This is a fun, very science-focused misadventure book for kids. I don't think this book would have attracted me in my middle school years, nor do I think my current middle schooler would find it interesting enough to her to finish it, but I definitely think that any middle schoolers who have an interest in anything STEM would find this book really fascinating. Any perhaps, it will help kids who are on the fence become more interested in STEM, particularly girls since we need more girls in STEM fields.

The authors of this book said it was kind of a "what if" exercise and I can definitely see that. I feel like that made the plot of this book waaaay more interesting (and i wish more adult authors would read this book and take notes). But despite a bit of a non-typical plot arc or show we say, a meandering plot path, this book was never difficult to follow and it was perfectly paced. I think if anything, the novel approach would just make all the twists in the story that much more surprising to young readers increasing their enjoyment of the book that much more.

The silliness and the humor in this book felt perfect for middle graders and even as an adult, I really enjoyed the antics, the dog side-kick and the strong leadership personalities of this kids. I maybe do with that the kids and adults in the story had a bit better communication and trust, though they seemed to get there in the end.

I'd recommend this book for any kids interested in STEM or who could be convinced to be interested in STEM and kids who want a fun, slightly mysterious adventure with twists and turns along the way. This book could also be enjoyed by adult lovers of middle grade who like a silly sci-fi-esque adventure that keeps you on your toes.

This was a very clever construct, but I found the writing oddly uneven and slow-going, particularly for a middle grade book. I am a big fan of multiverse stories and was expecting a quick, easy, entertaining tale that would suck me in and carry me along on a tide of interesting events and action.

Unfortunately, it didn't deliver what I was hoping it would...

The world-building was not quite as expansive or explanatory as I hoped, which again felt unusual for this age bracket. It was fine, but not as engaging as I expected. While admittedly I'm not its target audience, I have more patience for a slow build than most middle grade readers, so I'm not sure how this one would hold the attention of an actual kid...