The Complete Great Brain Series

This entire series is absolutely ideal for young boys reading at a higher reading level.

As a girl, I grew up reading many books with strong female central characters. I loved L'Engle, Ingalls, Alcott, Nesbit, etc. As a mom, I had no ideas for books of a similar nature, only for boys.

The Great Brain series was a perfect match. Not fluffy, yet humorous. No overly simplistic language, but not dense in the slightest sense.

The characters and their adventures carry you though the books (which is always a great sign, yes?) and leave you wanting more.

The reading level is fairly high (6th grade perhaps?) — but the content is perfectly appropriate for a younger reader (3rd or 4th grade).

Absolutely Flashlight Worthy.

The Great Brain shows that he's more than just grey matter. T.D. Fitzgerald gets wrapped up in his most dangerous caper ever, but in the end discovers that what he feels might be more satisfying than what he thinks. Of all the series, this one was my favorite.

Tom Fitzgerald, alias The Great Brain, is back, struggling to stay reformed now that his friends have threatened to ostracize him if he pulls even one more swindle. But his brother J.D. knows Tom's reformation is too good to be true, and as a reformed Great Brain makes for a dull life, J.D. is not altogether unhappy when his brother's money-loving heart stealthily returns to business as usual. Under the watchful eyes of parents and friends, Tom has to be craftier than ever, and indeed he is. Whether he's cleverly pulling an out-and-out swindle so as not to be caught or solving a train robbery and murder, he was so risktaker. Tom's Great Brain never fails.