Ridiculous theories of science and the paranormal destroy a promising story of nature vs. nurture. Samara Brooks heads a gambling ring in the cafeteria of her middle school. When she’s caught, she strikes a bargain with the principal: He won’t call her parents, and she’ll conduct a science experiment with the school’s never-used electron microscope, comparing her DNA to that of her friend and class president Lily Frederick. If Samara’s DNA is structurally identical to Lily’s, this will prove that she’s not a bad person. Weirdness ensues when classmate Nathan Weiss spots a pattern in Samara’s DNA that resembles clues to a 600-year-old extraterrestrial mystery. The multiple plots of gambling, adoption, aliens, religion and politics never jell. Plotlines are introduced then abandoned before their resolution. Even thinner than the plot are the characterizations. The teens are indistinct, and the adults are one-sided. A few funny, touching moments cannot save this convoluted mess. (Fiction. 12 & up)
Pub Date: Feb. 9, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-385-73434-9
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Dec. 29, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2010
Big brother Duane is off in boot camp, and Justin is left trying to hold the parental units together. Fat, acne-ridden, and missing his best friend Ben, who’s in the throes of his first boy-girl relationship with Cass, Justin’s world is dreary. It gets worse when he realizes that all of his mother’s suspicions about his father are probably true, and that Dad may not return from his latest business trip. Surprisingly ultra-cool Jemmie, who is also missing her best friend, Cass, actually recognizes his existence and her grandmother invites Justin to use their piano in the afternoons when Jemmie’s at cross-country practice. The “big nothing” place, where Justin retreats in time of trouble, is a rhythmic world and soon begins to include melody and provide Justin with a place to express himself. Practice and discipline accompany this gradual exploration of his talent. The impending war in Iraq gives this story a definite place in time, and its distinct characters make it satisfying and surprisingly realistic. Misfit finds fit. (Fiction. YA)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2004
ISBN: 1-56145-326-9
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2004
The poster boy for relentless mischief-makers everywhere, first encountered in No, David! (1998), gives his weary mother a rest by going to school. Naturally, he’s tardy, and that’s but the first in a long string of offenses—“Sit down, David! Keep your hands to yourself! PAY ATTENTION!”—that culminates in an afterschool stint. Children will, of course, recognize every line of the text and every one of David’s moves, and although he doesn’t exhibit the larger- than-life quality that made him a tall-tale anti-hero in his first appearance, his round-headed, gap-toothed enthusiasm is still endearing. For all his disruptive behavior, he shows not a trace of malice, and it’ll be easy for readers to want to encourage his further exploits. (Picture book. 5-7)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-590-48087-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1999
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