The Bad Apple (Merits of Mischief)

The Bad Apple (Merits of Mischief)

By T. R. Burns

1 rating 2 reviews 2 followers
Interest LevelReading LevelReading A-ZATOSWord Count
Grades 4 - 8Grades 3 - 5n/a4.559733
The start of a mischievous new middle-grade series has trouble written all over it.

Twelve-year-old Seamus Hinkle is a good kid with a perfect school record—until the day he accidently kills his substitute teacher with an apple.
     Seamus is immediately shipped off to a detention facility—only to discover that Kilter Academy is actually a school to mold future Troublemakers, where demerits are awarded as a prize for bad behavior and each student is tasked to pull various pranks on their teachers in order to excel. Initially determined to avoid any more mishaps, Seamus nonetheless inadvertently emerges as a uniquely skilled troublemaker. Together with new friends Lemon and Elinor, he rises to the top of his class while beginning to discover that Kilter Academy has some major secrets and surprises in store….
Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks
Published on 6/4/2013
Binding: Paperback

Book Reviews (2)

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Seamus Hinkle didn't mean to become a troublemaker. He didn't even mean to kill his substitute teacher, Ms. Parsippany. He only threw the apple across the cafeteria to stop the trouble. But things took a turn for the worse, and now Seamus is in reform school. Which isn't reform school at all. Kilter Academy is a place for Troublemakers: at Kilter Academy, they don't make you a "Good Samaritan". They make you even bigger troublemakers, and to pass each semester you have to prank each and every one of your teachers. All of the teachers are expecting great things from him since he is Kilter's first murderer, but Seamus doesn't want to be a Troublemaker. But, despite his effort to earn Gold Stars (the equivalent of demerits for non-troublemakers), he keeps earning demerits and is rising to the top of his class. In a very exciting and hilarious start to the Merits Of Mischief series, will Seamus pass the first semester and achieve his goal of getting Mr. Tempest with his new group, the Capital T's? Will everyone learn about Seamus' secret; why he's at Kilter? My thoughts: I thought this was a great book. The cover is incredible; I have almost read all of the books Gilbert Ford has illustrated because the cover is so epic (#awesomeartist). I thought the storyline was very unique and enjoyable; I have never come across a story like this one. I think Seamus has something that most of us can relate to: trying to help out but instead turning out with a bad outcome, making us regret doing what we did. I really wonder how T.R. Burns (Tricia Rayburn) thought up a story like this one. Her writing is incredible, and the description is amazing. This book is definitely a gem that all fans of trouble and humor should read! XanderStars: Action: 7 out of 10 Stars Suspense: 8 out of 10 Stars Well-Written: 9 out of 10 Stars Page-Turning: 9 out of 10 Stars Overall: 9 out of 10 Stars XXPISH