Pay Attention, Carter Jones by Gary D. Schmidt

Reviewed by Ben

Think about this: It is 7:15 in the morning, on the first day of school, your little sisters are fussing around, the milk has curdled, the Jeep won’t start, it is raining cats and dogs outside, and on top that, a bowler-hatted English butler is at the door. Well, that is what it is like at the Jones household this morning.

Carter, the main character in the book Pay Attention, Carter Jones by Gary D. Schmidt, is a normal teenager, until a butler named Mr. Bowles-Fitzpatrick, shows up. The butler stays, and helps the family for a long while. Along with that, the butler tries to make Carter a gentleman, which Carter is strongly opposed to. The story is mainly about Carter’s experience with the butler, and how the butler changes him.

One reason I loved this book is because it was very humorous. Almost every page will make you laugh, especially the conversations between the butler and Carter. An example of this occurs when an argument about cereal develops: “‘Just because they don’t have this type of cereal in Buckingham Palace doesn’t mean they’re uncivilized,” Carter says. “Yes, it does,” replies the butler. When I read this passage I burst out laughing, it was so funny.

Another reason I liked this book is because it feels like Carter is talking to you, instead of just saying his feelings. An example comes up when the butler makes Carter wake up early to walk the dog. Carter protests, saying that his sisters could walk the dog. But the butler tells him that girls can’t walk dogs when they have an older brother. Carter says it is illegal to think that anymore, but ends up reluctantly giving in: “That’s what Saturday mornings before cricket practices were like with the butler,” is what he tells you. This aspect of the story really immersed me into it and made me want to keep reading.

I would give this book a rating of a 9.5/10, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a medium-paced, humorous story. It is great for sitting on your couch and relaxing. You can find this book on Amazon for $8 (paperback) or $15 (hardcover). Hope you have fun reading this! 

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 217 pages