Pay Attention, Carter Jones by Gary D. Schmidt

Just as Carter Jones is entering the sixth grade, a mysterious English butler shows up at his door. Unbeknownst to Carter and his family, this butler, Mr. Bowles-Fitzpatrick, proves to be a much-needed asset. We soon discover that the butler was sent there by the Jones kids’ paternal grandfather, who is British. Carter’s absentee father is deployed by the military and stationed in Germany. Mr. Bowles-Fitzpatrick serves as a stabilizing figure for Carter and his siblings, showing up every day to take the kids to school, assisting with homework and meals, and helping the kids remember who they are. He also teaches Carter and a group of middle school boys the English game of cricket. When the Jones family learns that the father wants a divorce and is not returning, the butler is there to help Carter navigate this crisis.

Reading Level: Ages 9-13
Read Aloud Age: 12+

I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. I found myself laughing out loud more than once and appreciating the humor interspersed throughout the book. Pay Attention, Carter Jones also includes some heavy moments, such as Carter’s father leaving the family. Readers discover that Carter had a younger brother who died at a young age. The author did a great job of handling these subjects in a way that seemed realistic for today’s middle school boys. It gave a positive message of learning to work through grief and loss by sharing it with others. We see significant character development in Carter as he becomes the new “man of the house.” Although I am not familiar with the game of cricket, sports enthusiasts would appreciate the sports references. Overall, the book was very well-written and one that middle school-aged boys would enjoy. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.

Language:
The book uses phrases like pain in the glutes, shut up, stupid, crap, poop, and the British-English word “dullard” (This is an old-fashioned word that’s not used anymore and is likened to “dimwit.” Depending on who you ask, some British Christians might not find it to be an appropriate word for kids to use.)
Carter also refers to the butler as being “portly.”
After Carter gives a presentation on the Revolutionary War, classmates start calling him a “Tory.”

Questionable Behaviors:
In the book, the butler teaches the twelve-year-old Carter to drive the family’s big car. Even though it is always with an adult, Carter drives it on the road more than once.
Carter doesn’t clean up after his dog does his business in the neighbor’s yard.
As a sixth grader, Carter looks up to eighth graders a lot. It could seem to some like he idolizes them just a bit. I didn’t see this as taken to an unhealthy level, though.
After Carter finds out his father isn’t coming home, he tears up some photos and other mementos that are from or remind him of his father.

Sexual Content:
Someone asks Carter if he knew that a girl in his younger sister’s class thought he was cute.

Other Things to Know:
After the death of Carter’s younger brother, the mom stops going to church and rejects the priest’s attempts to check in on the family. At the end of the book, we see her going back to church and helping with the finances, but that’s about as “religious” as the book gets.
Carter did not have a great relationship with his father. Readers pick up on this during the flashbacks to their trip to Australia together.

This review is written by Good Book Mom contributor, Melanie. To learn more about Melaine, click HERE.

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