Theodore Roddenbury Grant and the Coconut Caper

“No crack, no crunch, no coconut for lunch!”

Experience the antics of 8-year-old Theodore as he tries to crack open a coconut for lunch, determined to do it all by himself. You’ll laugh or gasp as his vivid imagination transports him to new places, transforms him into a cast of colorful characters and turns an ordinary challenge into an adventure.

In The Coconut Caper, Theodore becomes Super Smasher, a fiercely independent superhero determined to crack open a stubborn coconut he dubs Mr. Coo-Coo Nut.

But is he too independent for his own good?

You decide!

Pssst ... discover your superpowers of observation! Become a Super Sleuth and find 10 golden coconuts hidden throughout the story.

Theodore’s humor, imagination and memorable misadventures invite children to laugh, look closely and read the story again. The hidden-coconut challenge rewards careful observation and discovery.

Parents, teachers and librarians will find natural opportunities for conversations about independence, accepting help, managing anger, pride, accountability, perseverance, critical thinking and making things right after a mistake.

Free companion activities for home and classroom use are available at TRG.Zone.

Give a young reader laughter, adventure, discovery and plenty to talk about together!

Michelle Adams Burchett raised four precocious children, Chris, Ken, Kat and Ben, whose adventures often serve as the basis for her fictional stories.

At an early age, she began writing skits for neighborhood children to perform for their parents who paid a nickel to attend. The children bought ice-cream bars from the milkman with the money they saved.

In third grade, she wrote a story and created an illustrated mockup for her mother. Unbeknownst to Michelle, her mom submitted it to Little, Brown Publishing. Shortly thereafter, she received her first rejection! Undaunted, she kept writing.

In seventh grade, her peers voted her holiday play "best in class," and performed it for the community. In high school, she wrote and presented competitive speeches that won awards. She also wrote news releases for school clubs, which garnered local press.

Michelle sees stories everywhere.

She loved mentoring children even when she was a child. She still does. In college, she tutored Spanish-speaking kindergartners in Los Angeles through USC's Joint Educational Program. She also befriended families attending a USC conference for the hearing impaired, unofficially chauffeured several families, and made them feel welcome in L.A. After college, she taught art to K-7, Sunday School to grades 3-4, and served as the unofficial neighborhood mom.

She became a freelance writer covering local schools, youth organizations and inspiring people. Her favorite stories were about children and teens, Special Olympians, and centenarians.

In the Theodore Roddenbury Grant series, she inspires and empowers children through fun, engaging stories that help develop critical-thinking and language skills. TRG offers an opportunity for parents and teachers to engage with their children, explore life lessons, and have fun with story-related, age-appropriate resources and activities she provides online. 

Michelle also serves as a writer/editor/content manager at the VSU College of Agriculture.