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The Found Boys
NEW FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE BESTSELLING GREEN EMBER SERIES
The Found Boys is a thrilling throwback buddy adventure for young readers. Amid the abundant humor and action, the story explores deep themes of forgiveness and redemption in age-appropriate ways.
The mission was supposed to be fun—even funny—but things got serious quick. What follows is a daring journey with narrow escapes, attack dogs, deadly fires, and a friendship forged in shared peril.
Three friends embark on a daring quest to retrieve a priceless treasure guarded by a menacing "wizard." But this is no fantasy. For Scott and his friends Tommy and Dooley, the danger is all too real. Unlikely heroes will emerge. Enemies will become allies. Powerful truths will be revealed.
The Found Boys is a thrilling throwback buddy adventure for young readers. Amid the abundant humor and action, the story explores deep themes of forgiveness and redemption in age-appropriate ways.
The mission was supposed to be fun—even funny—but things got serious quick. What follows is a daring journey with narrow escapes, attack dogs, deadly fires, and a friendship forged in shared peril.
Three friends embark on a daring quest to retrieve a priceless treasure guarded by a menacing "wizard." But this is no fantasy. For Scott and his friends Tommy and Dooley, the danger is all too real. Unlikely heroes will emerge. Enemies will become allies. Powerful truths will be revealed.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published September 10, 2024
About the author
S.D. Smith
16 books1,797 followersS. D. Smith is the author of The Green Ember Series, a million+ selling adventure saga featuring heroic #RabbitsWithSwords. The Green Ember spent time as the number one bestselling audiobook in the world on Audible. He is also the author of the madcap Mooses with Bazookas: And Other Stories Children Should Never Read as well as the touching throwback adventure, The Found Boys. Finally, he has co-authored two fantasy adventure novels with his son (J. C. Smith), Jack Zulu and the Waylander’s Key and Jack Zulu and the Girl with Golden Wings. Smith’s stories are captivating readers across the globe who are hungry for “new stories with an old soul.”
Though packed with old school virtue and moral imagination, Smith doesn't merely create "safe" stories, but bold, daring, truthful tales of light that help shape children who become dangerous—dangerous to the darkness.
Smith is a founder and owner of Story Warren, a publishing, events, and IP development house based in rural West Virginia. Story Warren exists to serve families as “allies in imagination.”
S. D. Smith lives in Gran
Though packed with old school virtue and moral imagination, Smith doesn't merely create "safe" stories, but bold, daring, truthful tales of light that help shape children who become dangerous—dangerous to the darkness.
Smith is a founder and owner of Story Warren, a publishing, events, and IP development house based in rural West Virginia. Story Warren exists to serve families as “allies in imagination.”
S. D. Smith lives in Gran
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
September 10, 2024
You can read my review here
My children do not know what the Ku Klux Klan is. They are 17, 15, and 13. I am both mortified by that and grateful at the same time. I thank God that stories of the Klan are less prevalent today than they once were. But I know that doesn’t mean that fallen man is any less fallen today than he was when such stories were commonplace. Have you taught your children about the Klan? When did you tell them that horror story? How did you do it? When is the right time to tell children in this fallen world about nightmares they don’t already have?
It is, Sam. It is all of those things. And I thank you for giving me the perfect story to invite my children into a very hard and very nuanced conversation about the complexity of men, the poison of hatred, the true love of friendship, and the Kingdom-call to love and forgive even when anger and hurt are gripping our hearts.
The Found Boys by S. D. Smith is an exciting and interesting story about ordinary boys growing up in two churches on either side of the river in 1980s West Virginia. Scott and Tommy are white boys from Valley Baptist Church who like to jump off of swings, shoot hoops, run along the shoreline, and chase after adventure. Dooley is a black kid from Mt. Zion Baptist church who likes to do pretty much the same things. When the boys agree not to fight over their differences but instead join together on a mission to steal something from the junkyard, they get a lot more than they bargained for.
I was truly impressed with how deftly Sam was able to develop multiple characters at the same time so we get to see how the Body of Christ works best when it works together. There is an honesty to his writing that lets us see that no one is just one-dimensional. And that most real human things are complicated. Even the forgiveness of Christ, which is the simplest thing in the world, is usually won by a hard and complex journey.
In an interview we did with Margi McAllister about Mistmantle, we talked about the tough topics in her stories. It is always her intention not to scar or wound our young people, but to stretch them, leaving growth rings like you might find in a tree. When we interviewed Gary D. Schmidt, we thanked him for writing his stories such that our children could go into hard places with his characters, but that he never leaves them there. He always sends good and trustworthy adults in to help them grow through the pain and come out on the other side a different and better person.
I have loved S. D. Smith’s books since I discovered them almost ten years ago. Underneath the exciting adventure of Picket and Smalls, Heather and Helmer, and that marvelous character of Jo Shanks, there is a heart for the Mended Wood that makes every adventure, every friendship, every character genuinely real to me and the many children I have the privilege of sharing the rabbit books with. When we met Jack Zulu, Benny, and Michelle, I was delighted to see Sam’s West Virginia leap off the page, and I enjoyed heading back into my own childhood in the 1980s. In the newest Jack Zulu book, I think Sam did some of his most meaningful writing through the voice of Michelle’s father. Not only his thoughts about manhood and responsibility, but also the way in which he was modeling for Jack (and our readers) how to become an honorable man. I cannot wait to see how the Jack Zulu stories unfold.
“The Zulu word for ‘hello’ is sawubona. It literally means ‘I see you.’ Wouldn’t it be good if, every time we came in contact with other human beings made in God’s image, the first thing we announced and intended was to see them? That sounds like something from the Kingdom of God.” Author’s Note, The Found Boys by S. D. Smith
My children do not know what the Ku Klux Klan is. They are 17, 15, and 13. I am both mortified by that and grateful at the same time. I thank God that stories of the Klan are less prevalent today than they once were. But I know that doesn’t mean that fallen man is any less fallen today than he was when such stories were commonplace. Have you taught your children about the Klan? When did you tell them that horror story? How did you do it? When is the right time to tell children in this fallen world about nightmares they don’t already have?
“I am so happy to share this story with you. My intention is to give you a gift, to love and serve you with a delightful, moving, inspiring, and soul-shaping adventure. The Found Boys is not really a story about race, but a story about people, and it involves race. I think it’s a hopeful, humorous tale you’ll enjoy.”
Author’s Note, The Found Boys by S. D. Smith
It is, Sam. It is all of those things. And I thank you for giving me the perfect story to invite my children into a very hard and very nuanced conversation about the complexity of men, the poison of hatred, the true love of friendship, and the Kingdom-call to love and forgive even when anger and hurt are gripping our hearts.
“Mom always said we should pray for Willie. I didn’t feel good about that, but I did it anyway ‘cause it says in the Bible to love your neighbor and your enemies too, which is weird. Dad said Reverend Jones said that lots of his neighbors were his enemies, so he just prayed for everyone and got a two-for-one deal on lots of ‘em.”
The Found Boys by S. D. Smith is an exciting and interesting story about ordinary boys growing up in two churches on either side of the river in 1980s West Virginia. Scott and Tommy are white boys from Valley Baptist Church who like to jump off of swings, shoot hoops, run along the shoreline, and chase after adventure. Dooley is a black kid from Mt. Zion Baptist church who likes to do pretty much the same things. When the boys agree not to fight over their differences but instead join together on a mission to steal something from the junkyard, they get a lot more than they bargained for.
I was truly impressed with how deftly Sam was able to develop multiple characters at the same time so we get to see how the Body of Christ works best when it works together. There is an honesty to his writing that lets us see that no one is just one-dimensional. And that most real human things are complicated. Even the forgiveness of Christ, which is the simplest thing in the world, is usually won by a hard and complex journey.
In an interview we did with Margi McAllister about Mistmantle, we talked about the tough topics in her stories. It is always her intention not to scar or wound our young people, but to stretch them, leaving growth rings like you might find in a tree. When we interviewed Gary D. Schmidt, we thanked him for writing his stories such that our children could go into hard places with his characters, but that he never leaves them there. He always sends good and trustworthy adults in to help them grow through the pain and come out on the other side a different and better person.
I have loved S. D. Smith’s books since I discovered them almost ten years ago. Underneath the exciting adventure of Picket and Smalls, Heather and Helmer, and that marvelous character of Jo Shanks, there is a heart for the Mended Wood that makes every adventure, every friendship, every character genuinely real to me and the many children I have the privilege of sharing the rabbit books with. When we met Jack Zulu, Benny, and Michelle, I was delighted to see Sam’s West Virginia leap off the page, and I enjoyed heading back into my own childhood in the 1980s. In the newest Jack Zulu book, I think Sam did some of his most meaningful writing through the voice of Michelle’s father. Not only his thoughts about manhood and responsibility, but also the way in which he was modeling for Jack (and our readers) how to become an honorable man. I cannot wait to see how the Jack Zulu stories unfold.
“Valley Baptist and Mt. Zion Baptist held their second joint service that night even though it was a Tuesday. All the black and white people from both churches were joined hand in hand, surrounding the house. I was afraid at first, but soon enough we were singing hymns together and I grew bolder inside. By the time the Klan showed up it felt like we were part of God’s army and the angels were all around us with a mighty host.”
I mention these stories because I think that what we get in The Found Boys is a mature, hardy, and heartfelt story that draws on the foundations Sam has laid in the other stories. The Mended Wood of The Green Ember is more than just an idea in The Found Boys – it is not just something to hope for, but something to be chosen and lived in every encounter we have with another. It is the choice to forgive a man who has terrorized your family. It is the choice to join together with people you do not know and who might make you a bit nervous. It is the choice to look hatred in the eye and call it out for what it is. It is the choice to humble yourself and seek the good of the other instead of your own ego.
“He’s in the Klan,” Dooley said. “They burn crosses in our yards and wear white costumes and ride around doing all kinds of stuff against blacks.”
“They burn a cross?”
“Yep,” he replied.
“Welp, that’s pretty much a dead giveaway for whose side they’re on.”
The Found Boys, with its humor, big heart, and graceful handling of race issues is an absolute must-read. Scott and Tommy have a delightful and appropriate innocence to them which is tested but protected in this story. Dooley has wholesome and graceful maturity about him that makes him wise, courageous, and completely lovable. Each of Scott and Dooley’s parents is marvelous – loving, prudent, and principled.
“There was peace between us. I was like Dooley – like the Jones family. I was for forgiveness. There has to be a way for people to come back after being wrong and bad, and the Joneses were the kind of people who liked to open those roads.”
I intend to recommend this to my library families to be done as a family read-aloud. There is one scary scene in which one of the boys is being attacked by dogs. The scene is short and no serious harm comes to him, but young children may be scared if reading it by themselves.
I think this story is important, well-told, and would be extremely helpful to families in the discussion of racism, sin, forgiveness, and the historical reality of the Ku Klux Klan.
September 11, 2024
I expected this to be a quick read, and I was right about that. But I also expected it to be very light, just about some friends having a fun adventure. I was wrong about that. It's still lighter then S.D. Smith's other books, but it had plenty of danger and action and made a great point about forgiveness no matter what. I was worried that it would turn out that the bad guy would turn out to be just a normal guy that the kids just misunderstood, but I also like redemption for book characters, so I was pretty happy with the ending for this book. This book gave me a lot of surprises, and I liked every one.
October 25, 2024
Delightful book in the genre of The Sugar Creek Gang with a powerful message about the power of love and standing up for each other. Fun, adventurous, inspiring. Excellent narration! Good for kids and fun for adults.
October 1, 2024
Thoroughly enjoyed this book with my boys. Has many comical scenes portrayed while also bringing across the seriousness of the hatred from the kkk. Highly recommend!
September 28, 2024
Set in the 1980s, this is a story of three boys encountering a former member of the KKK and (very quickly) converting him to Christianity. Both the black and white churches in the community extend their forgiveness.
Almost all of the book was very uncomfortable with many racial stereotypes mentioned for the sake of disputing them; I wasn’t sure where SD Smoth was going or whether he was the best person to take us there.
Naivety of characters, in both speech and action, and their tendency to misunderstand words was just annoying. It didn’t convey innocence as much as their ignorance. Maybe that was intentional, but it made for irritating characters. Then there’s the strongly didactic tone that overwhelmed the weak plot. I prefer less overt morals, and I think kids do too.
Almost all of the book was very uncomfortable with many racial stereotypes mentioned for the sake of disputing them; I wasn’t sure where SD Smoth was going or whether he was the best person to take us there.
Naivety of characters, in both speech and action, and their tendency to misunderstand words was just annoying. It didn’t convey innocence as much as their ignorance. Maybe that was intentional, but it made for irritating characters. Then there’s the strongly didactic tone that overwhelmed the weak plot. I prefer less overt morals, and I think kids do too.
November 1, 2024
Liked this and I liked what Smith is trying to do here. Two boys, one white, one black, are learning to be friends despite their differences and overcome the racism in their town. However, I felt it was a little on the nose, and the ending was a little rushed. It was also written at an elementary level but then dealt with pretty tough topics like the KKK and burning crosses. I’m kind of on the fence of this being a gentle way to talk about this topic with kids or it being too much for young readers. I guess it depends on the kid.
October 3, 2024
So funny and sweet! S. D. never fails to make all ages laugh while making them smile.
October 8, 2024
All my kids asked for this audiobook every time we got in the car (ages 5-14). There are few books that they all enjoy due to the age gap. This one was exciting, funny, and yet thought provoking. We had some good historical conversations following the book as well. Don’t skip the epilogue!!
October 31, 2024
This one just didn't grab me.
October 26, 2024
Great dialogue between the boys.
October 20, 2024
This book very much was a heartfelt book. Really enabled myself to understand the value of the life I had. The privilege of my faith. I regard this book as a true testament to the constructs of Life and Society. I am so profoundly grateful for the reminisce and comfort that this book provided me.
I lived a very… to the extent. Extremely. Sheltered, but privileged upbringing. I had no… to a varying extent. Problems with my future. I always knew I had a great standard to look forward to. I was someone who is book reader. Was someone who loved the book store. Was someone who, anticipated my next. Was someone who always wished to read. Was someone who was addicted to books. Was someone who identified though books. Was someone who only was identified through books. I am that privileged. And. Sheltered. To the extent where I don’t know how to exist otherwise.
I began reading this book. Because. I am on a personal adventure. A true discovery of My Self. Really. My Self. I have yet to begin to understand My Self. I know who I am. I understand who I am. I just don’t know My Self. I want to know that about ME. I really do. But. Like everything else in of life. Becoming more of yourself. Requires determination, dedication, commitment, and self discipline. But. For ME. I have a difficult time. Understanding My Self Discipline. I know I am disciplined. I graduated college from a great school. Ivy League. Specialized in [Biology : Neuroscience (Medical Sciences and Practices). Christian Theology. Global Constitutional Freedom].
I know I am disciplined. I understand my discipline. But. What I am working towards. Is My Self Discipline. What does My Self… Right (Self : My Self), tell me and secure for me about who I am. What can I be.
Aside from the personal attain this book encouraged in of Me. The books story was so honest. To the point. Where the Christian Element. Comforted Me. I was beyond glad to realize that there is a sense of sanctity of a MAN. That an innocent boy. Like myself. Can escape and depend on. Especially after the many years of aging. And. The many trials of adjusting to the conformed expectation of Age’s Life stages.
This book encouraged me to feel comfortable. Just comfortable. Allowing myself. To. Hope. To Hope that there is a community of guys that I can be apart of. I have lived… like I said. A very sheltered life. I don’t have any friends. I’ve been grown up in such a strict and abusive household. Which in a way, was… okay (just disregarding that abuse is never okay). But. Aside from my child rearing needs (that was just the child I was. And. That was just how to account me. Not the greatest). But aside from that unique upbringing I had to account for my potential. My future. And. To condition myself to be best prepared for the responsibility I had to accomplish and succeed for my future. Aside for that.
This book ables me to finally. And, I genuinely mean it. Finally! Have a sense of hope. To have a sense of solidified sight of having proper friends. A group guys who understand me. Who, do care about me. Not just want to take advantage and treat me as if I don’t matter. And. Just someone who is so innocent, naive, and so nice (selfless).
This book. Presented a story that was believable for myself to actually have. I would one day. Wish to have this story. A version of it. For myself. In of life experience.
I lived a very… to the extent. Extremely. Sheltered, but privileged upbringing. I had no… to a varying extent. Problems with my future. I always knew I had a great standard to look forward to. I was someone who is book reader. Was someone who loved the book store. Was someone who, anticipated my next. Was someone who always wished to read. Was someone who was addicted to books. Was someone who identified though books. Was someone who only was identified through books. I am that privileged. And. Sheltered. To the extent where I don’t know how to exist otherwise.
I began reading this book. Because. I am on a personal adventure. A true discovery of My Self. Really. My Self. I have yet to begin to understand My Self. I know who I am. I understand who I am. I just don’t know My Self. I want to know that about ME. I really do. But. Like everything else in of life. Becoming more of yourself. Requires determination, dedication, commitment, and self discipline. But. For ME. I have a difficult time. Understanding My Self Discipline. I know I am disciplined. I graduated college from a great school. Ivy League. Specialized in [Biology : Neuroscience (Medical Sciences and Practices). Christian Theology. Global Constitutional Freedom].
I know I am disciplined. I understand my discipline. But. What I am working towards. Is My Self Discipline. What does My Self… Right (Self : My Self), tell me and secure for me about who I am. What can I be.
Aside from the personal attain this book encouraged in of Me. The books story was so honest. To the point. Where the Christian Element. Comforted Me. I was beyond glad to realize that there is a sense of sanctity of a MAN. That an innocent boy. Like myself. Can escape and depend on. Especially after the many years of aging. And. The many trials of adjusting to the conformed expectation of Age’s Life stages.
This book encouraged me to feel comfortable. Just comfortable. Allowing myself. To. Hope. To Hope that there is a community of guys that I can be apart of. I have lived… like I said. A very sheltered life. I don’t have any friends. I’ve been grown up in such a strict and abusive household. Which in a way, was… okay (just disregarding that abuse is never okay). But. Aside from my child rearing needs (that was just the child I was. And. That was just how to account me. Not the greatest). But aside from that unique upbringing I had to account for my potential. My future. And. To condition myself to be best prepared for the responsibility I had to accomplish and succeed for my future. Aside for that.
This book ables me to finally. And, I genuinely mean it. Finally! Have a sense of hope. To have a sense of solidified sight of having proper friends. A group guys who understand me. Who, do care about me. Not just want to take advantage and treat me as if I don’t matter. And. Just someone who is so innocent, naive, and so nice (selfless).
This book. Presented a story that was believable for myself to actually have. I would one day. Wish to have this story. A version of it. For myself. In of life experience.
September 21, 2024
8Church is out, and it’s a glorious Sunday afternoon in 1980s West Virginia. While the parents ramble on and on after church, a trio of boys sneak off for a quick adventure. Their mission? To trek through the woods out back and recover a family heirloom—a rare pearl that got left behind during a scramble in the junkyard. Of course, the boys could just as easily ask a grown-up to politely retrieve the pearl, but that wouldn’t be any fun. Plus, the boys would have to confess to sneaking into the junkyard in the first place.
Scott, Tommy, and Dooley would rather tuck that option away as Plan B. But there are already a couple of problems with Plan A. First, the boys are wearing their Sunday best. Not exactly play clothes, but oh well. Second, the junkyard is guarded by a wizard, or at least, that’s what everyone calls him.
The boys take their chances with Plan A, hoping for a quick in-and-out extraction of the pearl. However, it’s not just the wizard who guards the local junkyard, but his dogs too. The pearl is rescued, but not without a dog or two biting an ankle and an arm. Tommy flees for help, and the bloodied and bitten pair of Scott and Dooley get trapped by the wizard.
As it turns out, the wizard is no wizard at all, but a descendant of the grand wizard, a type of leader in the Klu Klux Klan. This heir to the junkyard, Willie, states he’s not a member of the Klan himself, at least not anymore, but he’s still a racist all the same. That reveal may prove to be the bigger problem for Scott and Dooley, since Dooley is Black.
Thankfully, before anything happens, Tommy and the boys’ parents screech down the junkyard driveway to the rescue. Willie is arrested for injuring the boys, even though the boys were trespassing on his property. With the likelihood that Willie will be set free, the boys take it upon themselves to ensure a horrible racist like Willie ends up in jail. The boys do some digging into the man’s involvement with the Klan and discover Willie was part of a hate crime that took place in Dooley’s own front yard. This revelation is enough to land Willie in prison, but it may not be the law that ends up convicting Willie. Rather, it may just be the Lord Himself and the power of forgiveness.
“The Found Boys” by S.D. Smith is a profound and moving story capable of bringing a happy tear or two to one’s eyes. Smith’s boy characters are relatable, likable, and full of hilarious dialogue. Willie, the junk man, is a captivating centerpiece to the adventure, and his breaking point is conveyed authentically and stands as a testament to the human spirit being made new in Christ. A veteran of children’s literature, Smith excels at knowing just the right ratio of light and darkness that kids can handle. Heavy themes of racism and reconciliation are handled expertly. Parents may be surprised to find white-robed, hooded men around burning crosses in a children’s book. But more than that, families will be delighted at God’s redemptive power, displayed perfectly in this parable from the backwoods of 1980s West Virginia.
“The Found Boys” by S.D. Smith earns our highest recommendation.
Scott, Tommy, and Dooley would rather tuck that option away as Plan B. But there are already a couple of problems with Plan A. First, the boys are wearing their Sunday best. Not exactly play clothes, but oh well. Second, the junkyard is guarded by a wizard, or at least, that’s what everyone calls him.
The boys take their chances with Plan A, hoping for a quick in-and-out extraction of the pearl. However, it’s not just the wizard who guards the local junkyard, but his dogs too. The pearl is rescued, but not without a dog or two biting an ankle and an arm. Tommy flees for help, and the bloodied and bitten pair of Scott and Dooley get trapped by the wizard.
As it turns out, the wizard is no wizard at all, but a descendant of the grand wizard, a type of leader in the Klu Klux Klan. This heir to the junkyard, Willie, states he’s not a member of the Klan himself, at least not anymore, but he’s still a racist all the same. That reveal may prove to be the bigger problem for Scott and Dooley, since Dooley is Black.
Thankfully, before anything happens, Tommy and the boys’ parents screech down the junkyard driveway to the rescue. Willie is arrested for injuring the boys, even though the boys were trespassing on his property. With the likelihood that Willie will be set free, the boys take it upon themselves to ensure a horrible racist like Willie ends up in jail. The boys do some digging into the man’s involvement with the Klan and discover Willie was part of a hate crime that took place in Dooley’s own front yard. This revelation is enough to land Willie in prison, but it may not be the law that ends up convicting Willie. Rather, it may just be the Lord Himself and the power of forgiveness.
“The Found Boys” by S.D. Smith is a profound and moving story capable of bringing a happy tear or two to one’s eyes. Smith’s boy characters are relatable, likable, and full of hilarious dialogue. Willie, the junk man, is a captivating centerpiece to the adventure, and his breaking point is conveyed authentically and stands as a testament to the human spirit being made new in Christ. A veteran of children’s literature, Smith excels at knowing just the right ratio of light and darkness that kids can handle. Heavy themes of racism and reconciliation are handled expertly. Parents may be surprised to find white-robed, hooded men around burning crosses in a children’s book. But more than that, families will be delighted at God’s redemptive power, displayed perfectly in this parable from the backwoods of 1980s West Virginia.
“The Found Boys” by S.D. Smith earns our highest recommendation.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2024
The Found Boys is filled with innocent fun and adventure. The boys, Tommy and Scott, head for the creek and the woods after church while their families are socializing. They dare, they race, they mock and tease, they build a fort, get wet in the creek, and end up happily filthy. The challenges and teasing the boys do among themselves are so wonderfully typical of boys.
At one point they decide it’s a good idea to
As the boys were planning their "mission" to recover the treasure, small tidbits about the attitudes remaining in the South tell us the boys neither knew nor understood the ugliness of it.
On the way to their junkyard mission to get the pearl, the two boys encounter another young boy, Dooley, who heard their discussion. Dooley is black. They insult, argue, decide to fight, have a "peace treaty" and decide to become colleagues in their mission, if not yet friends. Two boys will act as distractions to the junkyard dogs and 'Mister Wizard' while the other will grab the treasure and run. Scott is the slowest so he's tasked with getting the backpack.
The mission goes awry with a flag that is too familiar to Dooley, a pack of vicious dogs and a very angry junk man. Tommy is caught but as Dooley rescues him, he himself is caught while Tommy gets away. Dooley is terrified of 'Mister Wizard'.
And from there The Found Boys changes into one of grace, empathy, forgiveness, and redemption. It's about what people have in common instead of differences between them.
Yes, The Found Boys is about racism in the 1980's, how it was still lived at that time, but more importantly, about what children can teach us about friendship.
I read that so many of our young people have no idea that an ugly aspect of a long-ago civil war was still being played out forty years ago. I think The Found Boys would be a great classroom and family read so that discussions can be had as the book unfolds.
5 Stars for The Found Boys. I enjoyed this funny and intense fast read. The Found Boys is not just for young people.
At one point they decide it’s a good idea to
"go raid the wizard's junkyard and capture the pearl".Another friend, Joey, was given a precious pearl from his grandmother and hid it in his backpack. He never mentioned it to his parents. Joey took it with him when he went exploring to the wizard's junkyard and he was caught. The 'Mister Wizard' told him he would not get the backpack back until he brought his parents.
"But Joey was scared and ashamed, so he acted like he lost them. He never told his parents the truth."The backpack was left forgotten and unopened on the wizard’s porch. Joey was a "missionary kid" and a few weeks after losing his treasure he was off to Africa with his family on a mission trip. But he asked Scott to recover the pearl.
As the boys were planning their "mission" to recover the treasure, small tidbits about the attitudes remaining in the South tell us the boys neither knew nor understood the ugliness of it.
On the way to their junkyard mission to get the pearl, the two boys encounter another young boy, Dooley, who heard their discussion. Dooley is black. They insult, argue, decide to fight, have a "peace treaty" and decide to become colleagues in their mission, if not yet friends. Two boys will act as distractions to the junkyard dogs and 'Mister Wizard' while the other will grab the treasure and run. Scott is the slowest so he's tasked with getting the backpack.
The mission goes awry with a flag that is too familiar to Dooley, a pack of vicious dogs and a very angry junk man. Tommy is caught but as Dooley rescues him, he himself is caught while Tommy gets away. Dooley is terrified of 'Mister Wizard'.
And from there The Found Boys changes into one of grace, empathy, forgiveness, and redemption. It's about what people have in common instead of differences between them.
Yes, The Found Boys is about racism in the 1980's, how it was still lived at that time, but more importantly, about what children can teach us about friendship.
I read that so many of our young people have no idea that an ugly aspect of a long-ago civil war was still being played out forty years ago. I think The Found Boys would be a great classroom and family read so that discussions can be had as the book unfolds.
5 Stars for The Found Boys. I enjoyed this funny and intense fast read. The Found Boys is not just for young people.
September 10, 2024
You can view my entire review post including graphics, a flip through, and quotes HERE.
When I saw that S.D. Smith was writing a new middle-grade book, I was eager to get a copy. Our entire family has been devouring the Green Ember series this year, and I couldn't wait to see what adventures his next story would hold.
The Found Boys is a story about race, forgiveness, and friendship set in West Virginia in the 1980s. I began by reading the first four chapters as a family read-aloud, but then I decided to read it myself instead (even though my boys were begging for more). While I love the way that Smith handles the topics of race and the KKK, I wasn't ready to introduce those topics to my younger boys.
💙 What I loved:
• Explores the complexities of human nature, love, and forgiveness.
• Confronts hatred and highlights the power of reconciliation.
• Clearly communicates an impactful gospel message.
• Illustrates that Christianity is more than just attending church—it must be lived out, even when difficult.
• Emphasizes friendship that transcends racial divisions.
• Depicts boys and their families as multi-dimensional, showcasing real human emotions and challenges.
• Presents parents as wise and principled role models.
• Introduces racism and the Ku Klux Klan in a way that fosters meaningful family discussions without overwhelming or scarring young readers.
• Balances tough themes with humor, making the story more accessible to younger readers.
• Features illustrations that enhance the story and provide visual context for the boys' adventures.
⚠ Content Considerations:
• “Heck”
• Potty talk (poop/diarrhea)
• Name calling among friends (dummy, goofus)
• Child attacked by dogs (no serious harm done)
• Mention of beer, “bad magazines,” and cussing (no actual words used)
• KKK & racism is a main plot point (handled in an age-appropriate way)
• Cross burning discussed and portrayed in an illustration
❓ SO, DO I RECOMMEND IT?
👍 I wholeheartedly recommend this book, but *please* see the content considerations in my above.
👦 The publisher recommends this for ages 8-12, but I would say it is better suited for ages 10-13. Because it is written from a preteen boy's perspective, it would make a better independent read than a family read-aloud. I will likely hand this book to my oldest son in the next year (he is 9).
Thank you, Harvest House Publishers, for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
When I saw that S.D. Smith was writing a new middle-grade book, I was eager to get a copy. Our entire family has been devouring the Green Ember series this year, and I couldn't wait to see what adventures his next story would hold.
The Found Boys is a story about race, forgiveness, and friendship set in West Virginia in the 1980s. I began by reading the first four chapters as a family read-aloud, but then I decided to read it myself instead (even though my boys were begging for more). While I love the way that Smith handles the topics of race and the KKK, I wasn't ready to introduce those topics to my younger boys.
💙 What I loved:
• Explores the complexities of human nature, love, and forgiveness.
• Confronts hatred and highlights the power of reconciliation.
• Clearly communicates an impactful gospel message.
• Illustrates that Christianity is more than just attending church—it must be lived out, even when difficult.
• Emphasizes friendship that transcends racial divisions.
• Depicts boys and their families as multi-dimensional, showcasing real human emotions and challenges.
• Presents parents as wise and principled role models.
• Introduces racism and the Ku Klux Klan in a way that fosters meaningful family discussions without overwhelming or scarring young readers.
• Balances tough themes with humor, making the story more accessible to younger readers.
• Features illustrations that enhance the story and provide visual context for the boys' adventures.
⚠ Content Considerations:
• “Heck”
• Potty talk (poop/diarrhea)
• Name calling among friends (dummy, goofus)
• Child attacked by dogs (no serious harm done)
• Mention of beer, “bad magazines,” and cussing (no actual words used)
• KKK & racism is a main plot point (handled in an age-appropriate way)
• Cross burning discussed and portrayed in an illustration
❓ SO, DO I RECOMMEND IT?
👍 I wholeheartedly recommend this book, but *please* see the content considerations in my above.
👦 The publisher recommends this for ages 8-12, but I would say it is better suited for ages 10-13. Because it is written from a preteen boy's perspective, it would make a better independent read than a family read-aloud. I will likely hand this book to my oldest son in the next year (he is 9).
Thank you, Harvest House Publishers, for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
September 12, 2024
The Found Boys feels like a call back to a bygone era that I'd love to see return. It's enjoyable as an adult in a throwback mindset and enjoyable for the middle-grade kids in a fun straightforward adventure story.
The story does a great job of setting the characters off in a fun, almost glib sort of way, the sort of daytime adventure that I remember having exploring creeks and running through woods as kids. The fun humor pays off in a heartfelt exploration of racial themes that are complicated to explore in today's world without feeling heavy handed - and it never did. It felt honest and true to life to its setting (I didn't catch a year for a setting, but seemed like it probably was in the 80's but that's because of my bias and when I'd have had those adventures), and exposed me to a touch of West Virginia that my West Coast childhood didn't get to experience.
Redemption needs conflict and the story takes us through it and out the end in a hope-filled optimistic coming together that I really enjoyed. I'm ready to adapt it into a film!
The story does a great job of setting the characters off in a fun, almost glib sort of way, the sort of daytime adventure that I remember having exploring creeks and running through woods as kids. The fun humor pays off in a heartfelt exploration of racial themes that are complicated to explore in today's world without feeling heavy handed - and it never did. It felt honest and true to life to its setting (I didn't catch a year for a setting, but seemed like it probably was in the 80's but that's because of my bias and when I'd have had those adventures), and exposed me to a touch of West Virginia that my West Coast childhood didn't get to experience.
Redemption needs conflict and the story takes us through it and out the end in a hope-filled optimistic coming together that I really enjoyed. I'm ready to adapt it into a film!
October 24, 2024
I read this book in one sitting, and l enjoyed every minute of it! I was going to rate it four stars, but l thought about it, and there wasn't anything l didn't enjoy about this book!
I've over only read S. D. Smith's Green Ember series, and a few of the Green Ember side adventures, but his writing style shined through this one just as much as it did in the Green Ember books-- it felt good to be back!
This book doesn't let you get board with too much dialogue, and keeps you flipping pages quickly.
I really liked the three little boys--Scott, Tommy, and Dooley--and was smiling through their conversations. He really captured the personality of a 9-11 year old boy; so much so l felt like l was reading about boys l know in that age range.
Anthony VanArsdale did a great job with the illustrations too! They were put at just the right places. And I loved how they looked like sketches, not animated art put on paper.
Definitely a must read for all the S. D. Smith fans!
I've over only read S. D. Smith's Green Ember series, and a few of the Green Ember side adventures, but his writing style shined through this one just as much as it did in the Green Ember books-- it felt good to be back!
This book doesn't let you get board with too much dialogue, and keeps you flipping pages quickly.
I really liked the three little boys--Scott, Tommy, and Dooley--and was smiling through their conversations. He really captured the personality of a 9-11 year old boy; so much so l felt like l was reading about boys l know in that age range.
Anthony VanArsdale did a great job with the illustrations too! They were put at just the right places. And I loved how they looked like sketches, not animated art put on paper.
Definitely a must read for all the S. D. Smith fans!
October 12, 2024
It’s hard to rate an SD Smith book with only 2 stars but I just really didn’t like this one. It is set in the 80s and deals with racial tension. There are some things would be middle school/high school appropriate but the book itself seems geared towards younger kids, in my opinion (for example - the Ku Klux Klan, burning crosses, how the kids talk about/ask questions about race). Along with that, the moral lesson seems very on the nose in a way that feels really preachy rather than just letting the story tell it.
October 17, 2024
Funny with much gravity. Appropriate depth for children and a great springboard into the topic of race and understanding from a different perspective. I appreciate that S.D. Smith doesn’t tell you what to think, but instead provides an on-ramp to learning how to think through the avenue of story and allows parents to walk with their children in talking through topics like this. This was a family read aloud.
September 23, 2024
This book was amazing! While an adventure was playing out throughout the story, the book talked about some serious things, such as the KKK. This book is a story of reconciliation and forgiveness, and that there is always hope for those who wish to turn around and do what is good. It is a unifying story, and proves that all humans are equal and created in the image of God.
November 2, 2024
Interesting. Could be a heavy topic. Initially, I wasn’t sure if I was into it. However, by the end I enjoyed it and will probably use it in the future to teach my children about the time period the book is set in. Overall, good. It felt like an updated Huckleberry Finn.
June 12, 2024
Just finished reading the first chapter! It's so good. Can't wait to read the rest later this year.
September 17, 2024
A sweet story of children of different races having adventures together. The boys forge their own code of honor as they learn about forgiveness.
October 22, 2024
Really good. I was worried it would get corny, but there was a genuine cost to discipleship, and it felt like a real story of redemption. And Smith’s wordplay is always fun.
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