CAL AND THE AMAZING ANTI-GRAVITY MACHINE
by Richard Hamilton & illustrated by Sam Hearn
Cal and his talking dog, Frankie, are new to the neighborhood, and everyone in his family is having a hard time adjusting to the neighbor, Mr. Frout. His sleep-interrupting inventions wake everyone up and infuriate Cal’s mother. What is Frout doing? Cal and Frankie are intrigued, especially when they see Frout’s newest contraption, a giant magnet attached to some wires. And, when Frout arrives, clad in a knight’s costume, they can’t keep away. Whether Frout sticks to the magnet or accidentally reverses the gravitational pull of the earth in their neighborhood, Cal and Frankie are part of the excitement of weightlessness. But, as bugs and worms and humans wake up for the day, the unexpected implications of anti-gravity are obvious. Hilarious situations accompanied by lively spot illustrations make this an appealing offering for new readers, especially ones who are interested in science. (Fiction. 7-10)