The Fort

The Fort

Gordon Korman

Scholastic, 2022

256 pages

Grades 4-8

Realistic Fiction

Five different narrators tell the story of a group of friends who discover a long-forgotten underground bomb shelter belonging to a decreased millionaire. The shelter contains now obsolete, yet still working, audio and video equipment, still edible canned food, electricity secretly wired from the public library, a combustible toilet, and, best of all, sterling silver flatware worth a fortune. The boys can't believe their luck! They swear each other to secrecy and start hanging out, watching movies and enjoying snacks (and ancient canned food) purchased from the funds trickling in as they slowly sell off the silverware. All of the boys have their own burdens, problems, and secrets, which slowly are revealed as the book moves forward. A shared problem involves harassment by the town bully, who is determined to discover the source of their new-found funds. As the story reaches a climax, the personal problems come to a head and are resolved in a satisfying conclusion, leaving the small group better, though less rich, than before.

I think I have written about Gordon Korman's books more than any other author. I keep saying I'm not going to read his next book--and then it comes out and it sounds so interesting that I pick it up--and end up loving it! He writes what kids enjoy reading (not what an adult thinks they SHOULD read) and really knows his target audience. This story is no exception. Even though we are presented with five narrators they all have separate voices and are easily discernible. Every child longs for a space of their own and a little control over their lives, so this idea of a secret and well stocked underground fort sounds like a dream come true. These boys are all facing some real-world problems, which the author helps the characters to work out. Some of the adults in the story are flawed, but most are supportive and eventually all the characters find security and a stable family life. There is humor, suspense, twist and turns and character growth throughout the pages in this fast-reading novel and--best of all--no pictures. Readers will want to explore their own neighborhood woods to see if they can find such a fort or maybe be inspired to make a hideout of their own.