Highly recommended. I enjoyed it and so did my 10 and 13 yr old sons. Some of it may have been over their head but I got the jokes and laughed out loud while I was reading. If only this story was true!

MY 11 YR. OLD SON REALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK. PERFECT FOR HIS AGE GROUP SINCE THEY CAN NOW MOW THE LAWN AND START MAKING SOME MONEY AT IT. REALLY IMPRESSED AT HOW THE CHARACTER IN THIS BOOK IS VERY MOTIVATED TO WORK!!! BACK TO THE BASICS, NO VIDEO GAMES, JUST A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE FOR YOUNG TEEN BOYS.

Once again, Amazon was able to recommend a book that my son loved. I used to say that I had a son that didn't enjoy reading, but I feel like I can't say that anymore. He loved this story and kept reading parts out loud to the rest of the family. We all ended up reading and enjoying it. The main character is very easy to relate to and the author did an amazing job getting the reader to understand the character's problems and emotions. This book is a must read for all kids!!

The narrator inherits an old lawn mower and starts a lawn mowing business. Before he knows it, he's got more business than he can handle and a hippie stockbroker making investments for him. Each chapter title has something to do with an economic principle and we are taken along on the ride as the young narrator learns more than he ever wanted to learn about capitalism.

Very quick read. Cute.

I was excited to order this book for my 12 year-old son as I attempt to encourage his entrepreneurial skills. I was hopeful that the book would be engaging and educational (In the back of my mind I had "The Goal" -- a novel used by many business schools to teach business concepts). This book started out strong and did introduce a few concepts in a pretty clear manner. However, I felt the ending was lacking. The conclusion was completely unrealistic and, if one of the goals of the book was to teach, the ending may have cost credibility throughout as it really missed the mark. I do give the book credit for being engaging. It is an easy read. However, the book sparked no conversation from my son--I didn't see him running out to start a business. The motivation that I had hoped for didn't come. Buy it for entertainment, not for motivation or education.

I got this book because the story sounded really interesting, and it is. It's really poorly written though, which was disappointing. It could have been much better

My 9 1/2 year old nephew started out enthusiastically on this book, but was soon daunted by the high falutin finances that took over. Not a book for every kid.

This is a hilarious story! I literally laughed out loud. I'm reading it to my fourth graders, and even though they don't understand all of the stock market lingo, they too are really enjoying the story. I'm hoping Mr. Paulsen writes a follow-up. I love this book!

My son is 9 and rather picky on what he reads. He is a big fan of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, in one of the reviews a parent was saying it had a similar writing style. So I took a chance and bought it, that parent was right on! My son LOVES this book, the way it's written and I have been told several times how funny it is and how up to date it is. He loved that the Grandma was watching CSI! Also, I liked that is is a full blown chapter book, no comics or anything and the words are perfect for a 3rd or 4th grade fun read. Highly Recommend this author!

Lawn Boy was a cute, if unbelievable, story. Youth and some young adults will get a kick out of it. I didn't think it was one of Gary Paulsen's best, however.

We used this book in a 3rd grade book club. The kids loved the book. They found it easy to read and enjoyed the length of each chapter since each chapter was short, they met with success. The topic of stocks was above them and probably better suited for a 4th or 5th grader. But they did identify with making money since most had jobs around the house that they earned money for and they were doing an economy lesson in school at the time so some of the concepts really reinforced what they were doing in class.

The other nice thing about this book is that it is contemporary to their lives, many of the books we have read in book club are great works of litature but they were written a lot of years before their time. This was a book that talked about current tv shows and things have happened in recent times.

My first real summer job was working at a fudge shop in Northern Michigan. I scooped some ice cream, rolled some waffle cones, earned minimum wage and was thrilled. The unnamed narrator in "Lawn Boy" happens upon a similarly ordinary summer gig: mowing lawns. The whirlwind of events that follow in Gary Paulsen's latest probably make Lawn Boy wish he could be carefree and elbow deep in some butter pecan.

The story begins as our hero inherits a riding lawn mower from his grandmother - pretty unassuming stuff, right? A neighbor inquires about the cost of getting his lawn cut, and that is how it all begins. There is a lot of business to be had. Before he knows it, lawn boy is hiring employees and investing his money with the help of a neighbor/hippy/stockbroker named Arnold. Soon thereafter Prizefighter Joey Pow enters the mix, and things really start to get interesting. Mo' money, mo' problems. When the dust settles, Lawn Boy realizes that his summer job was a valuable experience in more ways than one.

This title wears the "fast, entertaining read" badge proudly. Paulsen keeps the action moving while introducing youngsters to some basic financial principles. Where I'm from (London, circa 1910), this is also called the "spoonful of sugar technique". A quality fiction selection. Readers should enjoy this almost as much as a double waffle cone.

My 10 year old son (who does not particularly like to read) loved this book. He read it in less than a week (it is only 88 pages), and would frequently talk about it - telling us what was going on in the story - the boy starts a lawn mowing business and one of his clients invests the money for him. We would get daily updates as to how much money the boy has now. It also sparked some discussion as to how savings, investing and 401Ks and other retirement accounts work. Not your normal dinner conversation with a 10 yr old. A great find for any boy that is into lawn mowers or entrepenurship!

I really enjoyed reading this book together with my 9 year old who is an advanced reader. I don't know if he really absorbed what was actually happening when the stock grew and eventually split, but he did understand the boy was making money in stocks and was exposed to new financial terms, which is a good start.

A short paragraph about the previous lawn mower in the neighborhood (evidently not a child) running off with the wife of one of his customers was unnecessary. I would have preferred this idea not be introduced and I read past it without drawing attention to it.

When it comes to money, emotions are always involved. The boy continually frets about telling his parents how much money he's earned because he worries his parents will feel bad and he will be bragging. His emotions also play a role in sacrificing summer vacation and fun when working to make a profit. There is a fair amount of humor through out the book and characters are added slowly making it easier for children to distinguish and remember who is who. My son was definitely looking forward to reading the next chapter each night.

Woven into the story are the concepts of shares of stock, a stockbroker, fees, commissions, partnerships, employees, competition, and more. When you are looking for something entertaining to begin teaching your child about finances, try this engaging book.

I just finished reading this with my nine year old son. We've read and LOVED Hatchet and REALLY LOVED Harris and Me. So, I suppose it would be hard to crank out another really great book. This one is short and simple. It came at a good time, though, because I'm trying to teach my son about the stock market. This certainly got his attention! Cute, but nothing to get excited about. If you haven't read Harris and Me, you haven't really lived.

LAWN BOY provides some quick entertainment. It's a very manageable read at less than 90 pages. Readers are treated to quite a few laughs and a little business education.

The main character is a 12-year-old boy. His grandmother gives him a riding lawn mower for his birthday. She says it was his late grandfather's mower. Miracle of all miracles, the thing actually works, and he sets about mowing their pitiful excuse for a yard.

When he finishes the yard, a neighbor wonders if he can get his own lawn mowed. Soon he's mowing for the whole neighborhood. In a few short days, he has over three hundred dollars stuffed in his pockets.

Arnold, a stay-at-home stockbroker, would like his lawn mowed; but he admits to being short on cash. He offers a deal -- mow his lawn and he'll invest the cost of the mowing in the stock market and hopefully increase the investment. Boy, does he!

Before he knows it, he has a growing business and more money than he can even imagine. He has a stock portfolio that would be the envy of any businessperson. And just think, his only dream at the start of the summer was to have enough to afford a new inner tube for his bike tire.

The problem now is how do you break it to your parents that in five short weeks you have tons of money? Will they believe you?

Gary Paulsen has done it yet again. His die-hard fans will like the story, and reluctant readers will find it a quick and satisfying read. It's also a terrific read-aloud that will have them laughing and teach them a little about capitalism in the bargain.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"