5.0(25)

The Tip-Off (The Chronicles of Jonathan Spencer, Book 1)

$1499
5.0(25)
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Starting middle school is rarely easy, but a summer full of big changes has Jonathan feeling overwhelmed. There are new responsibilities at home involving his three crazy younger siblings, and…

Starting middle school is rarely easy, but a summer full of big changes has Jonathan feeling overwhelmed. There are new responsibilities at home involving his three crazy younger siblings, and…

  • Book 1 of the series
  • Funny coming-of-age novel by PragerU
  • Tackles friendship shifts and self-doubt
  • Written for middle schoolers
  • Book 1 of the series
  • Funny coming-of-age novel by PragerU
  • Tackles friendship shifts and self-doubt
  • Written for middle schoolers
Quantity
  • Ships in 1-2 days
  • 30-day returns

About this product

Starting middle school is rarely easy, but a summer full of big changes has Jonathan feeling overwhelmed. There are new responsibilities at home involving his three crazy younger siblings, and Mom and Dad have new jobs and no time. Plus, the notorious school prankster Slammo prowls the halls in search of victims for his growing online empire. But when Jonathan discovers a hidden talent, things begin to change. Learning to play basketball might be just what he needs to survive on and off the court.

Written for the middle schooler in your life, The Tip-Off (The Chronicles of Jonathan Spencer, Book 1) by PragerU is a funny and relatable coming-of-age novel that helps kids navigate life’s challenges—friendship shifts, self-doubt, and discovering what they truly love—both on and off the court.

Also available in The Chronicles of Jonathan Spencer Bundle (Books 1 & 2). Save when you buy both.

  • Book 1 of the series
  • Funny coming-of-age novel by PragerU
  • Tackles friendship shifts and self-doubt
  • Written for middle schoolers

FREE EDUCATION STAYS FREE

Every order helps fund PragerU’s free videos and resources. We are a 501(c)(3). Your purchase keeps that work available to everyone.

  • Funds free education
  • Supports American values
  • Gift-ready quality
Shipping & returns

Ships nationwide in 1-2 business days. Tracking is emailed when your order ships. Return unused items in their original condition within 30 days.

Customer reviews

Highly engaging middle school book featuring strong moral values and relatable humor. Customers said it's "perfect for middle school readers" with an engaging storyline about navigating new schools and peer pressure. Even reluctant readers enjoyed it, with many finishing quickly and requesting the sequel. Age-appropriate content teaches character traits and integrity.

  • Strong moral values and engaging storyline. My students are going to love it.
  • Hooked my non-reader! He read it in 2 days and asked for book 2 in the series!
  • Pace is perfect for middle school readers, and we loved the conversation-starting questions too.
Values (positive)Kids (positive)Book (positive)Story (positive)School (positive)
  • 5 stars: 24 (96%)
  • 4 stars: 1 (4%)
  • 3 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 2 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 1 star: 0 (0%)
S
Stephanie B. (United States)
Great choice!

My children (11 and 13) loved this book - they tore through it and went on to No. 2.

M
Misty K. (United States)
Loved it

Loved it! I have already ordered the next book.

C
Colleen F. (United States)
i bought this book for two of my grandsons that are entering a new middle school

i bought this book for two of my grandsons that are entering a new middle school. It's so great for them to have a positive start in middle school. This book became available just in time

C
Cathy H. (United States)
What a great book/story

What a great book/story. I purchased this for my grandson and read it first (of course). It teaches such great character traits and the hard place young people (as we all do) find themselves in their middle school years. I look forward to reading the next one!

S
Sista B.
Reader Starter

This was a gift that encouraged a youngster to read. A winner!

C
Cheyanne's M.
Age appropriate

11 yr old grandson loves series

R
Remi E.
Great publisher

Nice for these to be available in Amazon for my students' parents, who know only one place to look. :)

B
Brian P.
Perfect gift for my grandson

Bought it for my grandson and he loves it!!!

c
cah2003
Engaging and Pure

Strong moral values and engaging storyline. I am thrilled to add this one to my classroom library. My students are going to love it.

G
GG
A five-star family conversation starter

Balances the struggle of finding your 'thing' in middle school with moving/starting a new school with relatable humor and honesty. Loved the family dynamic and the multiple ways that communication can go off course. Pace is perfect for middle school readers, and we loved the conversation-starting questions too.

B
Bill
Keeps the boy interested

Given as a gift. It must be an interesting read because he is moving through it pretty quickly.

J
Jane D.
Engaging for a reluctant reader

13 yo who finds reading a bore really enjoyed this book.

N
Natalie Q.
Awesome book! Great for kids!

Awesome book! Great for kids!

B
Bill
TIP OFF

Just a good clean book. Appreciate that decent honest material is still out there

L
Lester33
It is uplifting.

Great kids book!

N
NV
Good story that kept attention

Riding middle schooler actually loved this book. Looking forward to the second book!

J
Jea4646
Good, fun read for a pre-teen boy

My grandson and I are reading this book together. He's 12 years old and and the book is perfect for his age group. It tells a good story, but has a lot of humor that is very age appropriate. We haven't finished it yet, but so far have enjoyed every chapter!

G
GW
Surviving Changes

This is a great book for kids entering middle school and that enjoy sports. The reading is comfortable with spaces between paragraphs to keep eyes from getting too tired. The plot helps the reader identify with starting a new school, feeling overwhelmed by family and learning how to survive pressures and changes. 4 questions at the end help kids process what they've learned. Book 1 in The Chronicles of Jonathan Spencer published by Prager U. We are anxious to get book 2!

A
Amazon C.
A good starter “new kid”/ coming of age - chapter book

As a father navigating today’s world, The Tip Off was exactly the kind of book I’ve been hoping for — smart, engaging, and packed with values that actually matter.The story is fast-paced and fun, which kept both my 10-year-old and 12-year-old completely hooked. But what really stood out to me was how it naturally weaves in lessons about integrity, personal responsibility, and critical thinking — all without sounding preachy or heavy-handed.In a world full of noise, I’m grateful for resources like this that reinforce the things my wife and I are trying to teach at home. The characters feel real, the stakes are relatable (especially for kids dealing with school drama or peer pressure), and the message sticks.Bonus: it sparked some great conversations around the dinner table about standing up for what’s right, even when it’s tough.

D
Desultory
Kid Approved and Age Appropriate Book

My 11 year old son enjoyed reading this book, and is looking forward to reading the next one.My son isn't a sports fan per se, but he still liked reading about the protagonist and his school based adventures. He related to some of the social awkwardness and sibling situations of the main character, and even laughed aloud a few times while reading it.It isn't a book I would have typically picked out for him, as its overall literary value doesn't rank very high. However, it appears to be a great book for an 11 year old that isn't into Alighieri, and it doesn't contain anything inappropriate or polarizing. Thank you to PragerU for making age appropriate content!

J
J. H.
A good read

My grandson enjoyed reading this as he is entering middle school this fall.

A
Amazon C.
Book

Perfect book for youth

l
larry h.
Great book for middle school student.

Grandson loves to read this book

B
Brian A.D.
Hooked my non-reader!

Ordered this for my 11 yr old son who does not typically enjoy reading for fun. He has liked a couple books about basketball stars so when I saw this advertised on a PragerU email, I went ahead and purchased. My son read it in 2 days and asked for book 2 in the series! Unfortunately, book 2 hasn’t come out yet. Still very thankful for good kids content backed up by PragerU!

D
Danielle
Engaging, realistic, and fun read

I got this for my son who’s starting middle school next year. He read it in 2 days and is sad that he’s already done. It’s a great story and we both loved the discussion questions that appeared throughout the book.The story was very realistic and provided a lot of good conversation starters for us, and it was engaging and well-written.My son reads a lot, and it’s hard finding appropriate, interesting books that aren’t filled with worldly agendas and ideas, and I’m so glad I decided to check this one out when I saw a PragerU announcement about it. My son is already looking forward to book 2 - check this one out if you have kids; you won’t be disappointed!Side note - this book was JUST published so there were several small typos, but nothing so egregious it took away from the content and story.