J. Scott Savage
Author of Water Keep
About the Author
Disambiguation Notice:
As Jeffrey S. Savage, he writes LDS adult novels; as J. Scott Savage he writes middle-grade fantasy.
Series
Works by J. Scott Savage
Graysen Foxx and the Treasure of Principal Redbeard (Graysen Foxx, School Treasure Hunter) (Graysen Foxx, School Treasure Hunter, 1) (2023) 8 copies, 1 review
Graysen Foxx and the Curse of the Illuminerdy: Volume 2 (Graysen Foxx, School Treasure Hunter) (Graysen Foxx, School Treasure Hunter, 2) (Graysen Foxx, 2) (2024) 5 copies, 1 review
Farworld, Vol. 2: Land Keep 2 copies
Farworld, Vol. 4: Fire Keep 1 copy
CASE FILE 13 ZOMBIE KID 1 copy
Farworld, Vol. 1: Water Keep 1 copy
Associated Works
True Heroes: A Treasury of Modern-day Fairy Tales Written by Best-selling Authors (2015) — Contributor — 35 copies, 1 review
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Savage, Jeffrey Scott
- Other names
- Savage, Jeffrey S.
Savage, J. Scott - Gender
- male
- Education
- writer
- Organizations
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Short biography
- J. Scott Savage has been creating stories for as long as he can remember. He lives at the mouth of a canyon where morning and evening winds keep the air clear and blue—along with blowing over patio tables, trees, basketball stands, and the occasional small child. He has a wonderful wife who has stuck with him for more than twenty years, four great children, a spastic border collie, and possibly three or four fish. (The pond is still frozen, so he isn’t quite sure.) Scott has held too many jobs to count, including: a mall Santa, French chef, CEO of a dot com, plumber, radio station talk show host, and the guy who sits in the little photo developing booth. He has completed one marathon and hopes to complete another when the memories finally fade away. He loves reading, writing, camping, playing games with his family, and especially hearing from and meeting his readers. To e-mail him or schedule a visit, come to his website www.jscottsavage.com
- Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Oakland, California, USA
- Places of residence
- Roseville, California, USA
Utah, USA
New Providence, New Jersey, USA - Disambiguation notice
- As Jeffrey S. Savage, he writes LDS adult novels; as J. Scott Savage he writes middle-grade fantasy.
- Associated Place (for map)
- USA
Members
Reviews
"'Authors make up their own rules. They change things and switch them up. They invent words that never existed, make up names no one can pronounce, and create crazy lands that no one can understand. It's all nonsense.'
'Sometimes I need nonsense.'"
One word for this book and that would be 'clever'. This story was so imaginative and unique. I was absolutely gleeful when reading.
I will be the first to admit that I don't know a ton about Alice and Wonderland save for the few thinks I remember show more from reading it a few years ago. However, I came to love the world and felt like I was there with Celia. And once I got invested into the story, I could not put it down. I may *shh* have even read it during school.
This was a clean read and perfect for family read-aloud.
Rating: 5/5
Language: n/a
Romance: n/a
Spiritual: n/a
Violence: very mild
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required. show less
'Sometimes I need nonsense.'"
One word for this book and that would be 'clever'. This story was so imaginative and unique. I was absolutely gleeful when reading.
I will be the first to admit that I don't know a ton about Alice and Wonderland save for the few thinks I remember show more from reading it a few years ago. However, I came to love the world and felt like I was there with Celia. And once I got invested into the story, I could not put it down. I may *shh* have even read it during school.
This was a clean read and perfect for family read-aloud.
Rating: 5/5
Language: n/a
Romance: n/a
Spiritual: n/a
Violence: very mild
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required. show less
Graysen Foxx and the Curse of the Illuminerdy: Volume 2 (Graysen Foxx, School Treasure Hunter) (Graysen Foxx, School Treasure Hunter, 2) (Graysen Foxx, 2) by J. Scott Savage
Another fun adventure from J. Scott Savage! I have thoroughly enjoyed this elementary school/middle grade series. It’s a book that parents would definitely approve of and enjoy reading along with their children. I loved the funny puns and humor, the creative puzzles and mysteries they have to solve, and the life lessons shared subtly throughout.
Graysen Foxx is on another quest, this time to find a creepy painting that will help his treasure hunting sidekicks Maya and Jack win their show more classroom Halloween decorating contest. But, Ordinary Elementary is anything but ordinary as the kids have previously discovered. On their mission to find the painting, they uncover another mystery, an old spelling bee medal with a strange inscription on the back.
Before they can figure out what the medal means, a ninja like 2nd grader steals the medal right out of their hands. This starts them on an investigation that will test all of their skills and friendship leading to an encounter with a super smart group called the illuminerdy. They guard a particularly amazing secret which the friends are determined to uncover. From alligators to abacuses, they face it all on their action-packed, fun filled adventure.
This book was so much fun and I loved the narration of Graysen Foxx. He’s such a fun kid with a wicked smart sense of humor and a gift for leadership. There were so many great messages in this story that were delivered in an entertaining way. I loved the teamwork, friendships, and lesson that just because you fail at something doesn’t mean you’re doomed to failure. I loved the way the kids each used their specific talents to solve the puzzles and riddles. Music, chemistry, engineering, math, computer programming, and science problems were all featured in this amazing adventure.
I loved the setting where there are secret passageways, hidden secrets, and all kinds of imaginative scenarios that took me back to my own childhood. Who hasn’t wished to find a secret passage in the school basement? Where there are so many books nowadays that rely on crude humor and silly jokes, this book excels in intelligent humor, witty observations, and fun.
Highly recommend this book and the entire series to elementary school aged kids and up. While it’s the second book in the series, it could be read as a standalone, but is more enjoyable if you’ve read the first book. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided. show less
Graysen Foxx is on another quest, this time to find a creepy painting that will help his treasure hunting sidekicks Maya and Jack win their show more classroom Halloween decorating contest. But, Ordinary Elementary is anything but ordinary as the kids have previously discovered. On their mission to find the painting, they uncover another mystery, an old spelling bee medal with a strange inscription on the back.
Before they can figure out what the medal means, a ninja like 2nd grader steals the medal right out of their hands. This starts them on an investigation that will test all of their skills and friendship leading to an encounter with a super smart group called the illuminerdy. They guard a particularly amazing secret which the friends are determined to uncover. From alligators to abacuses, they face it all on their action-packed, fun filled adventure.
This book was so much fun and I loved the narration of Graysen Foxx. He’s such a fun kid with a wicked smart sense of humor and a gift for leadership. There were so many great messages in this story that were delivered in an entertaining way. I loved the teamwork, friendships, and lesson that just because you fail at something doesn’t mean you’re doomed to failure. I loved the way the kids each used their specific talents to solve the puzzles and riddles. Music, chemistry, engineering, math, computer programming, and science problems were all featured in this amazing adventure.
I loved the setting where there are secret passageways, hidden secrets, and all kinds of imaginative scenarios that took me back to my own childhood. Who hasn’t wished to find a secret passage in the school basement? Where there are so many books nowadays that rely on crude humor and silly jokes, this book excels in intelligent humor, witty observations, and fun.
Highly recommend this book and the entire series to elementary school aged kids and up. While it’s the second book in the series, it could be read as a standalone, but is more enjoyable if you’ve read the first book. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided. show less
Graysen Foxx and the Treasure of Principal Redbeard (Graysen Foxx, School Treasure Hunter) (Graysen Foxx, School Treasure Hunter, 1) by J. Scott Savage
Did you imagine secret passageways in your elementary school when you were little? Or perhaps mysteries that happened years ago? Graysen Foxx and the Treasure of Principal Redbeard brought back the sweet, imaginative days of elementary school. Graysen aka the Gray Fox is a fedora wearing 5th grader who like Indiana Jones is a sort of elementary school archeologist who searches for long forgotten school treasures and solves mysteries. Ordinary Elementary School has secret tunnels, passages, show more and treasures hidden in those piles of ancient wooden desks. With his reliable sticky hand and his two sidekicks Maya and Jack, he tries to outwit his nemesis Raven Ransom aka “the Red Raven” from beating him to the treasures.
When he discovers an old book that alludes to Principal Redbeard’s hidden treasure, he seeks out the dreaded sixth graders, and “the Oracle” of the library to find clues to where it could be stashed. With plenty of riddles and Indiana Jones like booby traps, the trio face all sorts of danger to find where Redbeard’s horde of old confiscated toys might be found. But, will they be able to outwit Raven or is there someone else who has a vested interest in them discovering the lost treasure?
I enjoyed this funny, clever book. I had a big imagination in elementary school and loved mysteries, so this book would have been right up my alley. This would be a great read-a-loud book for kids, and adults would enjoy the references to their own childhood, like those heavy wooden desks, the library card files, those date stamps librarians used for checking out books, and other nostalgic remnants from before smart phones and tablets.
I loved Graysen’s goodness and his willingness to do what was best for others rather than just himself. He’s a great leader and a funny, smart kid. It’s so refreshing to read about a male main character who’s brave, smart, kind, and fun. I also appreciated the fact that there was no potty humor, language, or adult content that parents have to worry about. There are some mentions of bullying and very mild violence/suspenseful situations.
Highly recommend this book to kids between the ages of seven and twelve with 3rd to 5th graders being the ideal audience. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review. show less
When he discovers an old book that alludes to Principal Redbeard’s hidden treasure, he seeks out the dreaded sixth graders, and “the Oracle” of the library to find clues to where it could be stashed. With plenty of riddles and Indiana Jones like booby traps, the trio face all sorts of danger to find where Redbeard’s horde of old confiscated toys might be found. But, will they be able to outwit Raven or is there someone else who has a vested interest in them discovering the lost treasure?
I enjoyed this funny, clever book. I had a big imagination in elementary school and loved mysteries, so this book would have been right up my alley. This would be a great read-a-loud book for kids, and adults would enjoy the references to their own childhood, like those heavy wooden desks, the library card files, those date stamps librarians used for checking out books, and other nostalgic remnants from before smart phones and tablets.
I loved Graysen’s goodness and his willingness to do what was best for others rather than just himself. He’s a great leader and a funny, smart kid. It’s so refreshing to read about a male main character who’s brave, smart, kind, and fun. I also appreciated the fact that there was no potty humor, language, or adult content that parents have to worry about. There are some mentions of bullying and very mild violence/suspenseful situations.
Highly recommend this book to kids between the ages of seven and twelve with 3rd to 5th graders being the ideal audience. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review. show less
Better than I hoped! I adore the main characters. The puzzle-solving & mystery are engaging and the reader has enough clues to follow along (but probably not predict too early; I was surprised with every development). The world-building (at the library, and in Wonderland) was fine. Even the original nonsense verses were worthy tributes.
A couple of characters seemed a little off to me... esp. the Cheshire Cat, who was more helpful than I remember from the books, but this seems to me a minor show more quibble.
The themes were made clear. Imo, not didactically so, but Savage wants to help kids learn to navigate our increasingly stressed and complex world, and to have the self-confidence to do so. Young me would have absolutely adored this book, *especially* the earnest parts.
Additional details make it even more appealing. Some concrete poetry, and words shown as illustrations. Some lovely real illustrations. Author's note. Discussion questions. An 'easter egg' if the reader keeps turning pages until the very end. Chapter titles, including a table of contents.
And epigraphs to open each chapter, for example:
"She generally gave herself very good advice (though she very seldom followed it)."
Other bits that I bookdarted:
"I told you books saved my life. But for what? If all I do is spend my life hiding in them, what's the point?"
(Hint: the challenges of just living aren't likely to permit that, but I definitely empathize anyway!)
"'I said the two of you couldn't save the world. I didn't say you couldn't change it.'"
"'Whatever happens in the future, how about we both try to see it from the other person's side.'" (Emphasis mine.)
There's even an exercise left to the student (like the original comparison of a raven to a writing desk; look online for lots of possible answers). Here we have an ode to 'courage, friendship, lessons learned, and cheese," from Dormouse:
"Hey diddle doodle
There once was a poodle
Who furnished his house
With cheese."
(How do you think it might continue?) show less
A couple of characters seemed a little off to me... esp. the Cheshire Cat, who was more helpful than I remember from the books, but this seems to me a minor show more quibble.
The themes were made clear. Imo, not didactically so, but Savage wants to help kids learn to navigate our increasingly stressed and complex world, and to have the self-confidence to do so. Young me would have absolutely adored this book, *especially* the earnest parts.
Additional details make it even more appealing. Some concrete poetry, and words shown as illustrations. Some lovely real illustrations. Author's note. Discussion questions. An 'easter egg' if the reader keeps turning pages until the very end. Chapter titles, including a table of contents.
And epigraphs to open each chapter, for example:
"She generally gave herself very good advice (though she very seldom followed it)."
Other bits that I bookdarted:
"I told you books saved my life. But for what? If all I do is spend my life hiding in them, what's the point?"
(Hint: the challenges of just living aren't likely to permit that, but I definitely empathize anyway!)
"'I said the two of you couldn't save the world. I didn't say you couldn't change it.'"
"'Whatever happens in the future, how about we both try to see it from the other person's side.'" (Emphasis mine.)
There's even an exercise left to the student (like the original comparison of a raven to a writing desk; look online for lots of possible answers). Here we have an ode to 'courage, friendship, lessons learned, and cheese," from Dormouse:
"Hey diddle doodle
There once was a poodle
Who furnished his house
With cheese."
(How do you think it might continue?) show less
Awards
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Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 29
- Also by
- 1
- Members
- 1,247
- Popularity
- #20,576
- Rating
- 3.9
- Reviews
- 47
- ISBNs
- 120
- Favorited
- 1
