Tag: science

REVIEW: Nikki Tesla and the Ferret-Proof Death Ray by Jess Keating

REVIEW: Nikki Tesla and the Ferret-Proof Death Ray by Jess Keating

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Nikki is a brilliant inventor, but her brilliance often leads to trouble. Like the gaping hole in the floor of her bedroom so big she can see into the first floor. How could she have known her ferret would get a hold of the death ray she was building?

Nikki’s mom has done a lot to help her genius daughter – home schooling, shielding her from reporters, and moving whenever one of her inventions destroyed something and drew unwanted attention. The world knows Nikki’s father died working on a bomb he planned to use on innocent people. Too many folks would think Nikki was following in his footsteps.

The death ray incident gets Nikki invited to Genius Academy. It’s a school for kids like Nikki, and it has the resources to protect her – and others – from her inventions. If she doesn’t go, her mom could go to jail for a long time. Nikki would do anything for her mother – even risk the bullying and angst of going to a school with other kids again. She doesn’t need to be friends with these people. She just has to stay out of trouble, for her mom’s sake.

Review

I have been looking forward to this for months! And it did not disappoint. I loved the kids at Genius Academy, and I’m eager to see where things go in the series for Nikki.

There’s a lot of great science and history stuff here. Each of the seven kids is named for a real person – Nikola Tesla, Albert Einstein, Mary Shelly, etc. The book also highlights a variety of types of genius which I loved!

At the core, this is a kid-spy story and a friendship story. Nikki and her peers have a quest to undertake which involves surveillance and investigation. And through all of it, Nikki is trying to maintain the walls she lives behind so no one can embarrass her, hurt her, or betray her. That behavior makes sense with her history and her fears of being vulnerable. But it’s hard to build a team when one member walls herself off. I think there’s a lot here for readers to consider and explore. Don’t miss this one! Book 2, Nikki Tesla and the Fellowship of the Bling, releases in February 2020.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Third Mushroom by Jennifer L. Holm

REVIEW: The Third Mushroom by Jennifer L. Holm

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy from Netgalley and Random House in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Ellie, the star of The Fourteenth Goldfish, is back. In that book, Ellie discovered her grandfather, Melvin, had found a way to get younger. He was on his second trip through adolescence.

In this book, Melvin is back, and Ellie is glad to have him around. She asks him to help her with an experiment for the science fair. They decide to use an axolotl Melvin found that had two extra legs. They use wingless fruit flies to see if the axolotl cells would cause any structural changes in the fruit flies. And some of the wingless fruit flies grow wings! On its own, that’s astonishing. But not nearly as stunning as Melvin regrowing his appendix when he injects some cells from the axolotl into himself!

In the middle of all the amazing science, there are some relationship things happening for both Melvin and Ellie, but they are complicated. Why can’t everything just get better, like with the axolotl experiment?

Review

This was an absolute delight! It took a little while for the two pieces – the science piece and the relationship piece – to tie together, but when they did, it was perfect. I love these characters!

If you haven’t read The Fourteenth Goldfish, I highly recommend it, but you don’t have to have read it to enjoy this. The only real reference to the first story is about Melvin’s age. If you accept that Melvin is a scientist who figured out how to get younger, that’s all you need to know for this book. But it’s a great story, so by all means, check it out.

I love the science emphasis in this! The end notes include additional details on the scientists mentioned throughout the book. There are great tie-ins for teachers and classrooms regarding the scientific method and science fairs.

My favorite part is the heart of this. The relationships between the characters, the emotions for different events in the book, and the delightful ending were perfect. It was all so fun to read.

Hand this to any upper elementary or middle school kid you know. There’s something here for kids who love science, kids who love science fiction, kids who love family stories, and more. Highly recommend.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Dragons and Marshmallows by Asia Citro

REVIEW: Dragons and Marshmallows by Asia Citro

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free copy of this book as part of my work as a judge for the 2017 Cybil awards.]

Summary

Zoey finds out a big secret about the forest by her house as her mom gets ready for a business trip. Magical creatures live there! Before her mom leaves, she tells Zoey about a talking frog she found as a kid. Using her science skills and animal knowledge, Zoey’s mom had been able to help the sick frog. But she thought she was the only one who could see the creatures. Zoey’s dad can’t. But now that she knows Zoey can, Zoey can watch for any creatures in need while her mom is gone.

Near the end of her mom’s trip, Zoey finds a sickly dragon. She and her cat, Sassafras, try to take care of it while Zoey uses her own science skills to figure out what is wrong. When her first idea seems to work, but the dragon is still sick, Zoey is desperate for her mom to come home. What will happen if Zoey can’t figure out what is wrong with the dragon?

Review

This was adorable! I mentioned this in a Saturday Smorgasbord earlier this year, but I wanted to give it a full review because I enjoyed it so much. It’s smart and fun – just what I love in a book, especially one for kids exploring chapter books for the first time.

Zoey and Sassafras are endearing. Zoey is smart and curious and resourceful. Sassafras is a typical cat with hints of attitude at times. But mostly he is insightful and a fantastic partner for Zoey. The author does a great job of describing the interactions between the characters. I just wanted to hug them

The fantasy piece is a fun hook for readers. Kids who love creatures like dragons will love this as will kids who love traditional animal stories. The science pieces – reptile facts, instructions for running an experiment – are perfect for 2nd and 3rd grade students. This would be a great series to give to your favorite young reader as well as your favorite lower elementary teacher.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Jack and the Geniuses: At the Bottom of the World by Bill Nye and Gregory Mone

REVIEW: Jack and the Geniuses: At the Bottom of the World by Bill Nye and Gregory Mone

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Jack and his siblings, Matt and Ava, are former foster kids, emancipated and living on their own. Jack and Ava are twelve; Matt is fifteen. Ava and Matt are geniuses. Jack is smart in his own way. They have a social worker who checks on them weekly, but otherwise, they are on their own. Until they meet Hank.

Henry Witherspoon is a famous scientist and inventor. He’s so impressed by the kids , he invites them to join him on an expedition to Antarctica. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime for the kids. But when they get to the South Pole, one of Hanks’ friends on the base has gone missing. Jack starts nosing around for clues and information. Did the scientist dart off on a whim as she had done before? Or had she made a scientific breakthrough that someone else wanted to keep hidden?

 

Review

This book was all sorts of fun! First, it’s a mystery at its core. The case was interesting, and the sleuthing was believable.

Second, it’s a unique setting. I learned all sorts of things about Antarctica while I enjoyed a great story.

Third, since Bill Nye the Science Guy is one of the authors, there’s great science material in the story and in the end materials (plus an experiment!)

Fourth, there’s Jack. I loved Jack! As the “normal one,” people in the story didn’t expect much from him. But Jack is smart in his own ways. Even with a lot of baggage (several failed foster placements), he’s a personable, confident kid. He knows who he is and where he fits in with his siblings. And he contributes most of the humor in the story.  I’m not sure the emancipation of twelve-year-olds is believable, but it was easy to look past, and the story is worth it! This is a smart, funny and all around FUN story. Can’t wait to read more!! (Book 2 will be out later this year.)

I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher, Amulet books, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Amulet, for the opportunity!

Rating:♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Looking for a book about creative kids? Ada Twist is an immensely curious child. Her family is not quite sure what to do with her curiosity and endless questions. If they can’t come up with a plan, soon, who knows what Ada might get into – or what might happen to the cat?!

Curiosity Books - Ada Twist, Scientist

Review

This book is dynamite! It is a celebration of curiosity and science as the means to find answers to our questions. Ada’s family is fantastic. I love how they grow alongside Ada, starting out worried and angry about the things she gets into. Then they start looking for ways to honor who she is and help her grow into her curiosity and her gifts.  The illustrations are beautiful and include lots of cool details to explore.

Rating:  ♥♥♥♥♥

There are two other books in the series that are also great!

Iggy Peck Architect Rosie Revere, Engineer