The Theory of Everything

January 1, 2014

Gr 6-10-In this whimsical exploration of love and physics, achingly fantastic and symbolic visions seem to beset 14-year-old Sophie Sophia at the worst possible moments. Her real world-a new suburb in contemporary Illinois-is periodically overlaid with what might be visits to other dimensions. These episodes combine zany elements such as Sophie's favorite '80s' musicians with giant pandas, candy, and umbrellas. With a new best friend-a gay boy named Finny-and a giant panda shaman named Walt to serve as guides, Sophie returns to New York City to ask her estranged father for answers. This quirky adventure is a more accessible piece of speculative fiction than the work of Libba Bray and William Sleator. The book starts off fun and exciting with descriptions of Sophie's innovative clothing and intensely delightful episodes. However, around three quarters of the way through, it slows down when entering the resolution phase, unable to match the intrigue of the initial conflict. The sprightly dialogue and entertaining descriptions span the length of the story but don't intensify toward the end as expected. There are also some minor issues with character development as many of the relationships change and yet Sophie is the only truly dynamic one, forced to evolve by the plot elements. With some scientific content, the explanations are kept simple, perhaps lacking some of the authenticity of a more rigorous investigation of the theories the book builds upon. In the end, The Theory of Everything is a fun read with a pleasant focus on love that is heartily entertaining, even if not terribly impressive.-Erin Reilly-Sanders, Ohio State University, Columbus

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2013
Grades 7-10 Parallel universes with talking pandas? Sophie Sophia can deal with it. Her father is missing, and she and her mother move often, sometimes quickly, because of Sophie's so-called episodes. Now settled in the small town of Havencrest, Sophie, 14, is starting over at another new school. Learning that physics-geek Finny will be her lab partner gives her hope this might be the place she finds friends. Maybe, too, her episodes will diminish, though this hope evaporates when Walt the panda and his musical band appear and begin to inspire her to look closer at certain details. Although her mother fears Sophie is suffering from mental illness, Sophie, with Finny's help, sets out to prove her father's string theory of parallel universes. The spunky teens' unaccompanied 20-hour train ride to New York City is a bit far-fetched, but Luna develops it into a funny, poignant, and productive trek. In this blend of realism, science fiction, and fantasy, Sophie learns about love, acceptance, and how to control her travel episodes. But stillwill those talking pandas return?(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)