The Girl Who Built a Spider

February 1, 2023
Three young science fair contestants encounter a mysterious scientist and his world-changing plans. Since her mother drowned when she was 3, it's just been Theresa and her dad. The Charleston, South Carolina, 12-year-old is thrilled when the amazing solar-powered mechanical spider she built wins her first place at the middle school science fair, beating superachiever Ashley's edible algae and goofy Jon's bubble maker, which come in second and third, respectively. The three kids are awarded summer internships by reclusive Dr. Neil Flax, who is moving beyond his moneymaking Bionic Baby Bottom Buffer to tackle climate change. Theresa, Ashley, and Jon will be hanging out in the old, abandoned shopping mall in town where Flax Industries' laboratory is located. But Theresa has a mysterious late-night encounter with a boy calling himself Thomas Edison who claims that Flax is building something that will destroy the world--and he needs her help to stop him. Theresa doesn't know whom to trust or what to believe as she and her classmates enter Dr. Flax's bizarre and dangerous world of robots and have the adventure of a lifetime. This fast-paced, well-plotted story features young people who learn to utilize each other's strengths to get to the bottom of things. Characters are minimally described and racially ambiguous. An action-packed roller coaster of a tale with tongue-in-cheek humor; this is a delight. (Mystery. 8-12)

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February 17, 2023
Grades 5-7 Brewington's book follows middle-schooler Theresa Brown, whose recent win at the school science fair with her robotic-spider invention wins her entry to the lab of famed scientist Dr. Flax, as well as an opportunity to study under his tutelage for the summer. But when Theresa and her friends uncover several eerie mysteries in Dr. Flax's lab, they aren't so sure that the robots and other mechanical creations he claims to be safe and beneficial to society actually are good for the human world. Setting the book in Folly Beach, South Carolina, the author clearly pours his passion for his hometown into the story, and readers will quickly become immersed in these big adventures and opportunities happening for small-town student Theresa. With deftly placed humor, neat design elements in the margins, and plenty of mystery and intrigue, the adventures of Theresa and her friends will dazzle young aspiring scientists as the heroes try to unravel the mysteries behind Dr. Flax and his many inventions.

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