Buy Issue for $25 at JHUP- Nothing but Trouble by Jacqueline Davies
Trade ed. ISBN 978-0-06-236988-8 $16.99
E-book ed. ISBN 978-0-06-236990-1 $9.99
Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 5-8
Although Maggie’s father died before Maggie was born, she’s learned from his journals about the elaborate pranks he called hacks. Maggie hears his voice in her head when she hacks, and her exploits are epic. When Lena, a new girl at school, figures out that Maggie is the one behind the 200 tennis balls and countless mini race cars that explode from lockers on the first day of sixth grade, she wants in, and for the first time in her life, Maggie has a partner she can actually talk to. The two make a great team, as Lena is not afraid of heights and Maggie is comfortable wriggling through small spaces, and the girls mount a campaign of mischief that upsets the status quo and unites their class in a war against an oppressive administration. Maggie’s hacks are far too sophisticated to be credible, but her character has enough emotional depth to make her both recognizable and sympathetic. The teachers are the kind of exaggerated types that middle-grade teachers tend to be in their heads; in fact, there’s a lot of want-to-be in the characterization and situations here, for both readers and their teachers. This would make a great pleasure readaloud in a science class; it delivers a raucous good time with larger-than-life antics, a bit of anarchy, and a strong pair of wicked smart female friends. A few entertaining physics problems and quizzes follow the text.
