Opposition to a proposal to build a university physics research center on the grounds of an amusement park is the thin story line surrounding this lively introduction to physics for middle-school readers. When Jeremy and reporter Liam attempt to organize kids for a demonstration, visiting physics enthusiast Audrey reveals the connections between physics and sports, art and music; its importance in studies of weather, and space and time; and how it underlies carnival rides and consumer electronics. Sidebars add explanations, definitions and examples of “weird stuff” (often astrophysical), and a series of biographies introduces scientists from Einstein and Curie to Hawking and Feynman. Rolston’s cartoon drawings, featuring a diverse group of young people, enliven each page. The explanations are clear but technical enough to require some effort on the part of the reader. Backmatter includes an extensive glossary and wide-ranging suggestions for further reading and web explorations as well as an index. Like its companion, The Great Number Rumble (2007), this introduces a complicated field of study in a lighthearted way. (Nonfiction. 9-13)
