The Last Great Adventure of the PB&J Society
“The Last Great Adventure of the PB&J Society” by Janet Sumner Johnson is a serious must-read. It’s full of friendship, mystery, pirates, adventure, and a whole ton of PB&Js. It’s cute, clever, and every moment of the book feels like an epic Summer vacation where the days feel like they’ll never end. It’s also got one of the best covers of any book this year so far. JUST LOOK AT IT! It’s perfect!
Annie and Jason are neighbors who have been best friends for pretty much ever. They sit together in the cafeteria, they play together on the same soccer team, and they spend pretty much all their free time hanging out with each other. They’re so inseparable they even have a secret club together called “The PB&J Society”, dedicated to their most favorite food. To Annie and Jason, there are rules that MUST be followed when making the perfect PB&J, and if you get one that’s smushed, moldy, or anything but perfect – it must get an epic send-off in the form of a burial ritual.
When Annie finds out that Jason’s family is going to be moving away because they’re not doing so great financially, she’s absolutely crushed. Annie is determined to keep Jason’s family from moving, so she comes tries literally any plan she can think of – from selling her appendix on eBay to trying to win the Lottery. Unfortunately, her plans keep backfiring, and she’s worried that she’s going to lose Jason for good. When Annie and Jason befriend their cranky old neighbor, Mrs. Schuster, she gives them a map to a treasure that’s buried somewhere in town. If Annie and Jason can find the treasure, surely Jason’s family can afford to stay, right? As these two best friends try to solve the mystery and find the treasure, they learn that sometimes there’s worse things in life than your bestie having to move away.
This is one of those books that we absolutely couldn’t put down. We read the entire thing cover to cover in a few hours and have proceeded to gush to everyone who will listen about what a great read this is. You’re sucked in from the very beginning, always interested in what crazy plan Annie will come up with next or if the kids will be able to find the treasure and save the day. Annie is a fantastic character – she’s a totally kick-butt girl who never gives up no matter how wrong things go, and always keeps an optimistic attitude. Sometimes this can be her downfall, but she never stops trying. We can all learn a thing or two from a character like Annie.
The PB&J Society rules will have you cracking up and dying to start up your own version of the club with your besties immediately. If you just can’t wait to start up your own PB&J Society, you’re in luck! Janet Sumner Johnson posted up a cute printable version of the rules on her website, which you can download here. There’s also a special bonus story called “Annie’s Bet” that you can read and download for free. It’s a short story about Annie and Jason that takes place 6 months before the events of “The Last Great Adventure of the PB&J Society”.
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