Though it’s not the clearest of reads, a strong cliffhanger will have readers who make it through, especially those with...
In current-day Lexington, Kentucky, and Cardiff, Wales, two young teens exposed to life-threatening elements become superhumans.
Chemistry is the unifying propeller and storytelling tool throughout this series opener. Cousins and best friends Suzie, 13, and Diego have interesting families: Suzie’s mom is an artist and her dad a nuclear engineer; Diego’s parents are educators, one in biology, the other in history; and Gran is from Wales. When Suzie’s dad must take a leave from work, the family visits Cardiff, where Gran takes the kids to visit their deceased grandfather’s workplace, a university lab. There, the kids are exposed to high levels of radiation, requiring hospitalization. Afterward, it turns out the two can see invisible waves of all sorts—not side effects but supernatural abilities. Toggling between Suzie’s and Diego’s perspectives, the narrative is heavy in chemistry facts, occasionally presented in dialogue but also as asides or interjections. Intermittent abrupt or choppy transitions may confuse readers, and they may also wonder at the ease with which these kids put themselves at risk. Preece and Reynolds offer much diversity in characters (Susie appears to be an Asian adoptee with white parents, and Diego is mixed-race, with a black Latino dad and white mom), though that does not play a crucial role, and the illustrations also help to communicate the chemistry.
Though it’s not the clearest of reads, a strong cliffhanger will have readers who make it through, especially those with chemistry interests, coming back for more. (Graphic science fiction. 9-13)Pub Date: July 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-63411-008-2
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Thunderstone Books
Review Posted Online: April 30, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2017
In this series debut, Maggie Sinclair tracks down a dognapper and solves a mystery about the noises in the walls of her Brooklyn brownstone apartment building. The 12-year-old heroine, who shares a middle name—Brooklyn—with her twin brother, Finn, is juggling two dogwalking jobs she’s keeping secret from her parents, and somehow she attracts the ire of the dogs’ former walker. Maggie tells her story in the first person—she’s self-possessed and likable, even when her clueless brother invites her ex–best friend, now something of an enemy, to their shared 12th birthday party. Maggie’s attention to details helps her to figure out why dogs seem to be disappearing and why there seem to be mice in the walls of her building, though astute readers will pick up on the solution to at least one mystery before Maggie solves it. There’s a brief nod to Nancy Drew, but the real tensions in this contemporary preteen story are more about friendship and boy crushes than skullduggery. Still, the setting is appealing, and Maggie is a smart and competent heroine whose personal life is just as interesting as—if not more than—her detective work. (Mystery. 10-13)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2010
ISBN: 967-1-59990-525-9
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Sept. 15, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2010
Eleven-year-old Griffin Bing is “the man with the plan.” If something needs doing, Griffin carefully plans a fix and his best friend Ben usually gets roped in as assistant. When the town council ignores his plan for a skate park on the grounds of the soon-to-be demolished Rockford House, Griffin plans a camp-out in the house. While there, he discovers a rare Babe Ruth baseball card. His family’s money worries are suddenly a thing of the past, until unscrupulous collectables dealer S. Wendell Palomino swindles him. Griffin and Ben plan to snatch the card back with a little help. Pet-lover Savannah whispers the blood-thirsty Doberman. Rock-climber “Pitch” takes care of scaling the house. Budding-actor Logan distracts the nosy neighbor. Computer-expert Melissa hacks Palomino’s e-mail and the house alarm. Little goes according to plan, but everything turns out all right in this improbable but fun romp by the prolific and always entertaining Korman. (Fiction. 9-12)
Pub Date: March 1, 2008
ISBN: 978-0-439-90344-0
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2008
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