How Lunchbox Jones saved me from robots, traitors and Missy the Cruel by Jennifer Brown

Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017. ISBN 9781681194417
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. How Lunchbox Jones saved me from robots, traitors and Missy the Cruel finds Luke stuck in the robotics team. Sure, he likes computer games but he hasn't a clue about robots. The rest of the team is a bit weird too. There are the two Jacobs who look identical but aren't identical, Missy the Cruel (she just makes Luke's life miserable) and there is also Lunchbox Jones. Luke freezes every time he sees him and the rest of the school seems scared of him too. As if year 7 isn't hard enough! Luke is also angry at his older brother for joining the marines and no matter what he says he can't get his grandfathers to accept he doesn't play football.
How Lunchbox Jones saved me from robots, traitors and Missy the Cruel is an excellent interpretation of the trials and tribulations of students in middle school. Readers will appreciate Luke's family worries as well as the school issues he faces. Anyone interested in robots will enjoy the robotics theme and if they have read other middle school themed novels like Diary of a wimpy kid then they will enjoy this too. The story telling is descriptive and relative, exploring family, friendship and school life.
Kylie Kempster