, 2003, review of The Lake House, p. 636; June 1, 2004, review of Sam’s Letters to Jennifer, p. 513; September 15, 2005, review of Mary, Mary, p. 998; April 1, 2006, review of Maximum Ride: School’s Out—Forever, p. 353; September 15, 2005, review of Cross, p. 998; February 15, 2016, review of Jacky Ha-Ha; October 1, 2016, review of Woman of God; March 1, 2017, review of Crazy House; March 15, 2017, review of The Black Book; May 1, 2017, review of Pottymouth and Stoopid; June 1, 2017, review of Laugh Out Loud.
Kliatt, March, 2006, Paula Rohrlick, review of Maximum Ride: School’s Out—Forever, p. 16.
Library Bookwatch, June, 2005, review of Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment.
Library Journal, October 1, 1997, Charles Michaud, review of Cat and Mouse, p. 124; October 1, 1998, Rebecca House Stankowski, review of When the Wind Blows, p. 135; October 1, 2000, Rebecca House Stankowski, review of Roses Are Red, p. 148; July, 2001, Margaret Hanes, review of Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas, p. 126; October 15, 2002, Jeff Ayers, review of Four Blind Mice, p. 95; July 1, 2005, Ken Bolton, review of Lifeguard, p. 70; October 1, 2005, Ronnie H. Terpening, review of Mary, Mary, p. 68; June 1, 2006, Michele Leber, review of Thriller: Stories to Keep You up All Night, p. 96; November 1, 2006, Jeff Ayers, review of Cross, p. 70.
Massachusetts Lawyer Weekly, August 7, 2006, Alan S. Pierce, review of Beach Road; October 16, 2006, Matt Harper-Nixon, review of Judge & Jury.
New York Times, July 24, 2001, Janet Maslin, “Love Story, or Is That Death Story?,” p. 6; November 29, 2001, Janet Maslin, “Bodies Hang in California, and Bullets Fly in Florida,” p. 7.
New York Times Book Review, February 7, 1993, Marilyn Stasio, review of Along Came a Spider, p. 19.
Orlando Sentinel, November 25, 2002, Ann Hellmuth, review of Four Blind Mice.
People, January 29, 1996, Pam Lambert, review of Hide & Seek, p. 34; October 7, 1996, Cynthia Sanz, “Jack and Jill,” p. 38; November 17, 1997, Cynthia Sanz, review of Cat and Mouse, p. 38.
Publishers Weekly, October 30, 1995, review of Hide & Seek, p. 45; September 16, 1996, review of Miracle on the 17th Green, p. 68; October 21, 1996, Andre Bernard and Jeff Zaleski, “James Patterson: Writing Thrillers Is Not His Day Job,” p. 58; October 13, 1997, review of Cat and Mouse, p. 56; August 10, 1998, review of When the Wind Blows, p. 365; August 2, 1999, review of Pop Goes the Weasel, p. 69; March 20, 2000, review of Cradle and All, p. 68; February 18, 2002, review of Second Chance, p. 75; March 18, 2002, Daisy Maryles and Dick Donahue, “Don’t Get Mad, Get Even,” p. 19; April 22, 2002, review of The Beach House, p. 45; October 7, 2002, review of Four Blind Mice, p. 51; February 3, 2003, review of The Jester, p. 55; May 19, 2003, review of The Lake House, p. 50; June 7, 2004, review of Sam’s Letters to Jennifer, p. 33; July 12, 2004, Maryles, “A Passionate Patterson,” p. 12; November 8, 2004, review of London Bridges, p. 37; January 31, 2005, review of Honeymoon, p. 50; April 25, 2005, review of 4th of July, p. 39; May 16, 2005, review of Lifeguard, p. 35; March 27, 2006, review of Beach Road, p. 58; January 22, 2007, review of Step on a Crack, p. 161; October 3, 2016, review of Word of Mouse, p. 123; October 24, 2016, review of Filthy Rich, p. 13; March 13, 2017, review of Crazy House, p. 86; May 1, 2017, review of Pottymouth and Stoopid, p. 57.
School Library Journal, August, 2006, Heather M. Campbell, review of Maximum Ride: School’s Out—Forever, p. 127; March, 2016, Jessica Bratt, review of Jacky Ha-Ha, p. 136; April, 2017, Beth McIntyre, review of Crazy House, p. 156; May, 2017, Elizabeth Swartz, review of Pottymouth and Stoopid, p. 91.
Time, March 20, 2006, Lev Grossman, “The Man Who Can’t Miss: James Patterson Writes Four Best Sellers a Year. How Does He Do It? With a Lot of Help from Friends,” p. 108.
Reviewer’s Bookwatch, October, 2004, Marty Duncan, reviews of The Lake House, Four Blind Mice, and Jester; March, 2005, Gary Roen, review of Third Degree.
Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly, August 7, 2006, Alan S. Pierce, review of Beach Road; October 16, 2006, Matt Harper-Nixon, review of Judge & Jury.
Voice of Youth Advocates, April, 2017, Jamie Hansen, review of Crazy House, p. 72.
ONLINE
BookPage, http://www.bookpage.com/ (April 2, 2002), Steven Womak, “Stretching the Boundaries of the Thriller,” interview.
James Patterson Website, http://www.jamespatterson.com (June 6, 2017).
New York Journal of Books, http://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/ (June 20, 2017), Michael Thomas Barry, review of Filthy Rich.
Roanoke Times, http://www.roanoke.com/ (October 13, 2016), Suzanne Wardle, review of Woman of God.
USA Today, https://www.usatoday.com/ (October 10, 2016), David Holahan, review of Filthy Rich.
Washingtonpost.com, http://www.washingtonpost.com/ (March 30, 2017), Carol Memmott, “James Patterson Says The Black Book Is His Best Novel in 20 Years.”
YA Books Central, http://www.yabookscentral.com/ (June 17, 2017), Karen Yingling, review of Laugh Out Loud.
Bookreporter, https://www.bookreporter.com/ (April 19, 2019), Joe Hartlaub, review of The 13-Minute Murder.*
James Patterson
USA flag (b.1947)
James Patterson is the world’s bestselling author, best known for his many enduring fictional characters and series, including Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Michael Bennett, Maximum Ride, Middle School, I Funny, and Jacky Ha-Ha. Patterson’s writing career is characterized by a single mission: to prove to everyone, from children to adults, that there is no such thing as a person who “doesn’t like to read,” only people who haven’t found the right book. He’s given over a million books to schoolkids and over forty million dollars to support education, and endowed over five thousand college scholarships for teachers.
Genres: Mystery, Children's Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction, General Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy
New Books
November 2019
(hardback)
Ali Cross
(Ali Cross, book 1)November 2019
(hardback)
Criss Cross
(Alex Cross, book 27)January 2020
(hardback)
The River Murders
(BookShots : Mitchum, book 3)
January 2020
(paperback)
Lost
(Tom Moon, book 1)February 2020
(hardback)
Master of Disaster
(Middle School, book 12)February 2020
(paperback)
Blindside
(Michael Bennett, book 12)
March 2020
(hardback)
Texas Outlaw
(Rory Yates, book 2)March 2020
(hardback)
Mission Impawsible
(Dog Diaries, book 3)April 2020
(hardback)
The House of Kennedy
May 2020
(paperback)
20th Victim
(Women's Murder Club, book 20)June 2020
(hardback)
The Plunder Down Under
(Treasure Hunters, book 7)June 2020
(hardback)
The Summer House
July 2020
(hardback)
HawkJuly 2020
(hardback)
Cajun JusticeJuly 2020
(hardback)
1st Case
August 2020
(hardback)
The Midwife MurdersAugust 2020
(hardback)
Saves the Future
(Max Einstein, book 3)September 2020
(hardback)
Murder Thy Neighbour
(James Patterson's Murder Is Forever, book 4)
Series
Alex Cross
1. Along Came a Spider (1993)
2. Kiss the Girls (1994)
3. Jack and Jill (1996)
4. Cat and Mouse (1997)
5. Pop! Goes the Weasel (1998)
6. Roses Are Red (2000)
7. Violets Are Blue (2001)
8. Four Blind Mice (2001)
9. The Big Bad Wolf (2001)
10. London Bridges (2004)
11. Mary Mary (2005)
12. Cross (2006)
aka Alex Cross
13. Double Cross (2007)
14. Cross Country (2008)
15. Alex Cross's Trial (2009) (with Richard DiLallo)
16. I, Alex Cross (2009)
17. Cross Fire (2010)
18. Kill Alex Cross (2011)
19. Merry Christmas, Alex Cross (2011)
20. Alex Cross, Run (2013)
21. Cross My Heart (2013)
22. Hope to Die (2012)
23. Cross Justice (2015)
24. Cross the Line (2016)
24. Cross Kill (2016)
24. Detective Cross (2017)
25. The People Vs. Alex Cross (2017)
26. Target: Alex Cross (2018)
27. Criss Cross (2019)
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Miracle (with Peter De Jonge)
1. Miracle on the 17th Green (1996)
2. Miracle at Augusta (2015)
3. Miracle at St Andrews (2019)
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When the Wind Blows
1. When the Wind Blows (1998)
2. The Lake House (2001)
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Women's Murder Club
1. 1st to Die (2001)
2. 2nd Chance (2002) (with Andrew Gross)
3. 3rd Degree (2004) (with Andrew Gross)
4. 4th of July (2005) (with Maxine Paetro)
5. The 5th Horseman (2006) (with Maxine Paetro)
6. The 6th Target (2007) (with Maxine Paetro)
7. 7th Heaven (2007) (with Maxine Paetro)
8. 8th Confession (2009) (with Maxine Paetro)
9. 9th Judgment (2010) (with Maxine Paetro)
10. 10th Anniversary (2011) (with Maxine Paetro)
11. 11th Hour (2012) (with Maxine Paetro)
12. 12th of Never (2013) (with Maxine Paetro)
13. Unlucky 13 (2014) (with Maxine Paetro)
14. 14th Deadly Sin (2015) (with Maxine Paetro)
15. 15th Affair (2016) (with Maxine Paetro)
15.5. The Trial (2016) (with Maxine Paetro)
16. 16th Seduction (2017) (with Maxine Paetro)
16. The Medical Examiner (2017) (with Maxine Paetro)
17. 17th Suspect (2018) (with Maxine Paetro)
18. The 18th Abduction (2019) (with Maxine Paetro)
19. 19th Christmas (2019) (with Maxine Paetro)
20. 20th Victim (2020) (with Maxine Paetro)
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Maximum Ride
1. The Angel Experiment (2005)
2. School's Out-- Forever (2006)
3. Saving the World (2007)
4. The Final Warning (2007)
5. Max (2009)
6. Fang (2010)
7. Angel (2011)
8. Nevermore (2012)
9. Maximum Ride Forever (2015)
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Honeymoon (with Howard Roughan)
1. Honeymoon (2005)
2. Second Honeymoon (2013)
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Michael Bennett
1. Step on a Crack (2007) (with Michael Ledwidge)
2. Run for Your Life (2009) (with Michael Ledwidge)
3. Worst Case (2010) (with Michael Ledwidge)
4. Tick Tock (2011) (with Michael Ledwidge)
5. I, Michael Bennett (2012) (with Michael Ledwidge)
6. Gone (2011) (with Michael Ledwidge)
7. Burn (2012) (with Michael Ledwidge)
8. Alert (2015) (with Michael Ledwidge)
9. Bullseye (2016) (with Michael Ledwidge)
9.5. Chase (2016) (with Michael Ledwidge)
10. Haunted (2017) (with James O Born)
10.5. Manhunt (2017) (with James O Born)
11. Ambush (2018) (with James O Born)
12. Blindside (2020) (with James O Born)
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Daniel X
1. Dangerous Days of Daniel X (2008) (with Michael Ledwidge)
2. Watch the Skies (2009) (with Ned Rust)
3. Demons and Druids (2010) (with Adam Sadler)
4. Game Over (2011) (with Ned Rust)
5. Armageddon (2012) (with Chris Grabenstein)
6. Lights Out (2015) (with Chris Grabenstein)
Alien Hunter (2008) (with Leopoldo Gout)
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Women's Murder Club Omnibus
A Women's Murder Club Omnibus (2008) (with Andrew Gross)
A Women's Murder Club Omnibus 2 (2009) (with Maxine Paetro)
Women's Murder Club 10 Book Collection (2016)
Women's Murder Club Books 1 - 15 (2017)
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Witch and Wizard
1. Witch and Wizard (2009) (with Gabrielle Charbonnet)
2. The Gift (2010) (with Ned Rust)
3. The Fire (2011) (with Jill Dembowski)
4. The Kiss (2013) (with Jill Dembowski)
5. The Lost (2014) (with Emily Raymond)
Battle for Shadowland (2010)
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Private
1. Private (2010) (with Maxine Paetro)
2. Private London (2011) (with Mark Pearson)
3. Private Games (2012) (with Mark Sullivan)
4. Private: #1 Suspect (2012) (with Maxine Paetro)
5. Private Berlin (2012) (with Mark Sullivan)
6. Private Down Under (2012) (with Michael White)
aka Private Oz
7. Private L.A. (2014) (with Mark Sullivan)
8. Private India (2014) (with Ashwin Sanghi)
9. Private Vegas (2015) (with Maxine Paetro)
10. Private Sydney (2015) (with Kathryn Fox)
aka Missing
11. Private Paris (2016) (with Mark Sullivan)
12. The Games (2016) (with Mark Sullivan)
13. Private Delhi (2017) (with Ashwin Sanghi)
aka Count to Ten
13.5. Private: Gold (2017) (with Jassy Mackenzie)
14. Princess (2018) (with Rees Jones)
15. Private Moscow (2020) (with Adam Hamdy)
Private Royals (2016) (with Rees Jones)
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Middle School
1. The Worst Years of My Life (2011) (with Chris Tebbetts)
2. Get Me Out of Here! (2012) (with Chris Tebbetts)
3. My Brother Is a Big, Fat Liar (2013) (with Lisa Papademetriou)
aka Big Fat Liar
4. How I Survived Bullies, Broccoli, and Snake Hill (2012) (with Chris Tebbetts)
5. Ultimate Showdown (2012) (with Julia Bergen)
5.5. How I Got Lost in London (2014)
6. Save Rafe! (2014) (with Chris Tebbetts)
7. Just My Rotten Luck (2015) (with Chris Tebbetts)
8. Dog's Best Friend (2016) (with Chris Tebbetts)
9. Escape to Australia (2017) (with Martin Chatterton)
aka Million-Dollar Mess Down Under
10. From Hero to Zero (2018) (with Chris Tebbetts)
11. Born to Rock (2019) (with Chris Tebbetts)
12. Master of Disaster (2020)
Hollywood 101 (2016) (with Martin Chatterton)
G'day, America (2018) (with Martin Chatterton)
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Confessions (with Maxine Paetro)
1. Confessions of a Murder Suspect (2012)
2. The Private School Murders (2013)
3. The Paris Mysteries (2014)
4. The Murder of an Angel (2015)
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I, Funny (with Chris Grabenstein)
1. I, Funny (2012)
2. I Even Funnier (2013)
3. I Totally Funniest (2015)
4. I Funny TV (2015)
5. School of Laughs (2017)
6. The Nerdiest, Wimpiest, Dorkiest I Funny Ever (2018)
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NYPD Red
1. NYPD Red (2012) (with Marshall Karp)
2. NYPD Red 2 (2012) (with Marshall Karp)
3. NYPD Red 3 (2015) (with Marshall Karp)
4. NYPD Red 4 (2016) (with Marshall Karp)
5. Red Alert (2018) (with Marshall Karp)
6. NYPD Red 6 (2020)
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House of Robots (with Chris Grabenstein)
1. House of Robots (2012)
2. Robots Go Wild (2015)
3. Robot Revolution! (2017)
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Treasure Hunters (with Chris Grabenstein)
1. Treasure Hunters (2012)
2. Danger Down the Nile (2012)
3. Secret of the Forbidden City (2015)
4. Peril at the Top of the World (2016)
5. Quest for the City of Gold (2018)
6. All-American Adventure (2019)
7. The Plunder Down Under (2020)
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Zoo
1. Zoo (2012) (with Michael Ledwidge)
2. Zoo 2 (2016) (with Max DiLallo)
Zoo: The Graphic Novel (2012) (with Michael Ledwidge)
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Invisible (with David Ellis)
1. Invisible (2014)
2. Unsolved (2019)
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Murder House Serialization (with David Ellis)
1. Murder House: Part One (2015)
2. Murder House: Part Two (2015)
3. Murder House: Part Three (2015)
4. Murder House: Part Four (2015)
5. Murder House: Part Five (2015)
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Kenny Wright (with Chris Grabenstein)
1. Kenny Wright (2015)
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Harriet Blue (with Candice Fox)
1. Never Never (2016)
2. Fifty Fifty (2017)
3. Liar Liar (2018)
4. Hush Hush (2019)
aka Hush
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Jacky Ha-Ha (with Chris Grabenstein)
1. Jacky Ha-Ha (2016)
2. My Life Is a Joke (2017)
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Caleb Rooney
0.5. Killer Chef (2016) (with Jeffrey J Keyes)
1. The Chef (2019) (with Max DiLallo)
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Crazy House (with Gabrielle Charbonnet)
1. Crazy House (2017)
2. The Fall of Crazy House (2019)
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Instinct (with Howard Roughan)
1. Murder Games (2017)
aka Instinct
2. Killer Instinct (2019)
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Candies
The Candies Save Christmas (2017)
The Candies' Easter Party (2018)
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Detective Billy Harney (with David Ellis)
1. The Black Book (2017)
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Little Geniuses (with Susan Patterson)
1. Big Words for Little Geniuses (2017)
2. Cuddly Critters for Little Geniuses (2018)
3. Bigger Words for Little Geniuses (2019)
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Dog Diaries (with Steven Butler)
1. Dog Diaries (2018)
2. Happy Howlidays (2018)
3. Mission Impawsible (2019)
4. Curse of the Mystery Mutt (2019)
5. Camping Chaos! (2020)
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Rory Yates (with Andrew Bourelle)
1. Texas Ranger (2018)
2. Texas Outlaw (2020)
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Max Einstein (with Chris Grabenstein)
1. The Genius Experiment (2018)
2. Rebels With A Cause (2019)
3. Saves the Future (2020)
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Tom Moon (with James O Born)
1. Lost (2019)
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Amy Cornwall (with Brendan DuBois)
1. The Cornwalls Are Gone (2019)
aka Out of Sight
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Ali Cross
1. Ali Cross (2019)
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Novels
The Thomas Berryman Number (1976)
Season of the Machete (1977)
The Jericho Commandment (1979)
aka See How They Run
Virgin (1980)
Black Market (1986)
aka Black Friday
The Midnight Club (1988)
Sam's Letters to Jennifer (1991)
Hide and Seek (1995)
Cradle and All (1999)
Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas (2001)
The Beach House (2002) (with Peter De Jonge)
The Jester (2003) (with Andrew Gross)
The Lifeguard (2005) (with Andrew Gross)
Beach Road (2006) (with Peter De Jonge)
Judge and Jury (2006) (with Andrew Gross)
The Quickie (2007) (with Michael Ledwidge)
You've Been Warned (2007) (with Howard Roughan)
Sundays at Tiffany's (2008) (with Gabrielle Charbonnet)
Sail (2008) (with Howard Roughan)
Swimsuit (2009) (with Maxine Paetro)
Don't Blink (2010) (with Howard Roughan)
Postcard Killers (2010) (with Liza Marklund)
Toys (2011) (with Neil McMahon)
Now You See Her (2011) (with Michael Ledwidge)
Kill Me If You Can (2011) (with Marshall Karp)
The Christmas Wedding (2011) (with Richard DiLallo)
Guilty Wives (2012) (with David Ellis)
First Love (2012) (with Emily Raymond)
Mistress (2013) (with David Ellis)
Homeroom Diaries (2014) (with Lisa Papademetriou)
Public School Superhero (2015) (with Chris Tebbetts)
Truth or Die (2015) (with Howard Roughan)
The Murder House (2015) (with David Ellis)
Woman of God (2016) (with Maxine Paetro)
Word of Mouse (2016) (with Chris Grabenstein)
Humans Bow Down (2017) (with Emily Raymond)
Pottymouth and Stoopid (2017) (with Chris Grabenstein)
Laugh Out Loud (2017) (with Chris Grabenstein)
The Store (2017) (with Richard DiLallo)
Expelled (2017) (with Emily Raymond)
aka The Injustice
The President is Missing (2018) (with Bill Clinton)
Not So Normal Norbert (2018) (with Joey Green)
Revenge (2018) (with Andrew Holmes)
Juror No. 3 (2018) (with Nancy Allen)
Unbelievably Boring Bart (2018) (with Duane Swierczynski)
The First Lady (2018) (with Brendan DuBois)
Katt vs. Dogg (2019) (with Chris Grabenstein)
Sophia, Princess Among Beasts (2019) (with Emily Raymond)
The Inn (2019) (with Candice Fox)
The Warning (2019) (with Robison Wells)
Disasterland (2020) (with Robison Wells)
The Summer House (2020) (with Brendan DuBois)
1st Case (2020) (with Chris Tebbetts)
Cajun Justice (2020) (with Tucker Axum III)
Hawk (2020)
The Midwife Murders (2020) (with Richard DiLallo)
Three Women Disappear (2020)
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Omnibus
Black Market / Hide and Seek (1999)
Cat and Mouse / 1st to Die (2004)
The Beach House / Beach Road (2009) (with Peter De Jonge)
Murder in Paradise (2018) (with Doug Allyn, Connor Hyde and Duane Swierczynski)
Triple Homicide (2018)
Best of James Patterson for Kids Boxed Set (2018) (with Chris Grabenstein and Chris Tebbetts)
Three Women Disappear / Come and Get Us (2020) (with Shan Serafin)
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Collections
Two from the Heart (2017) (with Frank Costantini, Emily Raymond and Brian Sitts)
The House Next Door (2018) (with Tim Arnold, Max DiLallo and Susan DiLallo)
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Picture Books
Santakid (2004)
Give Please a Chance (2016) (with Bill O'Reilly)
Penguins of America (2017) (with Jack Patterson and Florence Yue)
Give Thank You a Try (2017)
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Graphic Novels
Maximum Ride, Manga Volume 1 (2009)
Maximum Ride, Manga Volume 2 (2009)
Maximum Ride, Manga Volume 3 (2010)
Daniel X, Manga Volume 1 (2010)
Maximum Ride, Manga Volume 4 (2011)
Daniel X, Manga Volume 2 (2011)
Witch and Wizard: Manga Volume 1 (2011) (with Gabrielle Charbonnet)
Maximum Ride, Manga Volume 5 (2011)
Maximum Ride, Manga Volume 6 (2012)
Daniel X, Manga Volume 3 (2012)
Witch & Wizard: Manga Volume 2 (2012)
Maximum Ride, Manga Volume 8 (2012)
Maximum Ride, Manga Volume 7 (2012)
Witch & Wizard: The Manga Vol 3 (2013)
Max Ride: First Flight (2015)
Maximum Ride, Manga Volume 9 (2015)
Max Ride: Ultimate Flight (2016)
Maximum Ride, Manga Volume 11 (2018)
Maximum Ride, Manga Volume 10 (2020)
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Novellas
The Witnesses (2016) (with Brendan DuBois)
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Series contributed to
Quick Reads 2011
Bloody Valentine (2011)
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Guys Read
Boys Will Be Boys (2011)
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Best American Mystery Stories (with Otto Penzler)
The Best American Mystery Stories 2015 (2015)
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BookShots
The Trial (2016) (with Maxine Paetro)
Black & Blue (2016) (with Candice Fox)
Break Point (2016) (with Lee Stone)
Cross Kill (2016)
Heist (2016) (with Rees Jones)
Hunted (2016) (with Andrew Holmes)
Private Royals (2016) (with Rees Jones)
Zoo 2 (2016) (with Max DiLallo)
Airport: Code Red (2016) (with Michael White)
Little Black Dress (2016) (with Emily Raymond)
Chase (2016) (with Michael Ledwidge)
Dead Heat (2016) (with Lee Stone)
Let's Play Make-Believe (2016) (with James O Born)
The Pretender (2016) (with Andrew Bourelle)
113 Minutes (2016) (with Max DiLallo)
Trump vs. Clinton (2016)
$10,000,000 Marriage Proposal (2016) (with Hilary Liftin)
The Women's War (2016) (with Shan Serafin)
Killer Chef (2016) (with Jeffrey J Keyes)
The Murder of Stephen King (2016) (with Derek Nikitas)
Taking the Titanic (2016) (with Scott Slaven)
Come and Get Us (2016) (with Shan Serafin)
The House Husband (2017) (with Duane Swierczynski)
Seducing Shakespeare (2017) (with Tabitha Ross)
Achilles (2017)
The Exile (2017) (with Alison Joseph)
Juror #3 (2017) (with Nancy Allen)
The Moores Are Missing (omnibus) (2017) (with Ed Chatterton, Loren D Estleman and Sam Hawken)
The Shut-In (2017) (with Duane Swierczynski)
Diary of a Succubus (2017) (with Derek Nikitas)
Night Sniper (2017) (with Christopher Charles)
Private: Gold (2017) (with Jassy Mackenzie)
Detective Cross (2017)
The Lawyer Lifeguard (2017) (with Doug Allyn)
Stingrays (2017) (with Duane Swierczynski)
Black Dress Affair (2017) (with Susan DiLallo)
Deadly Cargo (2017) (with Will Jordan)
Nooners (2017) (with Tim Arnold)
Steeplechase (2017) (with Scott Slaven)
The Dolls (2017) (with Kecia Bal)
The Medical Examiner (2017) (with Maxine Paetro)
Dead Man Running (2017) (with Christopher Farnsworth)
The Family Lawyer (omnibus) (2017) (with Christopher Charles, Rachel Howzell Hall and Robert Rotstein)
Stealing Gulfstreams (2017) (with Max DiLallo)
Absolute Zero (2017) (with Ed Chatterton)
Scott Free (2017) (with Rob Hart)
You've Been Warned - Again (2017) (with Derek Nikitas)
Dawn's Early Light (2017) (with Jessica Scott)
Manhunt (2017) (with James O Born)
Avalanche (2017) (with David Inglish)
Kill and Tell (2017) (with Scott Slaven)
The 13-Minute Murder (omnibus) (2018) (with Christopher Farnsworth, Shan Serafin and Scott Slaven)
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BookShots Omnibus
Triple Threat (omnibus) (2016)
Kill or Be Killed (omnibus) (2016) (with Rees Jones, Maxine Paetro, Emily Raymond and Shan Serafin)
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BookShots : Detective Luc Moncrief (with Richard DiLallo)
1. French Kiss (2016)
2. The Christmas Mystery (2016)
3. French Twist (2017)
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BookShots : Jon Roscoe Thriller (with Robert Gold)
1. The Hostage (2016)
2. The Verdict (2016)
3. Kidnapped (2016)
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BookShots : Mitchum (with James O Born)
1. Hidden (2017)
2. Malicious (2017)
3. The River Murders (2020)
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BookShots : Owen Taylor (with Brendan DuBois)
1. The End (2017)
2. After the End (2017)
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Bookshots Flames (with Jessica Lemmon)
50 Hidden Desires (2017)
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Anthologies edited
Thriller (2006)
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Non fiction series
James Patterson's Murder Is Forever
1. Murder, Interrupted (2018)
2. Home Sweet Murder (2018)
3. Murder Beyond the Grave (2018)
4. Murder Thy Neighbour (2020)
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Non fiction
The Day America Told the Truth (1991) (with Peter Kim)
Torn Apart (2008) (with Hal Friedman)
aka Against Medical Advice / Med Head
The Murder of King Tut (2009) (with Martin Dugard)
Filthy Rich (2016) (with John Connolly and Tim Malloy)
All-American Murder (2018) (with Alex Abramovich and Mike Harvkey)
The House of Kennedy (2020) (with Cynthia Fagen)
aka The Kennedy Curse
James Patterson is the world’s bestselling author and most trusted storyteller. He has created many enduring fictional characters and series, including Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Michael Bennett, Maximum Ride, Middle School, and I Funny. Among his notable literary collaborations are The President Is Missing, with President Bill Clinton, and the Max Einstein series, produced in partnership with the Albert Einstein Estate. Patterson’s writing career is characterized by a single mission: to prove that there is no such thing as a person who “doesn’t like to read,” only people who haven’t found the right book. He’s given over three million books to schoolkids and the military, donated more than seventy million dollars to support education, and endowed over five thousand college scholarships for teachers. The National Book Foundation recently presented Patterson with the Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community, and he is also the recipient of an Edgar Award and six Emmy Awards. He lives in Florida with his family.
How can I contact James Patterson?
The best chance for getting a message to James Patterson is through his Facebook page.
You can write a letter to James Patterson at the following address:
James Patterson
c/o Author Mail
Hachette Book Group USA
1290 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10104
Or, you can also follow him on Twitter, and Pinterest.
How can I contact James’s North American publisher to order books, or with other customer issues?
Please call Hachette Book Group customer service at 800.759.0190.
In what order should I read James Patterson's books?
All of this information is available at the Checklist within the Books section of this site. For the order of the books in the Alex Cross, The Women's Murder Club, and Maximum Ride series, visit their respective pages within the Books area.
When is James Patterson coming to my town?
You can get the latest info on tour dates by following him on his Facebook page.
Where can I find a complete list of James Patterson's books?
You can find a complete list of James Patterson's books broken down in chronological order at the bottom of the Books page.
How can I get a signed James Patterson book?
Either attend a signing or contact a store that is having a signing. Also, sign up for the eNewsletter because special signed book offers are occasionally offered.
How can I find out more about James Patterson?
Read the biography here at the site or read interviews that have appeared in print.
Are there any more movies coming out based on James Patterson's books?
Yes! Sign up for our eNewsletter to catch the latest news!
Where did the story of the five balls in Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas come from?
Imagine life is a game in which you are juggling five balls. The balls are called work, family, health, friends, and integrity. And you're keeping all of them in the air. But one day you finally come to understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. The other four balls–family, health, friends, integrity–are made of glass. If you drop one of these, it will be irrevocably scuffed, nicked, perhaps even shattered. And once you truly understand the lesson of the five balls, you will have the beginnings of balance in your life.
One of the most dependably recurring questions I've gotten over the years is where did the above story of the five balls–which appears in Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas–come from?
I first heard a version of it from my grandmother when I was a kid, but—though she was a creative soul—I expect it pre-dates her. All I know is it's been with us for a long time and has been told in many places–from Sunday sermons to a 1991 commencement address at Georgia Tech by Brian G. Dyson, former Vice Chairman of The Coca-Cola Company.
And I certainly am right there with everybody who resonates so strongly with it. It's one of those true bits of wisdom that, unlike us, never grows old.
James Patterson is the world's bestselling author, best known for his many enduring fictional characters and series, including Alex Cross, the Women's Murder Club, Michael Bennett, Maximum Ride, Middle School, I Funny, and Jacky Ha-Ha. Patterson's writing career is characterized by a single mission: to prove to everyone, from children to adults, that there is no such thing as a person who "doesn't like to read," only people who haven't found the right book. He's given over a million books to schoolkids and over forty million dollars to support education, and endowed over five thousand college scholarships for teachers. He writes full-time and lives in Florida with his family. Learn more at jamespatterson.com.
James Patterson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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For other people named James Patterson, see James Patterson (disambiguation).
James Patterson
James Patterson.jpg
Born James Brendan Patterson
March 22, 1947 (age 72)
Newburgh, New York, U.S.
Residence Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.
Nationality American
Alma mater Manhattan College
Vanderbilt University
Genre Mystery, young adult fiction, thriller, comedy, realistic fiction, romance
Notable works Alex Cross series
Women's Murder Club series
Maximum Ride series
Michael Bennett series
Middle School series
I Funny series
Spouse Susan Patterson
Children Jack Patterson
Website
www.jamespatterson.com
James Brendan Patterson (born March 22, 1947) is an American author and philanthropist. Among his works are the Alex Cross, Michael Bennett, Women's Murder Club, Maximum Ride, Daniel X, NYPD Red, Witch and Wizard, and Private series, as well as many stand-alone thrillers, non-fiction and romance novels. His books have sold more than 300 million copies[1] and he was the first person to sell 1 million e-books.[2] In 2016, Patterson topped Forbes's list of highest-paid authors for the third consecutive year, with an income of $95 million.[3] His total income over a decade is estimated at $700 million.[4]
In November 2015, Patterson received the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, which cited him as a "passionate campaigner to make books and reading a national priority. A generous supporter of universities, teachers colleges, independent bookstores, school libraries, and college students, Patterson has donated millions of dollars in grants and scholarships with the purpose of encouraging Americans of all ages to read more books."[5]
Contents
1 Early life
2 Career
3 Reception
4 Personal life
5 Bibliography
6 Filmography
7 References
8 External links
Early life
Patterson was born on March 22, 1947, in Newburgh, New York, the son of Isabelle (Morris), a homemaker and teacher, and Charles Patterson, an insurance broker.[6][7] He graduated summa cum laude with both a B.A. in English from Manhattan College and an M.A. in English from Vanderbilt University.[8]
Career
Patterson was a Ph.D. candidate at Vanderbilt[9] but acquired a job in advertising. He was an advertising executive at J. Walter Thompson.[8] After he retired from advertising in 1996,[10] he devoted his time to writing.[11] His greatest influence, he said later, was probably Evan S. Connell's 1959 debut novel Mrs. Bridge.[9] He published his first novel in 1976 called The Thomas Berryman Number. The novels featuring his character Alex Cross, a forensic psychologist formerly of the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation, who now works as a private psychologist and government consultant, are his most popular and the top-selling U.S. detective series in the past ten years. Patterson has written 147 novels since 1976.[12] He has had 114 New York Times bestselling novels,[13] and holds The New York Times record for most #1 New York Times bestsellers by a single author, a total of 67, which is also a Guinness World Record. His novels account for one in 17, roughly 6%, of all hardcover novels sold in the United States; in recent years his novels have sold more copies than those of Stephen King, John Grisham, and Dan Brown combined.[14] His books have sold approximately 305 million copies worldwide.[1] In 2008, he replaced Jacqueline Wilson as the most borrowed author in Britain's libraries.[15] He retained this position at least until 2013.[16] In 2018, he worked with Stephen David Entertainment on the true crime television series James Patterson's Murder Is Forever.
Patterson's awards include the Edgar Award, the BCA Mystery Guild's Thriller of the Year, the International Thriller of the Year award,[13] and the Children's Choice Book Award for Author of the Year. He is the first author to have No. 1 new titles simultaneously on The New York Times adult and children's bestsellers lists, and to have two books on NovelTrackr's top-ten list at the same time.[citation needed] He appeared on the Fox TV show The Simpsons (in the episode "Yokel Chords") and in various episodes of Castle as himself.
Patterson works with a variety of co-authors,[17] such as Candice Fox, Maxine Paetro, Andrew Gross, Mark Sullivan, Ashwin Sanghi, Michael Ledwidge, and Peter de Jonge.[18] In May 2017, it was announced that Patterson would also co-author a crime fiction book with former U.S. President Bill Clinton.[19] Patterson said the novel, The President Is Missing, will provide a level of detail that only a former U.S. President can offer.[20] Patterson has often said that collaborating with others brings new and interesting ideas to his stories. Of his process, he has stated that he is simply more proficient at dreaming up plots than crafting sentence after sentence.[21]
In September 2009, Patterson signed a deal to write or co-write 11 books for adults and 6 for young adults by the end of 2012. Forbes reported the deal was worth at least $150 million, but according to Patterson the estimate was inaccurate.[22]
Patterson founded the James Patterson PageTurner Awards in 2005 to donate over $100,000 that year to people, companies, schools, and other institutions that find original and effective ways to spread the excitement of books and reading.[23] The PageTurner Awards were put on hold in 2008 to focus on Patterson's new initiative, ReadKiddoRead.com, which helps parents, teachers, and librarians find the best books for their children. The social networking site for ReadKiddoRead is hosted by Ning. Patterson states that his own son, Jack, wasn't the best reader in the class. So, in Jack's 8th summer, Patterson said that Jack did not need to do chores, just read 1 hour a day. The first summer, he resisted, the second summer, he accepted it, and the third, Jack wanted to. Patterson wanted to give that opportunity to every child, so he started the ReadKiddoRead website, for parents who just can't seem to find any good books for their child. Patterson has also set up the James Patterson Teacher Education Scholarship in the schools of education at Appalachian State University,[24] Michigan State University,[25] Florida Atlantic University,[26] and the University of Florida.[27] Patterson also runs the College Book Bucks scholarship program.
Reception
Patterson has been criticized for co-authoring many of his books[28] and for being more of a brand that focuses on making money than an artist who focuses on his craft.[29]
In an interview for USA Weekend, Stephen King referred to Patterson as "a terrible writer but he's very successful."[30] King also implied, while being asked on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert about how many hours it takes him to write a book, that Patterson needed only twelve hours for two books, noting he and Patterson had "a mutual respect – sort of".[31] Patterson said of King in a Wall Street Journal interview, "He's taken shots at me for years. It's fine, but my approach is to do the opposite with him—to heap praise."[32]
Legal thriller writer Lisa Scottoline said in a review of Patterson's Kill Alex Cross, "They used to say that 50 million Elvis Presley fans couldn't be wrong, and James Patterson makes 50 million fans look like a good start. He has sold more than 230 million books, and his fans aren't wrong, either."[33]
In 2013 Patterson took out ads titled “Who Will Save Our Books? Our Bookstores? Our Libraries?" in Publishers Weekly and The New York Times Book Review, which employed the text "If there are no bookstores, no libraries, no serious publishers with passionate, dedicated, idealistic editors, what will happen to our literature? Who will discover and mentor new writers? Who will publish our important books? What will happen if there are no more books like these?"[34] Patterson called the ads an attempt to "stir the pot a little bit."[35] Digital Book World called the ads, "refreshing, really. And brave."[36] Maureen Sullivan, president of the American Library Association, told the Tampa Bay Times she was in the process of writing James Patterson a thank-you letter.[37]
In 2017, digital humanities scholars Simon Fuller and James O'Sullivan published research showing that Patterson does not do much actual writing when collaborating with other authors.[38][39] O'Sullivan writes: "Patterson is all about story... 'author', in its widely accepted sense, isn’t always the most appropriate term for his role within the writing process."[40][41][42] O'Sullivan would later go on to conduct the same analysis on The President is Missing, a collaboration between Patterson and Bill Clinton; here O'Sullivan concludes that Patterson did most of the writing, aside from the end of the novel.[43]
Personal life
Patterson, his wife Susan (Sue), and their son Jack live in Palm Beach, Florida.[44] In 2015, Patterson established the James Patterson Pledge with Scholastic Book Clubs to put books in the hands of young readers.[45]
Bibliography
Main article: James Patterson bibliography
Filmography
Title Year Film / TV Extra Information
Child of Darkness, Child of Light 1991 TV Child of Darkness, Child of Light was adapted from the novel Virgin (republished as Cradle and All).
Kiss the Girls 1997 Film Forensic detective/author Alex Cross investigates the disappearance of his niece from her North Carolina campus, and learns seven other women are also missing.[46]
Miracle on the 17th Green 1999 TV A 50-year-old adman (Robert Urich) loses his job. Rather than facing trying to find a new job, he decides to try to make it on the senior golf tour. This causes him to neglect his wife (Meredith Baxter), who dies, and his family.
Along Came a Spider 2001 Film After a botched sting operation in which his partner dies, Washington, D.C. homicide detective Alex Cross is through playing mind games with criminals—that is, until a methodical predator, Gary Soneji, kidnaps the young daughter of a United States senator from an elite school and lures Cross into the case. Soneji's not out for ransom, he wants something much bigger—a place in the history books. His every move is planned with the precision of a spider spinning his web. Cross and secret service agent Jezzie Flannigan are in a race against time to stop him.[47]
1st to Die 2003 TV Based on James Patterson's bestseller, this three-hour thriller is about a homicide inspector—Lindsay Boxer (Tracy Pollan) – who teams with three other professional women to catch an ingenious serial killer targeting newlyweds on their wedding nights. But while Boxer is trying to solve the biggest case of her career, she is also falling in love with her partner (Gil Bellows) – and privately waging her own battle with a life-threatening illness.
Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas 2005 TV Based on Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas this tells two interwoven stories both featuring poet Matthew Harrison (Johnathon Schaech). One is told from the point of view of Katie Wilkinson (Kathleen Rose Perkins), a New York City book editor, whose relationship with Matthew ends suddenly. The other looks at Matthew's relationship with his wife, Suzanne (Christina Applegate), whose diaries Katie reads.
Women's Murder Club 2007-2008 TV Based on James Patterson's Women's Murder Club series, this TV series revolved around San Francisco homicide Inspector Lindsay Boxer (Angie Harmon) and her three friends: Assistant District Attorney Jill Bernhardt, Medical Examiner Claire Washburn, and reporter Cindy Thomas.
James Patterson's Sundays at Tiffany's 2010 TV Alyssa Milano stars as a successful businesswoman who, as a young girl, would accompany her mother Vivian (Stockard Channing) to Tiffany's in New York every Sunday and bring along an imaginary friend, Michael. She is set to marry her handsome fiancé (Ivan Sergei), until her childhood imaginary friend (Eric Winter) reappears to warn her about the path her life is on. Initially shocked and in disbelief, she slowly realizes he may be her one true love.[48]
Alex Cross 2012 Film Based on the book Cross, this film was distributed by Summit Entertainment and directed by Rob Cohen. It stars Tyler Perry in the title role of Alex Cross, and was released on October 19, 2012.
Zoo 2015 TV Drama series based on the 2012 novel of the same name by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge.
Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life 2016 Film This children's film centers around lead character Rafe Khatchadorian's middle school years.[49]
Instinct 2018 TV This police procedural television series,[50][51] based on Murder Games,[52][53][54][55] premiered on March 18, 2018 on CBS, and focuses on openly gay author, university professor and former CIA paramilitary officer Dr. Dylan Reinhart (Alan Cumming) and New York police detective Elizabeth Needham (Bojana Novakovic).[56]
James Patterson Biography
Author (1947–)
UPDATED:DEC 9, 2019ORIGINAL:MAR 11, 2016
James Patterson is a prolific author of thrillers, mysteries, young adult novels and more. His first successful series featured psychologist Alex Cross.
Who Is James Patterson?
Born on March 22, 1947, in Newburgh, New York, James Patterson is a prolific author who has written detective stories, thrillers, science fiction, romance and young adult novels. His first book was published in 1976; 20 years later he left his advertising career to focus on writing. Patterson holds the Guinness World Record for having the most books on The New York Times' best-seller list.
Early Years
Author James B. Patterson was born in Newburgh, New York, on March 22, 1947. Patterson was a good student but didn't enjoy reading until after he graduated high school. He attended Manhattan College as an undergraduate before starting coursework for a master's degree in English literature at Vanderbilt University. Patterson left Vanderbilt after a year, and then took a job as a copywriter at ad agency J. Walter Thompson in 1971.
Success and 'Alex Cross' Series
Though Patterson climbed the company ranks, eventually becoming its North American CEO, he also wrote fiction in his spare time. His first published book, The Thomas Berryman Number, came out in 1976. It won an Edgar Award, a top prize for mystery writers.
Patterson penned several other novels, but it was not until 1993 that he achieved breakout success with Along Came a Spider. Patterson used his work experience to orchestrate a television ad campaign for the novel, which helped it become a best seller. In 1996, Patterson left his life as an executive in order to focus on writing.
Many of Patterson’s books have featured Detective Alex Cross, the protagonist of Spider. Other Cross books include Kiss the Girls (1995), Pop Goes the Weasel (1999), Violets Are Blue (2001), Mary, Mary (2005) and Cross My Heart (2013). Both Morgan Freeman and Tyler Perry have portrayed Alex Cross in movie adaptations.
Varied Genres
Patterson has also written a number of books about a New York City detective, Michael Bennett, with 10 adopted children. Another popular Patterson series is Women's Murder Club, which was adapted into a short-lived TV show in 2007. Patterson’s repertoire extends to romance novels, science fiction, historical fiction and even nonfiction. In addition, he has authored books for younger readers, with series such as Maximum Ride and Witch & Wizard. Whatever the genre, Patterson is known for writing involving, page-turning stories.
Writing Process and Records
Patterson's name appears on more books than most other authors; he released 13 books in both 2013 and 2012, and 14 books in 2011. Patterson’s prolific output is achieved with the help of co-authors. His first co-authored work was Miracle on the 17th Green (1996), written with Peter de Jonge. He later teamed with former U.S. President Bill Clinton to pen the thriller The President Is Missing, published in 2018.
When working with another writer, Patterson first writes an extensive outline, which is then sent to the co-author. The co-author produces a first draft, with Patterson keeping an eye on the story's progression and handling revisions before the book is published.
In 2010, Patterson earned a place in the Guinness World Records as the first author to sell more than 1 million e-books, and his ever-growing number of New York Times best sellers — he'd already accumulated 114 of them according to a May 2015 article in the Times — is another Guinness record. As of January 2016, he had sold more than 350 million books worldwide.
Patterson earns millions each year for his work, and his success in brand management even became a case study at Harvard Business School.
Personal Life and Honors
Patterson married Sue Solie in 1997; the two had a son, Jack, the following year. Belief in the importance of helping children learn to love reading compelled Patterson to set up ReadKiddoRead.com. The website advises parents about selecting books for their children.
In 2015, Patterson was awarded the National Book Foundation's Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community. That year, he also donated $1.75 million to public school libraries and $1 million to independent bookstores throughout the U.S.
In 2019, President Donald Trump awarded Patterson the National Humanities Medal.
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Citation Information
Article Title
James Patterson Biography
Author
Biography.com Editors
Website Name
The Biography.com website
URL
https://www.biography.com/writer/james-patterson
Access Date
February 10, 2020
Publisher
A&E Television Networks
Last Updated
December 9, 2019
Original Published Date
April 2, 2014
Seegert, Scott SCI-FI JUNIOR HIGH Jimmy Patterson/Little, Brown (Children's Fiction) $13.99 2, 21 ISBN: 978-0-316-31516-6
Kelvin Klosmo goes to the wacky Sci-Fi Junior High.Kelvin has moved to a new intergalactic space station so that his genius parents can continue their important research. Kelvin is nervous about attending a new school. Everyone expects the product of two geniuses to be twice as smart, but Kelvin's brains haven't quite snapped into place just yet. The white human boy's classmates are a diverse crew of extraterrestrial life forms amusingly brought to life in Martin's comic panels. (The book's intraspecies diversity is not as rich as what's found in many other middle-grade sci-fi books, such as Stuart Gibbs' Moon Base Alpha series.) The book unfurls per middle school drama formula: there's an annoying principal, weird kids, and a pretty (nonhuman) girl, but absent is the character work that makes such James Patterson outings as Jacky Ha-Ha (with co-author Chris Grabenstein, 2016) or Middle School, the Worst Years of My Life (with co-author Chris Tibbetts, 2011) stand apart. This installment in Patterson's empire does not have that magic. Kelvin, his family, and his friends seem to have little interior life, and a subplot involving a nefarious ne'er-do-well goes nowhere. Echoes of comic books, Star Wars, and 1950s sci-fi classics resound, but their influence is not enough to make the book come alive. A cosmic misfire. (Science fiction. 8-10)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Seegert, Scott: SCI-FI JUNIOR HIGH." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Nov. 2016. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A468389091/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=40b8b281. Accessed 10 Feb. 2020.
Expelled. By James Patterson and Emily Raymond. Oct. 2017.304p. Little, Brown/JIMMY Patterson, $17.99 (9780316440394). Gr. 9-12.
Sasha, Theo, Jude, and Parker have all been expelled because of a scandalous picture that was posted on Theo's anonymous, anti-school Twitter account. Theo won't stand for the injustice--he knows that he and his fellow classmates were wrongfully accused, and he intends to find out who wanted to ruin their futures. But as he dives deeper into his documentary investigation, he realizes the reason behind their expulsion is much darker than he could have ever imagined. Patterson and Raymond succeed in creating a Breakfast Club-like novel for a new generation, filled with mysteries and twists right up until the very end. Told from Theo's point of view, the four different stories of Theo, Sasha, Jude, and Parker are expertly woven together and peppered with allusions to popular culture that teens will enjoy. Though the ending of the book seems a little rushed, fans of Pretty Little Liars will be hooked in this drama, which takes full advantage of Patterson's trademark short chapters and rapid pace. --Amanda Shepard
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association
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Shepard, Amanda. "Expelled." Booklist, 1 Aug. 2017, p. 58. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A501718885/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=cb4bc638. Accessed 10 Feb. 2020.
Expelled
James Patterson and Emily Raymond. LB/Patterson, $17.99 (304p) ISBN 978-0-316-44039-4
Patterson and Raymond (The Lost) again join forces to produce a contemporary novel with a little something for everyone. Combining tragedy, mystery, romance, and amateur sleuthing, the book shows how four teens expelled from their high school form unlikely friendships while trying to get to the bottom of an incident involving a compromising photo. Theo Foster, the editor of the school newspaper, is accused of posting the picture of football star Parker via an anonymous Twitter account, but he is determined to prove his innocence. Joining Theo on his mission are his fellow expulsion victims: school mascot Jude, beautiful and unpredictable Sasha (whom Theo has loved from afar for years), and Parker himself, who now attends a private school. During the course of Theo's investigation, which involves filmed interviews, he discovers that Sasha and Parker are more complex than they seem and, like him, are struggling with problems that go beyond getting kicked out of school. Reminiscent of The Breakfast Club, the story challenges stereotyped perspectives of teens while providing clues to the characters' motives and secret conflicts. Ages 15-up. (Oct.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
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"Expelled." Publishers Weekly, 28 Aug. 2017, p. 131. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A502652705/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=b1a42f96. Accessed 10 Feb. 2020.
Patterson, James UNBELIEVABLY BORING BART Jimmy Patterson/Little, Brown (Children's Fiction) $13.99 9, 3 ISBN: 978-0-316-41153-0
Bart hides behind a boring facade while secretly working on a video game.
Though Bart claims to be boring, frequent illustrations of the inventive ways Bart sees the world mark him as entertaining from the start. Then Bart discloses that he's been tasked with defending the Earth against an invasion of the tech-eating Lerkians--only to reveal the phone app he uses to do so is really a game he's invented that takes inspiration from his difficulties with bullies. When the game goes viral, Bart finds himself spending all of his time debugging it, which comes between him and his only friend--a cyberschooled girl who lives in his apartment building but whom he talks to only via a Snapchat-esque app. With the announcement that a popular YouTube channel will be coming to town to cover Bart's game, Bart decides to use the show and his proceeds to get revenge on his three bullies--but the turnabout doesn't work out as he hopes. The bullying storylines play out with nuance--though neither the bullies nor Bart face official consequences for their actions, the interactions lead to introspection and growth. Introverted, white Bart is happy that people like his game, but he prefers a smaller friendship circle--especially his neighbor friend, who is eventually revealed to be a girl of color with disabilities.
Wish fulfillment with surprising meat. (Fiction. 7-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Patterson, James: UNBELIEVABLY BORING BART." Kirkus Reviews, 15 June 2018. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A543008836/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=88149a1a. Accessed 10 Feb. 2020.
Patterson, James NOT SO NORMAL NORBERT Jimmy Patterson/Little, Brown (Children's Fiction) $13.99 7, 2 ISBN: 978-0-316-46541-0
In the United State of Earth, where difference is a disease and creativity is a crime, Norbert cracks a joke--big mistake.
Seventh-grader Norbert Riddle lives a dreary life in Loving Leader's authoritarian regime, unsuccessfully searching for his parents since they disappeared seven years ago. When he impetuously performs an impression of Loving Leader for his classmates, the Truth Police descend, and Norbert is exiled to "the Astro-Nuts prison on planet Zorquat Three." Clocking in at 300-plus pages with little real action or humor, this attempt at a humorous twist on the dystopian genre falls short across the board. With just a glimpse of the dictatorship compared to the vast majority of the book describing the prison, some readers will have a difficult time inhabiting Norbert's perspective--is an ice cream sundae unusual because it's breakfast or because it's something he's never had before? Stilted phrasing, particularly to create tension at the end of chapters, backfires and makes the text drag. Constant use of language casually dismissive of mental diversity assumes an outmoded sensibility. Primary characters are described by hair color and have (paper-) white skin in the illustrations.
Not nearly as nonconformist--or funny--as the title promises. (Dystopian adventure. 8-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Patterson, James: NOT SO NORMAL NORBERT." Kirkus Reviews, 15 June 2018. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A543008741/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=f11ecb47. Accessed 10 Feb. 2020.
Patterson, James MAX EINSTEIN Jimmy Patterson/Little, Brown (Children's Fiction) $14.99 10, 8 ISBN: 978-0-316-52396-7
A homeless genius orphan is recruited by one organization and hunted by another.
Twelve-year-old orphan Max Einstein never knew her parents, is obsessed with Albert Einstein, lives in a squat above some Central Park stables alongside other good-natured down-on-their-luck types, and attends NYU using fabricated records. Her cozy existence is shattered when the powerful Dr. Zimm and the mysterious Corp target her. Luckily, she's swept off to Israel, where she meets a group of highly diverse, multicultural fellow child prodigies, the other "contestants" at the Change Makers Institute. (Max is white.) The CMI's testing them to find a visionary genius prodigy to lead world-improving projects, but Max has more interest in their aims than their tests. (While the book celebrates curiosity and learning, it also repeatedly rebukes standardized tests in favor of creativity and daydreams.) Max takes advantage of a chance to make friends her own age, while the Corp--with an alluded connection to Max's past--closes in on her. Once a winner's selected and a team formed, it's off to the Congo on a mission to bring solar power to a village in hopes of encouraging African investors in industries other than mining (which uses child laborers). Max's morality, love for humanity, and free spirit make a refreshing counter to the familiar computerlike, elitist genius archetype; evasion scenes bring thrills; problem-solving provides delightful role-modeling. The ending promises a sequel.
A fun, positive book with plenty of heart. (Thriller. 8-12)
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"Patterson, James: MAX EINSTEIN." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Aug. 2018. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A548137810/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=c75ce1b1. Accessed 10 Feb. 2020.
Unbelievably Boring Bart
James Patterson and Duane Swierczynski, illus. by Xavier Bonet. Little, Brown/Patterson, $13.99 (272p) ISBN 978-0-316-41153-0
This illustrated novel blends coding, video games, aliens, and bullies into one snarky stew. Bartholomew Bean, unassuming new kid at school, wears his self-given title of "most boring middle schooler in the universe" like a badge of honor. That's because he's concealing a thrilling secret project: a virtual reality game app. "Boring Bart" endures transgressions from three school bullies all day, and at home brushes off bonding attempts from his sports-obsessed father in favor of tweaking his game. When his app goes viral, Bart wrestles with whether to reveal his identity and use the app to get back at his tormentors. A frenzied denouement--livestreamed for all to see--sort of allows both. Patterson and Swierczynski pepper their text with tech terms and serve up breezy pacing and of-the-moment subject matter. Bart's narration sometimes has an overly knowing tone that can prove grating, but its teamwork-themed conclusion is laudable, and the final pages nicely tee up Bart's promised next outing. Ages 8-12. (Sept.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC
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"Unbelievably Boring Bart." Publishers Weekly, 13 Aug. 2018, p. 68. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A550998468/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=c1dfbd5c. Accessed 10 Feb. 2020.
Patterson, James DOG DIARIES Jimmy Patterson/Little, Brown (Children's Fiction) $9.99 12, 3 ISBN: 978-0-316-48748-1
Junior is a dog of great enthusiasm.
Recently adopted from the animal shelter by Mom-Lady, he's the happy owner of a pet human boy he calls Ruff. Ruff is a good human. He lets Junior sleep on his bed, takes him for walks to the dog park (neighborhood map included), and seems unperturbed by Junior's ever-so-doggy ways. Unfortunately, Junior accidentally gets away at the dog park and causes all sorts of amusing pandemonium, very annoying to nasty professional dog trainer Iona Stricker. She presents Ruff with an ultimatum: either train his unruly dog (in her class), or she will have Junior returned to the shelter. Junior--once he learns what's needed--is happy to comply, until his enthusiasm gets the better of him once again. Related in Junior's endearingly canine first-dog voice, the tale is a quick one, accompanied by Watson's numerous cartoon illustrations that perfectly capture Junior's whimsical attitude. A healthy serving of mild bathroom humor should appeal to the intended audience. After all, who doesn't like to hear of a dog using Ruff's sister's shoes for a latrine? The few human characters all appear to be the white default. The broad humor and fast pace will likely entice many a reader turned off by longer, more deliberative tales. Activities and a "Doglish" glossary are included.
This series opener is a romp in the park. (Fiction. 7-11)
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"Patterson, James: DOG DIARIES." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Oct. 2018. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A557887195/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=470ea0e4. Accessed 10 Feb. 2020.
Max Einstein: The Genius Experiment
James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein, authors
Read by Andrea Emmes
Hachette Audio
1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104
www.HachetteAudio.com
9781549170225 $23.00 amazon.com
Max Einstein: The Genius Experiment is an audiobook for young adults about an exceptionally bright 12-year-old girl. Max Einstein is attending college at a young age, likes to play speed chess in the park, and creates inventions to help the homeless. Then she recruited by a mysterious organization, which seeks to harness the genius of her and others like her around the world in order to tackle humanity's toughest problems. But a shadowy outfit known as the Corporation also has a greedy interest in her brilliance! Upbeat, tongue-in-cheek, and just plain fun, Max Einstein: The Genius Experiment is highly recommended for personal and public library YA audiobook collections. 5 CDs, 5.5 hours.
Please Note: Illustration(s) are not available due to copyright restrictions.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/cbw/index.htm
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"Max Einstein: The Genius Experiment." Children's Bookwatch, Dec. 2018. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A569113819/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=c3de62a2. Accessed 10 Feb. 2020.
Patterson, James KATT VS. DOGG Jimmy Patterson/Little, Brown (Children's Fiction) $13.99 4, 1 ISBN: 978-0-316-41156-1
An age-old rivalry is reluctantly put aside when two young vacationers are lost in the wilderness.
Anthropomorphic--in body if definitely not behavior--Dogg Scout Oscar and pampered Molly Hissleton stray from their separate camps, meet by chance in a trackless magic forest, and almost immediately recognize that their only chance of survival, distasteful as the notion may be, lies in calling a truce. Patterson and Grabenstein really work the notion here that cooperation is better than prejudice founded on ignorance and habit, interspersing explicit exchanges on the topic while casting the squabbling pair with complementary abilities that come out as they face challenges ranging from finding food to escaping such predators as a mountain lion and a pack of vicious "weaselboars." By the time they cross a wide river (on a raft steered by "Old Jim," an otter whose homespun utterances are generally cribbed from Mark Twain--an uneasy reference) back to civilization, the two are BFFs. But can that friendship survive the return, with all the social and familial pressures to resume the old enmity? A climactic cage-match-style confrontation before a worked-up multispecies audience provides the answer. In the illustrations (not seen in finished form) Lopez plops wide-eyed animal heads atop clothed, more or less human forms and adds dialogue balloons for punchlines.
A waggish tale with a serious (and timely) theme. (Fantasy. 9-11)
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"Patterson, James: KATT VS. DOGG." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Jan. 2019. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A569224507/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=26c529d6. Accessed 10 Feb. 2020.
Katt vs. Dogg
James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein, illus. by Anuki Lopez. Little, Brown/Patterson, $13.99 (320p) ISBN 978-0-316-41156-1
An anthropomorphic feline katt and canine dogg family immediately clash after arriving at Western Frontier Park for vacation. The characters personify stereotypes associated with their species, most markedly the refined, uppity katt patriarch and the uncouth, cantankerous dogg father. Caustic, patchily comical mutual insults fly freely in both the narrative and speech balloons within Lopez's wryly exaggerated cartoons, at times growing tedious. When Oscar (a Dogg Scout who has earned 14 badges, "most of them for chewing different things") and feline Molly (an aspiring actress who idolizes "Kattalie Portman and Katty Purry") meet while lost in the forest, they declare a temporary truce, and by pooling their instinctive talents and relying on the kindness of wild, ironically civilized animals, manage to elude predators--including the "weaselboar," one of multiple droll hybrid creatures--and wend their way home. The authors pointedly postpone a conciliatory ending, as Oscar and Molly revert to their inherited animosity before following their consciences and taking a stand against ingrained, senseless hatred. This mash-up of farce, fable, and slapstick ultimately delivers a profound and relevant message. Ages 8-12. (Apr.)
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"Katt vs. Dogg." Publishers Weekly, 11 Feb. 2019, p. 70. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A575753405/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=a51f9408. Accessed 10 Feb. 2020.
Katt vs. Dogg.
By James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein. Illus. by Anuki Lopez.
Apr. 2019.320p. Little, Brown/JIMMY Patterson, $13.99 (9780316411561); e-book, $9.99 (9780316411585). Gr. 4-7.
Doggs and katts hate each other, as everyone knows. It's an enmity that becomes more evident when Oscar, a happy-go-lucky dogg, and Mollie, a snooty katt, simultaneously vacation with their families at Western Frontier Park. Oscar and Mollie independently get lost in the woods, but they encounter each other while fleeing a mountain lion. Their sniping gradually fades as they realize they must work together to survive. They encounter nasty hybrid animals in the woods, like weaselboars, but other wild animals help them. When they finally make it back to camp, their parents are so busy hating each other that they don't even let the kids explain. Oscar and Mollie may have had to form an alliance in the woods, but now that they're back with their families, will the biases they've been raised with take over? Extra humor is layered in through the cartoon illustrations as this timely anthropomorphic tale conveys how hatred and prejudice can be overcome.--Sharon Rawlins
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
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Rawlins, Sharon. "Katt vs. Dogg." Booklist, 1 Apr. 2019, p. 72. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A581731397/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=68a05bce. Accessed 10 Feb. 2020.
Patterson, James REBELS WITH A CAUSE Jimmy Patterson/Little, Brown (Children's Fiction) $14.99 9, 9 ISBN: 978-0-316-48816-7
Max Einstein is "the smartest girl in the world." But is she smart enough to solve the globe's most pressing problems?
The child genius is in hiding in New York City, and she's bored out of her mind. The leader of a group of child geniuses that formed the Change Makers Institute, Max normally spends her time traveling around the world trying to solve the Earth's most devastating problems. But after evil Dr. Zimm, founder and leader of the nefarious organization called the Corp, tried to kidnap her in series opener The Genius Experiment (2018), she was forced to go into hiding. When her friend and fellow genius Siobhan asks Max to join her on a mission to Siobhan's home country of Ireland, where water contamination is making Siobhan's family and friends sick, Max finally gets a chance to get back in the game. But as she travels from Ireland to India with her group of friends, trying to solve water-contamination and -shortage issues, she's also running away from the Corp, a reality that makes Max wonder if her presence on the team--and the solutions she devises--are doing more harm than good. This fast-paced story features a diverse team of protagonists that realistically tackles some of the world's most pressing social-justice issues. While it is mostly entertaining, the insertion of scientific principles and ethical considerations often feels out of place and heavy handed, and some of the details included about India are incorrect.
Overall, a fun read that could have benefited from less preaching and more background research. (Thriller. 9-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Patterson, James: REBELS WITH A CAUSE." Kirkus Reviews, 15 May 2019. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A585227144/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=c77d406f. Accessed 10 Feb. 2020.
Patterson, James REBELS WITH A CAUSE Jimmy Patterson/Little, Brown (Children's Fiction) $14.99 9, 9 ISBN: 978-0-316-48816-7
Max Einstein is "the smartest girl in the world." But is she smart enough to solve the globe's most pressing problems?
The child genius is in hiding in New York City, and she's bored out of her mind. The leader of a group of child geniuses that formed the Change Makers Institute, Max normally spends her time traveling around the world trying to solve the Earth's most devastating problems. But after evil Dr. Zimm, founder and leader of the nefarious organization called the Corp, tried to kidnap her in series opener The Genius Experiment (2018), she was forced to go into hiding. When her friend and fellow genius Siobhan asks Max to join her on a mission to Siobhan's home country of Ireland, where water contamination is making Siobhan's family and friends sick, Max finally gets a chance to get back in the game. But as she travels from Ireland to India with her group of friends, trying to solve water-contamination and -shortage issues, she's also running away from the Corp, a reality that makes Max wonder if her presence on the team--and the solutions she devises--are doing more harm than good. This fast-paced story features a diverse team of protagonists that realistically tackles some of the world's most pressing social-justice issues. While it is mostly entertaining, the insertion of scientific principles and ethical considerations often feels out of place and heavy handed, and some of the details included about India are incorrect.
Overall, a fun read that could have benefited from less preaching and more background research. (Thriller. 9-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Patterson, James: REBELS WITH A CAUSE." Kirkus Reviews, 15 May 2019. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A585227144/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=c77d406f. Accessed 10 Feb. 2020.
Patterson, James ALI CROSS Jimmy Patterson/Little, Brown (Children's Fiction) $16.99 11, 25 ISBN: 978-0-316-53041-5
The prolific king of the beach read is back with an intergenerational mystery for the 9-to-12-year-old set.
Ali Cross, the son of Patterson's most famous creation, African American homicide detective Alex Cross, is "starting to think the worst might have happened" to his mixed-race friend Gabriel "Gabe" Qualls, who disappeared on Dec. 21 and hasn't been heard from as of Christmas Eve, when the book opens. Ali offers an impromptu prayer for Gabe at the pre-holiday service at his all-black church as well as an impromptu press conference outside of it as journalists and paparazzi confront Alex about his alleged coma-inducing assault of a murder suspect's father. Then someone robs the Crosses' home that night along with four other homes; the Crosses' Christmas gifts are stolen. Ali, obsessed with finding Gabe and feeling that these events will distract his dad and the police from searching for him, starts his own investigation--complete with looking at some contraband footage of Gabe's unusually loaded backpack obtained by Ali's stepmother, also a cop--and questioning his school and gaming pals, a diverse group. Writing in Ali's voice with occasional cutaways to third-person chapters that follow Alex, Patterson sprinkles the narrative with pop-culture references even as he takes readers through the detective process.
Written in workhorse prose, it's an amiable enough read. (Mystery. 9-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Patterson, James: ALI CROSS." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Aug. 2019. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A596269726/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=8915a32c. Accessed 10 Feb. 2020.
Ali Cross. By James Patterson. Nov. 2019.272p. Little, BrownUIMMY Patterson, $16.99 (9780316530415); e-book, $9.99 (9780316530422). Gr. 4-7.
Ali knows about being a respected detective--his dad is the famous Alex Cross. So when Alis friend Gabe goes missing, he fears the worst. A string of burglaries look like a child-size accomplice may be involved, so Ali wonders if Gabe is being forced to participate. When Ali makes contact with Gabe, he's warned to stop searching for his own good. Patterson may have forgotten his audience, as some chapters are narrated by Alex Cross--a character most readers are not going to recognize. These chapters exist as a somewhat clumsy device to help Ali "discover" things no young detective could realistically discover on his own (surveillance from street cameras, anyone?). However, there are highlights in Alis first case, such as creatively using an immersive video game environment the preteens are addicted to as a way to communicate with Gabe. Ali is a flawed detective, often rushing into danger without thinking, which makes him more likable. If young readers can get past the dad chapters, they'll find much to like in this first installment.--Lindsey Tomsu
HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Patterson's banking on the runaway success of his Alex Cross series to spill over into this middle-grade series starter, and with a hefty marketing campaign, he just might be right.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
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Tomsu, Lindsey. "Ali Cross." Booklist, 15 Sept. 2019, p. 54. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A602232073/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=b43138be. Accessed 10 Feb. 2020.
Happy Howlidays! A Middle School Story (Dog Diaries #2)
James Patterson with Steven Butler, illus. by Richard Watson. LB/Patterson, $9.99 (240p) ISBN 978-0-316-45618-0
Junior, the garrulous canine star of Dog Diaries: A Middle School Story, makes the most of his "first-ever Howliday Season" in his festive and funny second outing. He celebrates the spirit of "Fangsgiving" by offering the "baldy bird" a gift--a plastic toy he sneaks into its cavity--necessitating a menu change from turkey to takeout pizza ("Yep... I'm pretty sure I actually saved the day"). As "Crittermess" approaches, Junior's exuberance escalates and his rat-a-tat monologue accelerates as he shares his comical perspectives on holiday traditions: "The happy-looking ted guy" is named "Saint Lick and he lives up a pole someplace"; and, enthusiastically crooning with his humans on a street corner, he observes, "I have no idea who Carol is or why we're singing to her, but I think it's going to be a humdinger of a night." A Junior-orchestrated Christmas Eve debacle crowns this jolly, energetically illustrated jaunt for readers fond of doggy puns. Ages 7-12. (Oct.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 PWxyz, LLC
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"Happy Howlidays! A Middle School Story (Dog Diaries #2)." Publishers Weekly, 7 Oct. 2019, p. 151. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A602488041/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=f9139129. Accessed 10 Feb. 2020.
Patterson, James MISSION IMPAWSIBLE Jimmy Patterson/Little, Brown (Children's Fiction) $9.99 3, 30 ISBN: 978-0-316-49447-2
That large, unruly dog Junior is back for a third funny outing, this time getting left behind at a posh but sadly vegetarian dog kennel when his family goes on vacation.
Just as soon as Junior overhears the plans for a family vacation in Hollywood, he begins to make his own preparations, vividly imagining a place where all the "streets are paved with sausage meat" and where, of course, he'll quickly be discovered as a superstar. He and his doggy friends are crushed to later find that their families' vacation plans don't include them. Initially, Barking Meadows, with its spa treatments and cushion-filled kennel, seems to offer a fine alternative--until the dogs discover that the vegetarian food is, well, made of vegetables! What dog wants to eat celery and broccoli frittata? Desperate for a proper meal, a determined Junior takes it upon himself to lead the escape attempts. As usual, this exuberant canine has plenty of harebrained schemes, bringing just enough intelligence to bear to create laugh-out-loud situations. This action-driven book offers little character development, but it hardly matters since it's all about the silliness, including a pinch of bathroom humor, just right for the audience. Large, clear print and plentiful illustrations make this a fine choice for transitioning readers with funny bones to tickle. Watson depicts Junior's family as white, but some secondary human characters are people of color.
Another doggie delight. (Fantasy. 6-9)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Patterson, James: MISSION IMPAWSIBLE." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Jan. 2020. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A609998969/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=9f625c09. Accessed 10 Feb. 2020.