Phineas L. MacGuire. . . Erupts! (review)

Phineas Listerman MacGuire, known as Mac, suffers a setback to his plans for winning the fourth-grade science fair when his best friend and fellow scientist, Marcus, moves away. This leaves Mac without a partner (the only other worthy scientific mind available is Aretha, and Mac is allergic to girls) until his teacher pairs him with the obnoxious new kid, Ben. Mac is certain that nothing good can come from their collaboration; after all, Ben's still into dinosaurs and volcanoes, both of which are sooo first grade. However, it turns out that newcomer Ben is not only a nice guy—his bellicose entry into Mrs. Tuttle's class is all bluster to cover shyness—but also an amazing artist. His elaborate drawings of volcanoes are impressive enough to rekindle Mac's interest in an old experiment. Will the combination of Ben's artistic genius and Mac's scientific savvy be enough to defeat Aretha's stellar talent? Mac's deadpan, humorous narration and determination to uncover the scientific angle in any situation makes the book's understated theme of the perils of snap judgments read more like helpful advice than didacticism—after realizing that both Ben and Aretha are potential allies and friends, Mac is flexible and smart enough to change his mind. The drama of the science fair's outcome also results in some genuine surprises, and though the relationships and the characters drive the story—with the aid of McDaniels' detailed, comedic black-and-white illustrations scattered throughout the text—the engaging experiments are likely to prompt imitation. Fortunately, instructions for some of them follow the book's conclusion, and the fact that this is only the first of a series centered on science experiments will delight middle-grade readers looking for brainy yet humorous diversion.