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| Leapholes | 
 enlarge | Author: James Grippando
Publisher: American Bar Association
Category: Book
List Price: $15.95
Buy New: $5.74
You Save: $10.21 (64%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  (6 reviews)
Sales Rank: 497966
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Hardcover
Reading Level: Young Adult
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 8.1 x 5.3 x 1.1
ISBN: 1590316665
EAN: 9781590316665
ASIN: 1590316665
Publication Date: October 25, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Ryan Coolidge hates middle school and is in the worst kind of trouble-trouble with the law. The one person who can help Ryan is a mysterious old lawyer named Hezekiah. Hezekiah may have magical powers, or he may have the most elaborate computerized law library ever conceived. Either way, together, Ryan and Hezekiah do their legal research by zooming through leapholes, physically entering the law books, and coming face-to-face with actual people from some of our nation's most famous cases-like Rosa Parks and Dred Scott-who will help Ryan defend himself in court. It is time travel with a legal twist, where law books and important legal precedents come to life.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 1 more reviews...
 Wasting teachable moments August 7, 2008
This story is everything that the other reviewers have described, but as an educator, I am disappointed that Grippando, a lawyer who must have knowledge of history and would certainly have access to public education resources within publisher ABA, did not take more advantage of the "teachable moments" in the book. Rosa Parks, for example, is covered in less than a page and later the main character, Ryan, refers to her as, "the colored woman who would not give up her seat." Sorry, but "colored" as an appropriate terms is slightly outdated. And Rosa Parks deserves her due. There are also plenty of opportunities to highlight historic cases that showcase lawyers trying to help people--i.e. leaphole to 1894 with the Pullman Strike--every teacher teaches it, so it's definitely relevant--and highlight the trial of Eugene Debs. Clarence Darrow was as much of a star there as Debs. More of the book is spent on descriptive time travel and jumping around from point to point than actually discussing history, historic cases, or the law. Yes, the action is there, but there was potential for more. Some of the main plots in the book are unresolved, which was disappointing. Ryan spends the whole book angry with his father, then forgives him, but the book ends before we actually see that part. Though the ending leaves room for a sequel with Ryan as the Legal Eagle apprentice of Hezekiah...hmm...that part of the story sounds familiar. All in all, kids might enjoy it, but educators should not expect much from it as a teaching tool.
 A fast-paced story for teens that takes a non-traditional look at the law and the people behind it January 6, 2007
Every Saturday for the past year, eleven-year-old Ryan indignantly visits his father who sits in a jail cell. Supposedly, his father is innocent --- at least that's what Ryan is told. Yet Ryan witnessed with his own eyes as his dad pleaded guilty in front of a judge. Ryan feels like he's been betrayed, and it doesn't help at all that the entire town now shuns him and his family. As the time for Saturday's visit approaches, Ryan can't stand it another minute and decides to be somewhere else during prison visiting hour.
As he furiously rides off on his bike, Ryan experiences a bad collision with a vehicle. Wounded and out of sorts, he struggles as a flat-faced stranger picks him up and loads him into the back of a station wagon. Then Ryan loses consciousness. He wakes up in the hospital feeling sore and bruised but not seriously hurt. Still not ready to face his father again, he decides to slip out before his mom can claim him. But just as he's about to leave, a fire alarm sounds and chaos erupts. Ryan knows the way out, yet he witnesses Kaylee, the girl from the hospital bed next to his, heading in the wrong direction. He has to help her.
Ryan finds Kaylee and four others, one of whom leads them in the wrong direction. Soon they are hopelessly lost, cut off by the smoke and flames. They break through a locked door and find themselves in an infectious disease lab, exposed to a horribly deadly disease. The doctors have five antidotes for the six infected people. They agree to draw straws. Kaylee loses, so she will die.
However, Ryan refuses to accept this result. Before anyone can react, he grabs the five antidotes and divides them into six doses. But this doesn't work --- four people end up dead, and Ryan is arrested for manslaughter.
Terrified and alone, yet still certain he had done the right thing, Ryan is taken to prison to await trial. He soon meets Hezekiah, the eccentric old lawyer assigned to him. Ryan immediately realizes that Hezekiah is no ordinary lawyer, but he has no clue as to just how remarkable this sneaker-wearing attorney really is. Hezekiah is part of a special group of lawyers called Legal Eagles, who battle the evil in the law system. Hezekiah and the Legal Eagles introduce Ryan to a world of law that he never could have never imagined --- one with time travel!
Using special tools called leapholes, Ryan and Hezekiah travel back in time to actually witness and experience events leading up to the laws working in the court system today. And the surprises don't end there; Hezekiah invites Ryan to join the Legal Eagles. But when Hezekiah disappears into the past, Ryan must find the courage and strength to locate his lawyer. And what Ryan sees may finally bring peace and understanding back between him and his father.
LEAPHOLES is James Grippando's first novel for young adults. He uses his background as a lawyer to weave a fast-paced story that takes a non-traditional look at the law and, very importantly, the people behind those laws. Not just a story for future lawyers, many will enjoy reading about an exciting journey that brings to life the sometimes-confusing and seemingly remote world of law. Added bonuses include a list of discussion questions that will assist in classroom and book club conversations, and a collection of essays by lawyers on their backgrounds and why they chose to study law.
--- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman, author of FINDING MY LIGHT and THE BLACK
Leapholes November 9, 2006
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Leapholes was a very interesting book. This book keeps you on the edge of your seat. Once you start reading it you just plain can't stop. I was even reading with a flashlight after I was suppose to be in bed.
I learned a lot about law and history. Mr. Grippando makes the reader feel like they are going through the leapholes with the characters!
 Leapholes October 17, 2006
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Every Saturday for the past year, eleven-year-old Ryan indignantly visits his father who sits in a jail cell. Supposedly, his father is innocent; at least that's what his father tells Ryan. Yet, Ryan witnessed with his own eyes as his father pleaded guilty in front of a judge. Ryan feels his father has betrayed him with the lies and the claimed crime, and it doesn't help at all that the entire town now shuns him and his family. As the time for this Saturday's visit approaches, Ryan finally can't stand it another minute and decides to leave. He's not running away, per se, he just decides to be somewhere else during prison visiting hour.
As Ryan furiously rides off on his bike, he experiences a bad collision with a vehicle. Wounded and out of sorts, Ryan struggles as a flat-faced stranger picks him up and loads him into the back of a station wagon. Then Ryan looses consciousness. He wakes up in the hospital feeling sore and bruised but not seriously hurt. Still not ready to face his father again, he decides to slip out before his mom can claim him. But before he can leave, a fire alarm sounds and chaos erupts! Ryan knows the way out, yet he witnesses Kaylee, the girl from the hospital bed next to his, heading in the wrong direction. He has to help her.
He finds Kaylee and four others, one of whom leads them in the wrong direction. Soon they are hopelessly lost, cut off by the smoke and flames. They break through a locked door and find themselves in an infectious disease lab --- and exposed to a horribly deadly disease. The doctors have five antidotes for the six infected people. They agree to draw straws, with Kaylee losing. She will die.
But Ryan refuses to accept this result. Before anyone can react, he grabs the five antidotes and divides them into six doses...but it doesn't work, and four people end up dead. Ryan is arrested for manslaughter.
Terrified and alone, yet still certain he had done the right thing, Ryan is taken to prison to await trial. He soon meets Hezekiah, the eccentric old lawyer assigned to him. Immediately, Ryan realizes that Hezekiah is no ordinary lawyer, but he has no clue as to just how remarkable the sneaker-wearing lawyer really is. Hezekiah is part of a special group of lawyers called Legal Eagles, who battle the evil in the law system. Hezekiah and the Legal Eagles introduce Ryan to a world of law that he could have never imagined --- one with time travel! Using special tools called leapholes, Ryan and Hezekiah travel back in time to actually witness and experience events leading up to the laws working in the court system today! And the surprises don't end there; Hezekiah invites Ryan to join the Legal Eagles. But when Hezekiah disappears into the past, Ryan must find the courage and strength to go find him. And what Ryan sees may finally bring peace and understanding back between him and his father.
Author Mr. James Grippando is no novice to writing with eleven books under his belt. And LEAPHOLES, book number twelve, is his first novel for young adults. Mr. Grippando uses his lawyer background to weave a fast-paced story that takes a non-traditional look at the law, and very importantly, the people behind those laws. Not just a story for future lawyers, many will enjoy reading an exciting journey that brings to life the sometimes confusing and seemingly remote world of law. Added bonuses include a list of discussion questions that will assist in classroom and book club conversations, and a collection of essays by lawyers on their backgrounds and why they chose to study law.
--- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman, author of Finding My Light and The Black Pond
--- Courtesy of [...]
What a great YA novel October 3, 2006
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I got an advanced copy (a "galley", I think it's called) of this book due to my involvement in the ABA Criminal Justice Section. While I normally hesitate wasting time on children's or young adult fiction with all the reading I have to do as a lawyer, I made an exception in this case because this is a Grippando novel and I'm a fan.
I'm glad I did, because this novel is quite excellent, both as fiction and as a teaching tool for young people. The premise is (as in most science-fiction) a bit fantastic: A young man learns how to travel back in time, and in doing so experiences the facts and details underlying some of the most important legal cases in US history. In the process, he learns a lot about himself as well.
I particularly liked the appendix to the book, which consists of a number of essays from famous lawyers and judges, discussing what the legal system means to them.
I think this novel is both entertaining for science fiction fans, and educational for those interested in the legal system. As an adult novel, it is worthy of a read. As a young person's novel, I give it my highest rating.
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