The Mutant Mushroom Takeover

August 1, 2020
A budding scientist battles an insidious, glowing fungus. When friends Maggie and Nate decide to investigate paranormal activity in Old Man Bell's woods, Maggie hopes to take the perfect photo so she can win a contest that would allow her to meet with the board of the company that pretty much runs the small town of Shady Pines and convince them to rehire her father. The two friends have been through a lot together, but neither one is prepared for giant, neon bioluminescent mushrooms. Beautiful at first, deadly on further inspection, Maggie and Nate's fungal discovery leads them on a hair-raising race against time to save Maggie's brother, everyone in Raccoon Creek Trailer Park, all of Texas--heck, maybe even the world--from the mutant mushroom takeover! Written from Maggie's first-person perspective, with exaggerated characters and occasionally gross humor, this tale is reminiscent of a larger-than-life monster movie. With giant spiders, zombies, and a satisfyingly stinky solution, Maggie's adventure is packed with creepy, disgusting action. Some characters lack dimension, but Maggie herself is compellingly complex. The small-town setting allows for a contained cast, with White main characters. An author's note separates compelling science fact from fiction. With an abundance of STEM content, this book could easily springboard classroom discussion or library programming. Packed to the gills with fun. (Science fiction. 10-13)

COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

August 7, 2020

Gr 4-7-Eleven-year-old Magnolia "Maggie" Stone loves science and nature, and this summer she is determined to win Vitaccino's Junior Naturalist Merit Award. Not only will the award earn her $500, but it will also give her the chance to speak to the Vitaccino board about her father getting his job back and coming home to Shady Pines. When her conspiracy theorist pal Nate asks her to come with him to investigate some mysterious lights in the woods, she agrees, hoping to capture a photograph that will earn her the top prize. But what she and Nate encounter in the woods that night is even more bizarre than either of them could have predicted. Maggie is a diligent scientist, recording her observations and hypotheses in her field notes. She is also a persistent and vocal advocate for her family and her town, even in the face of danger and a real conspiracy within Shady Pines' powerful company, Vitaccino. Young readers will likely identify with Maggie's tenacity, and her frustration when adults seem unwilling to hear or believe her concerns. An author's note at the end of the book helps to ground some of the science fiction elements (such as zombie-creating mushrooms and anti-fungal bat poop) in the real world. VERDICT A fun debut novel with an action-packed climax that will leave readers eager to scope out the weirder side of nature.-Dana West, Roosevelt H.S., Seattle

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.