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 Review by
Louella Moreland
Is there anyone who doesn't love triple-chocolate brownies? Michael is no
exception. So when he finds a fresh, warm batch sitting on the kitchen
counter after school, he eats each and every scrumptious bite. What he does
not realize is that his father's specially programmed computer super-chip
had accidentally gotten into the batter, turning him from a normal,
underachieving eighth-grader into a genius.
Although his teachers and parents are at first surprised and then
impressed, Michael and his friends Sludge and Hillary eventually find the
situation unbearable. Having supported Michael to become class president so
that he could lobby for more pizza lunches and a cool play for the Eighth
Grade Extravaganza, Michael ends up self-destructing these plans by agreeing
with the school dietitian that broccoli dishes are more nutritious and the
school play should be "Romeo and Juliet." Not only are Michael's friends
angry with him, but also the entire student body thinks he has become a
showoff and traitor.
Desperate to correct the matter and return Michael to his normal,
unremarkable state, the three friends plan a series of ways to "crash" the
computer chip. To make matters worse, Harold, the school math nerd, is out
to expose and ruin Michael for beating him in the school elections.
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Although the characters in Ms. Sherman's novel for middle school are
rather cookie-cutter, they are likable and full of fun. The ideas
for ridding Michael of the super-chip are outrageous and hilarious.
The adults in the novel have to be the most clueless people on the
planet. However, the plot moves quickly, the chapters are short, the
characters are funny, and the dialogue rings true. The chapters
covering the thespian event are informative without being overly
instructing.
Do all books for children need to be literature classics? I hope
not, even though I love that type of book as well and often champion
their cause when students are selecting material to read. But I also
know that this delightful, humorous book is sure to be a favorite
for girls and boys alike. Who doesn't like to suspend belief every
now and then to read something that is just plain fun!
"The Triple Chocolate Brownie Genius" is one of those books that
are truly a pleasure read. I loved it! It may not be classic
literature with a deep-seated moral lesson to be taught, but my
guess is a number of middle school students wish they could swallow
a computer super-chip and become a genius for a while. Who wouldn't!
Stop by the Youth Services Department in the Lincoln Public
Library Annex, 725 Pekin St., to check out this book and other fun
stories. We will help you find one that you will enjoy to give you a
break from your school activities.
[Text from file received from
Louella Moreland, youth services librarian,
Lincoln Public Library District] |
