Going into Annie Mack’s debut middle grade novel, I didn’t expect a goopy little monster to be the reason main character James Dawson makes a good friend at his new school. But when the family moves from Vancouver to a little town outside Kamloops, BC, to set up their bookstore—one that sells crystals and special herbs—James seems like the perfect candidate to help a classmate figure out what’s been slobbering in his ear at night.
Although there is a magical aspect to the story, Mack intertwines many key STEM concepts into the plot: the five senses, for once, and especially the scientific method. From an educational perspective, this book offers many points of departure for further discussion…
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
