Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex
What's It About?
“I wanted to be thought of as good enough to be included. I mean, who doesn’t like to think that they are special?”All across the US, kids are clamoring for a spot at Templeton Academy. No one has ever seen a school like it; located on a secret base somewhere in Florida, students are flown in to begin training in harnessing their untapped potential and “hidden abilities.” With no cell phones or contact from the outside world, Templeton keeps a tight lid on exactly what that curriculum entails. But no matter — the applications are pouring in, the mystery only adding to the school’s draw.
It’s in these circumstances that we meet the protagonist and namesake of Carole P. Roman’s‘s middle grade novel, Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex (Chelshire, Inc). With so much competition, Grady doesn’t think he has much hope of making the cut and joining the best and brightest at Templeton. But when the impossible happens, Grady finds himself thrown into the mysterious world of the Academy — an environment more exhilarating and dangerous than he ever could have predicted.
REALISTIC CHARACTERS IN IMPOSSIBLE CIRCUMSTANCES
The trope of the extraordinary school is a classic in the world of middle grade, and it’s for a good reason. I mean, who wouldn’t want to trade the humdrum of a normal high school experience for a chance to learn magical abilities at a top-secret institute? By taking a staple of the genre and spinning it on its head, Roman weaves a refreshing new story that will have readers enraptured. Blending sci-fi tech and superhuman powers with scientific philosophy and theory, the world of Templeton Academy manages to be both fantastical yet grounded in reality — a recognizable “extraordinary school” that manages to be fresh and unexpected. Sucked through the page and straight into the adventure, readers can entertain the thought that perhaps, a place like Templeton just might be possible.
And the Academy itself isn’t the only part of the book that feels authentic. A mother and grandmother herself, Roman wrote this story for the children in her life, and that intended audience rings true in her writing. Even as Grady and his friends complete impossible tasks at Templeton, from manifesting pterodactyls to decoding strange riddles, they bicker and joke like real teens. Grady and his two friends, Aarush and Pari, all stand out as fully-fledged characters with their own unique personalities. And when all three come together, they form an indomitable trio ready to shake the foundation of Templeton itself.
A MAD GRAB FOR SUPERHUMAN POWER
That task, however, may be a lot easier than they’d think; it seems that for all of Templeton’s prestige and reputation, cracks are forming beneath the surface. Tensions are rising between faculty members, divided on how to teach the powerful lessons from the legendary Codex artifact. Most teachers agree that the Codex is too powerful to be taught in full — but there are others who are willing to go to extraordinary lengths if it means getting a hold of unlimited power.
As hostility rises and the danger ratchets up, Grady and his friends will have to learn how to survive both their classes, and the perils that outside forces bring. With witty narration reminiscent of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and mind-bending Matrix-esque adventures, Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex shines as the next exceptional middle grade series.
About Carole P. Roman:
Carole P. Roman is the award-winning author of over fifty children’s books. Whether it’s pirates, princesses and spies, or discovering the world around us, her books have enchanted educators, parents and her diverse audience of children. Carole has co-authored two self-help books. Navigating Indieworld: A Beginners Guide to Self-Publishing and Marketing with Julie A. Gerber, and Marketing Indieworld with both Julie A. Gerber and Angela Hausman. She published Mindfulness for Kids with J. Robin Albertson-Wren.
The Big Book of Silly Jokes for Kids: 800+ Jokes! has reached the number one best-selling book on all of Amazon. She writes adult fiction under the name Brit Lunden and is currently helping to create an anthology of the mythical town of Bulwark, Georgia with a group of indie authors. She lives on Long Island near her children and grandchildren.
