Science, surfing and an element hunter! Join in with book of the month Itch.
Itch – the blurb
Meet Itch – an accidental, accident-prone hero. Science is his weapon. Elements are his gadgets. All-action adventure perfect for fans of Alex Rider and Young Bond.
Itchingham Lofte – known as Itch – is fourteen, and loves science, especially chemistry. He’s also an element-hunter: he’s collecting all the elements in the periodic table. Which has some interesting and rather destructive results in his bedroom.
Then, Itch makes a discovery. A new element, never seen before. At first no one believes him – but soon someone hears about the strange new rock and wants it for himself. And Itch and his family are catapulted into a breathless adventure with terrifyingly high stakes . . .
Chemistry just got cool
If a kid has a certain hobby you can pretty much guarantee you can find a book about it. With Itch it is Chemistry which features the periodic table in all its nerdy glory. The book itself takes a bit to get going. Coupled with the fact it is quite chunky I can see some kids struggling to stick with it. There is also vomit, violence and death so younger readers should perhaps approach with caution. To counter this though there is humour, friendship and it’s a series so if you enjoyed it you can come back for more. Oh and you don’t need to know your acids from you alkalis but do be aware that phosphorus can cause eyebrows to disappear!
Book club questions
+++ These questions contain spoilers and should only be used if you have read the book already!+++
- The book is set in Cornwall which is famous (amongst other things) for surfing. Are there any hobbies that are popular because of where you live?
- Itch’s science hobby was unusual. In what ways did it help him in the book? In what ways did it not help him?
- Do you know what the periodic table is? Can you name any elements in it?
- As part of his hobby Itch likes to collect elements. Do you collect anything? Is it difficult to get a complete collection?
- Who do you think rescued Itch at the end of the book? Will you be reading the next in the series?
If you would like to join in with the Children’s Book of the Month keep your eyes peeled for the next book in a few days time. A review with book club questions is usually posted on the last Monday of the month and you can check out previous Book of the Months such as Orion Lost by Alastair Chisholm by clicking on the Young Adult/Kids button at the top of the Home Page.
