Itch

March 11, 2013
British radio personality Mayo makes his YA debut with this thriller, which sees 14-year-old Itchingham “Itch” Lofte pursued by everyone from unscrupulous scientists to government agents when he comes into possession of a radioactive rock that is actually a heretofore undiscovered element. For Itch, who collects elements from the periodic table (calcium from a seashell, fluorine from a Teflon frying pan, etc.), it’s a strange new treasure. For the disgraced Dr. Flowerdew, it’s an opportunity to curry favor with his former employers. For everyone in contact with the mysterious element 126, it’s a slow, painful death from radiation poisoning. Itch, his sister, and their cousin must dispose of element 126 before it falls into the wrong hands—or kills them. Mayo balances the high-stakes plot and serious reality of radiation poisoning with an underlying absurdity, particularly the over-the-top nastiness of Flowerdew and his compatriots. It’s an action-packed adventure with some chuckle-worthy moments, appealing protagonists, and a premise derived from plausible scientific theory. Readers will never look at common household objects the same way again. Ages 12–up. Agent: Sam Copeland, Rogers, Coleridge & White.

July 1, 2013

Gr 6-9-In this fast-paced debut, 14-year-old Itchingham Lofte collects chemical elements. In the first few chapters, he manages to blow up some phosphorus in his room at home and then poisons his entire class with arsenic. These events pale in comparison to the trouble caused by the latest addition to his collection. Itch's supplier gives him a rock that "might be uranium ore" to make up for the arsenic fiasco, but it turns out to be something unique and highly radioactive when tested by his surly chemistry teacher. Dr. Flowerdew steals Itch's rock in order to curry favor with his previous employer, the petroleum giant Greencorps. With the help of his cousin Jacqueline, Itch steals it back and then he, Jack, and his younger sister must figure out what to do with the dangerous stone. They enlist the help of their geology teacher, but in the end they must face Flowerdew, Greencorps minions, and radiation sickness with only their wits and a few choice elements that happen to be in Itch's backpack. The teen's choices that leave him without adult help make sense, unlike some other stories that pit youthful protagonists against adult adversaries. Mayo tells a good story with a mix of action, characters with verisimilitude, and a painless dose of science. This rollicking adventure should have appeal far beyond chemistry geeks.-Eric Norton, McMillan Memorial Library, Wisconsin Rapids, WI

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Collecting stamps is boring. Why not start a more exciting collection, like dangerous elements? Itchingham Lofte never meant to get himself, his cousin and sister sick with radiation poisoning. He never meant to attract the attention of heartless corporations and evil terrorist groups. He certainly never meant to provoke his science teacher into attack mode. But Itch has an unusual, dangerous hobby--he collects the elements. And when one of his contacts delivers an unusual rock, Itch is thrilled. Instead of being afraid, he's excited when the Geiger counter at school goes wild in reaction to the radioactive rock. But then begins the complicated task of finding a safe place for the amazing rock--and seven more just like it--while avoiding the ruthless people who want to use the element toward disastrous ends. British radio host and debut novelist Mayo delivers a fun, frightening, gutsy adventure story populated by heroic young people who refuse to back down from their save-the-world mission, even as their treasure renders them sick. These kids are smart enough to worry about their choices but moral enough to know their choices will make a political difference on a global scale. Fans of science will love its central role, and those readers who crave adrenalin will appreciate the view from the edge of their seats. (Adventure. 10-15) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

May 15, 2013
Grades 6-9 Fourteen-year-old Itchingham Itch Lofte makes a hobby out of collecting elements from the periodic table in this entertaining and mature middle-school book from British author Mayo. Itch is like many young boys: he likes to blow things up, thinks girls are just people rather than indecipherable mysteries, and regards adults with an often doubtful eye. However, Itch's unusual hobby sets him, and this book, apart from the more common middle-school character. Things really start to get interesting when a school accident makes Itch's biology class violently ill, setting off a chain of events that results in Itch's acquisition of a suspicious and previously unknown hot rock, evildoers with nefarious plots, and twists and turns that will keep readers guessing. Younger sister Chloe and cousin Jack (Jacqueline) are character foils with refreshing depth and nuance. For the Harry Potter fan, advanced middle-school reader, or teen with an interest in markedly different characters and situations than typical to the genre.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)