Review: The Reinvention of Edison Thomas by Jacqueline Thomas

Reading level: Ages 9-12

Hardcover: 189 pages

Publisher: Front Street (March 2010)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1590787080

ISBN-13: 978-1590787083

The Reinvention of Edison Thomas by Jacqueline Thomas

Eddy is distraught when his entry in the science fair doesn't win. When his disappointment, coupled with the gymnasium hubbub, peaks, he squats on the floor, covers his ears, rocks, and chants chemical-compound names to himself. Eddy's sensitive nerves act like antennae, soaking up anxieties that cause him to recoil. The boy has high-functioning Asperger's syndrome and his intolerance of noise, and of other students' inadequate s, is real—sadly, as real as the people who avoid him. Former playmates have grown up and turned into mean adolescents. At the same time, Eddy overlooks students who try to befriend him, because he is unable to understand social cues. When the school's crossing guard is let go, the boy obsesses over every imaginable calamity that could happen to children in the street. He loves the structure of science and tinkers endlessly with recycled gizmos and wires, and, following his counselor's advice, puts his worry to work inventing a traffic-signal device. It's curious to walk with a mind that works differently, where channels are isolated, fraught, and amplified, but readers will get a chance to do just that with this protagonist. Unfortunately the secondary characters are shallow and unconvincing. Also, the clever insertion of Latin scientific names and other facts from Eddy's bank of "random access memory" illustrates his extreme intelligence and will make the title appealing to science fans, but for average readers such detail is overwhelming and distractingentrie.

My Review

I loved this book! I thought the whole storyline, plot and concept of The Reinvention of Edison Thomas was genius! I couldn't put this book down. I kept getting in trouble because I wouldn't do my chores. My mom had to take away the book.
Tiffany was definitely my favorite character! I loved how she helped out Eddy with any problems he had. They just had a great friendship! I also really liked Justin, he had a sense of humor, and he knew how to survive school. I really didn't like how Mitch turned on Eddy so quickly. And Mark really annoyed me!
My favorite part of the book was when, Eddy went to his neighbors house and took a bunch of junk from his curb. It was really awkward and funny.
I suggest you get this book if you like science, humor, and reading a GREAT book!
I would also like to thank Jacqueline Houtman for sending me this amazing book. She is a very talented author. I will definitely read her future novels!