I adore this book! I loved how realistic the main characters emotions were in a very exaggerated world. I appreciate how Gordon Korman can really show how characters change over time and how they experience emotions. I hope that he continues to write novels like this one.

Gordon Korman is the GOAT! I daresay, Faker is one of my absolute favorites of Korman's books. The discussion on ethics is such an important one and I love the way he incorporated it into the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

Trey’s dad has talents no other fathers have. Junior (aka, Trey’s dad) uses his brains to relieve wealthy people of some of their money. Trey has never known another life—one where his dad, sister, and he live in a regular neighborhood, go to the same public school as the other kids, and have a dog that comes when he whistles.

No, Trey helps with the family business by attending private schools with other wealthy kids, sharing information about his classmates with his dad, and helping his dad scam money from rich marks. But when his little sister wants a bigger say in the family business, Trey starts to question the oddities of his life.

When Trey’s dad relocates the family once again, Trey slowly realizes he wants more out of his life than leaving hurt friends in his wake. He wants to figure out who he is apart from the family business. When someone starts sending him mysterious messages, claiming to know about the family business, Trey starts running scared.

Will he ever find a way to live a real life where he doesn’t have to fake it all the time? And will his dad and sister want to join him?

Korman writes with humor and tenderness about a difficult topic—how do we deal with our family of origin? Especially when they do things that might land them in prison. Trey displays his ingenuity as he orchestrates a way out for his family and discovers surprising things about other fakers in his world.

Gordon Korman never disappoints. He's so consistently wonderful. This one is so good you find yourself reading longer than you meant to.

I love the dad-is-a-con man idea. Kids are going to love it!

Thank you, Netgalley, for the opportunity to read this book. Gordon Korman does it again. I really loved how Trey struggled with ethics and ended up convincing his dad to switch careers. Heartwarming story that anyone would enjoy.

In typical Korman fashion, Faker, takes a moral issue that young people may face and turns it into a great story with many lessons. In Faker he tackles right and wrong, and when whether you should keep quiet to help those close to you.

I love Faker, because you can really see the main character struggling with his decisions. He wants to do what it right, but that is not always very clear cut.

It is so awesome having a favorite author who is so prolific! Korman continues to publish stellar middle-grade fiction; one title after the other and they are all great.

Trey works for his father in the family business: con games. A smart, likable kid, Trey is able to easily make friends with wealthy classmates, opening doors for his dad to swindle the family out of some of their wealth. In their current town, Trey encounters Kaylee, a passionate activist and her father, Mr. Novak, his ethics teacher. As Mr. Novak introduces hard discussions with no clear answers, Trey begins questioning his father's activities and realizes, more than that, he wants to stay put for once. He does not want to pull a "Houdini" and disappear in the dead of night, with law enforcement on his tail and a crew of disappointed friends left behind.

Middle grade libraries can never go wrong with the newest Korman title. This dives deep into ethics, and I'm still in an ethical dilemma about the ending of the book. I'm not certain justice was served and what message Trey is ultimately getting or if his blind faith and trust in his parent will be his ultimate undoing. I'm left wondering if this is the "right" ending, and which character it is the "right ending" for.

Note: I was given a digital ARC through NetGalley in exchange for a review.
“Faker” is about Trey, his sister Arianna, and their father, who is a sly con man who makes a living by scamming rich people. Trey is used to being on the run, and this leads to him being tired of being on the run all of the time, and after getting used to life in a new town, he wants to get his family to stop lying.
This was a fantastic book throughout, and easily one of Gordon Korman’s best books yet. The twists, jokes, and characters were all great. This is an excellent book from start to finish.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a fabulous realistic fiction book that keeps you reading chapter after chapter! I love that the main character ends up in a social studies class with an ethics unit since his family makes their living by scamming others. The book is well written and allows for in-depth discussions about so many current topics. A must read for middle grades!

Gordon Korman delivers another winning formula in "Faker," reminiscent of his captivating works like "Linked" and "Restart." The story hooks readers from the outset, introducing us to Trey, a teenager with a rather peculiar name that foreshadows the novel's central theme: deception. As the narrative unfolds, we discover Trey's unconventional family dynamic – one fueled by frequent relocations and shrouded in secrecy. The reason? Trey's father, a surprisingly sophisticated con artist, orchestrates elaborate schemes to swindle the wealthy.

Korman masterfully blends humor and intrigue as Trey navigates the world of deception, his father's tutelage clashing with his burgeoning conscience in social studies class, particularly the ethics unit. Further complicating matters is Kaylee, a new classmate who piques Trey's interest. As he hones his skills of befriending the affluent, maintaining a keen eye for detail, and seamlessly integrating into lavish lifestyles, Trey grapples with the moral ambiguity of his family's business. Meanwhile, his competitive younger sister, Arianna, throws another wrench into the mix, determined to outshine him in securing their next target.

"Faker" offers a refreshing twist on the concept of a family business, portraying a surprisingly loving and close-knit unit despite their unconventional lifestyle. Korman's engaging writing draws readers into a unique story filled with suspense and humor, making "Faker" a page-turner you won't want to miss.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Gordon Korman, and the publisher of the book for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Another awesome read by Gordon Korman!

Trey is tired of the same old routine. His dad gets him into a school full of rich kids and parents. Then, Trey's dad gets them to give him money in exchange for investing into one of his schemes. They do not know it's a scheme though, Once the money is in their bank, they withdraw from school and move on to the next school. Trey believes that these people have money to spare, but Trey is tired of not having a consistent place and friends. Will he be able to stop his dad from scheming so they can stay in one place?

A great read to teach kids about moral dilemmas and the importance of being honest. I look forward to having a copy of this book for my classroom!

Once again, Korman hits a home run with his depiction of a seriously flawed human being as a sympathetic character capable of change. Who would think that a con man, raising his children on wealth stolen from other people, and worse, INVOLVING his children in his schemes, would qualify as a good dad?? Well, that's the genius of Gordon Korman. Junior is certainly not winning any Father of the Year awards, but he's doing the best he can, and when his son comes to him with real reservations about the life they lead, Junior listens. I love how the characters in Korman's books are always capable of great change, and this one even ended with a slight twist. I've always been a fan, will always be a fan.

Gordon Korman does it again! The story begins with. Boy who has to suddenly disappear with his family. His father is a prolific con artist and has been training his son in his trade. However, in the next place they move to the son starts feeling a sense of home and belonging. This causes him to do some soul searching about what his family is all about. You must read to find out how the story ends!

Well Gordon Korman did it again! Another life lesson is learned in the hands of his main character, Trey. ‘Faker’ by Gordon Korman is about a con man and his two kids who learn the ways of stealing from the rich and keeping the money for themselves. However, while on this family journey and at one of the schools Trey attends, he connects with other students and one teacher in particular, Mr. Novak who teaches ethics. Can Trey convince his family of the ethics values he has been studying or does his family take off again… Faker is a fun and enjoyable read that take you on ride through the minds of a middle schooler.

Thank you NetGalley, Scholastic Inc., and Gordon Korman for an eARC copy of Faker.

Gordon Korman does it again! His books are always fun, well-written, and thought provoking, and "Faker" is no exception!

It follows the life of twelve-year-old Trey, who lives his life going from place to place helping his dad in his con artist "business." Throughout the story, Trey begins to question whether or not the life they are living is right. I really enjoyed Trey's internal monologue as he wrestled with these things, as well as seeing how the events of the story, especially his friendships caused him to rethink the beliefs about the family business he had previously left unquestioned.

I liked that Korman wrote this novel from one perspective instead of multiple, as he has done in his other books.. I think this would be a great book to use in a classroom, as it will lend itself well to discussions about ethics for middle grades students.

Trey is a smart middle schooler. He’s been in a lot of schools, mostly private schools, and he can always fit in with the other kids. He’s confident and engaging and popular. Until he disappears.

Trey is a con man, a wingman, a way for his father to get in with rich families, so he can get them to invest in his latest schemes. His dad, Junior, has been doing this for a long time. He’s sold fake insurance, pretend peacock eggs, and shares in a show dog. And Trey has been there to help, until his dad called out their code word, “Houdini,” and Trey had to leave it all behind again.

Trey had been at Spealman School, where his dad had used a dog trained to be in commercials to be his fake show dog. And when he had sold so many shares in the dog that the parents figured out the scam, he pulled Trey out of a lacrosse game to Houdini and start all over somewhere else. After Spealman, Trey and his dad and younger sister Arianna head to an island resort to wait for things to cool down and for their dad to figure out their next venture. And when he does, Trey finds out they’re heading to Tennessee.

In Boxelder, Trey won’t be in a private school. He’ll be in a public school, as will Arianna. Which means he’ll get to live at home like a regular kid, something he hadn’t been able to do for a while. But he’s still working, so he’s supposed to keep his eyes open to what’s going on in the town and make friends with the rich kids at school. And he does. He and Arianna both start making friends immediately. They’re even the ones who give their dad the idea for his new scheme when they talk about how the other parents brag about how many miles they can go in their electric cars. And they want to be in on the game, to contribute to the family.

Their dad comes up with a prototype of a new electric car, the El Capitan, the other parents are immediately interested in it. It’s shiny and red and gets amazing mileage to a single charge. The only problem with it is that it’s not real. Their dad had a friend make up a fancy car using a Tesla as a base, but the car is fake, the company is fake, and the factory that he’s talking about putting up in the town is fake. The only thing that’s real is the investment checks that start rolling in from their neighbors.

Trey has known for many years what it was his dad did for a living. He would tell Trey it was a confidence game, and that it was okay because he was only taking money that rich people could afford to lose. But Trey’s social studies teacher has started teaching them about ethics, and Trey finds himself wondering if what his dad has said is true. Is it okay that Robin Hood stole from the rich to give to the poor? Or is all stealing wrong? As Trey make friends and gets involved in the community, he feels at home in Boxelder, Tennessee. He doesn’t want to have to walk away from all his friends again. He wants to stay and be a normal kid. But how is that possible, when he’s spent his whole life being a faker?

The latest novel from Gordon Korman is a compelling tale of a kid who was born into a family of confidence persons but who longs for the real connections that can only come from being a committed and honest friend. Faker is a charming book with genuine questions under it of what it means to be a good friend, a good brother, a good citizen. It’s both entertaining and insightful, a perfect blend for smart middle-schoolers looking for a good book to read.

I had some misgivings about a book that starred a confidence kid as the main character, but of course, Korman pulls it off with the kind of elegance that would come in handy for someone with just that job. The writing is inventive and engaging, and I couldn’t help but really like this kid. I wasn’t sure how Trey was going to get himself out of the jam he was in, but I felt strongly that he would. He’s a strong character, and his situation raises a lot of questions that could make readers really think about their daily choices in a different way. Faker is a fantastic book for boys and girls, and it will make any reader a lifelong fan of Gordon Korman.

Egalleys for Faker were provided by Scholastic Press through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Trey lives what some would perceive as a normal life. But his family has a secret. His dad is a con artist, and Trey is his partner. Their current scheme unfolds in the city of Boxelder where they are deceiving the wealthy. This time they are tricking people to invest in a new state of the art vehicle. However, this new car is just a Ford masked as a luxury car. When Trey finally makes new friends in Boxelder will he put friends or family first?
Overall Rating: 4/5
My daughter and I enjoyed reading this book because of the forged relationships Trey has with his friends. And the struggle that he faces to do what is right or what he has been taught. I think other readers would enjoy this book due to the mystery and intrigue. Young readers can also relate to the dynamic that Trey has between his family and friends. I appreciated how Korman has a panache for great character development which adds to the story line.
*Thank you Gordon Korman, Scholastic | Scholastic Press, Netgalley for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

Thank you @netgalley! Gordon Korman never disappoints and this book was a hit! Twelve year-old Trey is used to being on the run, because his dad is a conman who swindles the rich. Which should be okay, because after all, they are rich, right? His dad gets him into a school full of kids with rich parents and he makes friends and his dad makes connections. When Trey’s dad manages to sucker parents into investing in one of his schemes, Trey, his dad and his sister are on the run again. But Trey is tired of running and lying and never having friends. As he begins to learn about ethical behavior and develop bonds with students, he knows he has to find a way to get his family to stop lying.
This was a quick read and I know students are going to enjoy the nail-biting suspense!

Thank you Netgalley, Gordon Korman and Scholastic for the ebook! This was such a great read! I loved the lesson learned and it was filled with the funny quirks in-between and even some twists along the way! It is something I can't wait to share with my little kids!

Faker is the newest middle grade novel by Gordon Korman. In this story, the main character Trey is the son of a con artist. He and his sister live their lives traveling around with their dad and swindling people out of money and then disappearing. Their latest scheme is a startup for a brand new all-electric car that can go for 1000 miles without charge. This time, however, Trey starts to feel differently about his life as he is able to start making real friends and feel a part of the community.

I enjoyed this Gordon Korman book and think it will be an easy sell to students. It would also make a great classroom read aloud perfect for discussions- topics of ethics, friendship, community service and environmentalism. Definitely adding this to my purchase list for fall!