The Drained Brains Caper

November 1, 2010

Gr 4-7-Thirteen-year-old Megan Yamamura has recently moved to Chicago. A vegetarian haiku poet and manga fan, she stands out at her new school, Stepford Academy, where the students appear to be brainwashed into complete conformity. With her new friend Raf Hernandez, Megan uncovers the exploits of campy villain Dr. Vorschak and rescues a talking dog who is a fan of old detective films. Though it is full of sophisticated references, this inventive, playful story should appeal to tween readers. Diverse characters and assured, accessible cartoon-style illustrations make it a promising start to a new series.-Lisa Goldstein, Brooklyn Public Library, NY

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2010
Grades 4-7 This series opener does the legwork of bringing together the major playersMegan, the new girl in town; Raf, who works at his moms pet-food store; and a talking dog schooled in the lingo of classic detective moviesbut it doesnt forget to tell an entertaining story. Megan gets enrolled in a summer school where the students are all suspiciously conformistand whats with the Band-Aids they all sport on their foreheads? Sure enough, somethings rotten at Stepford Prep, and that something is the maniacal Dr. Vorschak, whos looking to score a Nobel by lobe-snipping and serum-injecting, making kids perfect little citizens. Pages black-and-white cartooning has a loose manga slant, with peppy goofiness popping out from stippled screen tones. There are also plenty of references that fans of the format will pick up on: Megan sneaks copies of Peroxide and Veggie Baskets into class. Heroic zaniness abounds, and in the end, Megan, Raf, and Bradley the dog decide to jump into the private-eye business. Theres little doubt readers will happily jump with them.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)