Michael Wise is a proud slacker who became the class president of J.R. Wilcott Middle School by never achieving beyond a C and encouraging his classmates to have some fun along with their studying. One day while devouring a batch of his mother's delicious brownies, he accidently eats a micro chip that his father was developing. Suddenly, he's able to solve college-level math problems, recite passages in multiple languages, and prepare gourmet meals for his family. Everyone at school now hates him. Michael must get rid of the chip before he's impeached by his classmates.

Reviewed by: rn

Date read: 7/22/2009

ISBN-10: 1554550351

ISBN-13: 9781554550357

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Eleven year old Gratuity Tucci, called Tip by her friends, has some problems. First, her mom disappears. Then, a bunch of aliens 'the Boov' take over the planet. Finally, the Boov decide to relocate all Americans to Florida. Tip is an independent, resourceful girl, and she decides to try to make it to Florida on her own. Well, she does bring along her cat, Pig. When their car breaks down along the highway, they meet a strangely friendly outlaw Boov named J.Lo. (Humans can't pronounce his real name.) After J.Lo fixes up the car, transforming it into a hover car, the trio joins forces and tries to make it to Florida. Hopefully there they will find Tip's mom. They embark on an amazing adventure that takes them half way across the country where they have crazy misadventures and meet some truly strange people. Then ANOTHER alien race, the Gorgs, invade earth, and they are even meaner than the Boov. Throughout the book, Tip and J.Lo learn to trust each other. Can they find Tip's mom and save the planet in the process?

Similar books: The Doom Machine by Mark Teague; SPHDZ by Jon Scieszka

Reviewed by: lauraf

Date read: 9/24/2012

ISBN-10: 0786849010

ISBN-13: 9780786849017

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Melly and Anny Beth are amongst a nursing home filled with seniors that are given the drug PT-1. This drug makes reverse aging possible. Melly, Anny Beth, and the other who were given this drug first believe that they have been given a second chance on life-a do-over so to speak. Soon Melly and Anny Beth find out the down sides to this reverse aging-such as when they lose a year they also lose a year of memories from their 'first life.' Journey with Melly and Anny Beth as they search for someone to care for them when they become babies. Is turnabout really fair play?

Reviewed by: jb

Date read: 8/25/2009

ISBN-10: 0689821875

ISBN-13: 9780689821875

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Travel into a future world in which every child will undergo an operation that will change their lives forever. Tally Youngblood is happily awaiting her 16th birthday, the day she will no longer be one of the 'Uglies' but become a pleasure-seeking 'Pretty.' Waiting for her 16th birthday, Tally meets Shay, another female 'Ugly', who shares her enjoyment of hoverboarding and risky pranks. A few days before Shay and Tally are scheduled to become'Pretty', Shay tells Tally about a distant settlement called the Smoke where people have refused to become 'Pretty'. Shay has decided to escape the city and travel to the Smoke and asks Tally to come with her. When Tally refuses, Shay gives her a cryptic note that will help Tally find the settlement if she chooses to follow her. When Shay is found missing, the authorities give Tally an impossible choice: either she finds Shay and the Smoke or she will be 'Ugly' forever. Will Tally turn her friend in or will her dream of becoming a 'Pretty' go up in smoke?

Reviewed by: BK

Date read: 7/9/2009

ISBN-10: 0689865384

ISBN-13: 978-068986538

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Commenter: St. Charles Reader, grade 0

Martin Glass has learned the horrible truth about his 'perfect' existence inside the suburban dome where he has lived for his entire life. He escaped the dome in order to find his little sister who had been 'recalled' by the government. Now he finds himself a fugitive from that same government and he doesn't fit with the group of refugee rebels who are now raising the 'super baby' geniuses, including his sister. He decides that he will have to live on his own in the dangerous outdoors. First though, he has to save his parents. But once outside, they don't understand this new life and they don't understand that he is not a little kid anymore. Can Martin keep his family safe and in the meantime, save the whole world from a government gone terribly wrong? With robot dog Chip by his side, Martin faces danger and some eye opening truths in this sequel to The Sky Inside.

Reviewed by: caroll

Date read: 12/29/2010

ISBN-10: 1416953795

ISBN-13: 9781416953791

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