Framed!

FRAMED by Gordon Korman (Scholastic, September 2010) is the third novel in a trilogy about Griffin Bing and his pals. This story follows them to middle school. Unfortunately, trouble seems to have followed them as well. Soon, Griffin stands accused of stealing a Super Bowl ring from a display case at school. Never someone to let a simple thing like being accused of a crime keep him down, Griffin pulls together his pals: Ben who is always accompanied by a ferret who nips him when Ben's narcolepsy kicks in; Logan, the Laurence Olivier of the middle school stage; Savannah, friend to the animals in the neighborhood; Pitch, she of amazing athletic talent; and Melissa, tech guru. Can this team figure out a way to prove Griffin is innocent?

Short chapters, lots of action and (mis)adventure, plus humor in large portions make this a terrific choice for reading aloud and for booktalking. This book stood alone, but reading it did make me want to go back and track down its companions. I suspect that will be true for tweens as well.