The Danger Box (review)

Zoomy has had the odds stacked against him—he was abandoned by his parents, he's beset with compulsive anxiety-assuaging rituals, and he's afflicted with bad vision—but the twelve-year-old has been thriving in his grandparents' loving household in their small Michigan town. When his estranged alcoholic father leaves a mysterious box behind on a flying visit, Zoomy discovers in it a strange old notebook, and he finds kinship with its anxious, observant, list-making writer. He and his brash new friend, Lorrol, realize that the notebook is somehow connected with Charles Darwin, and as they investigate further they become more intrigued with the Victorian naturalist and realize that they're looking at Darwin's actual notebook—also an item of interest to a sinister interloper in town. Though there are interspersed segments from the kids' Darwin-themed gazette and from the interloper's point of view, this is a fairly uncomplicated narrative, involving almost none of the code-solving aspects of Balliett's Chasing Vermeer (BCCB 7/04) and its sequels; the mystery (based on the real-life disappearance of one of Darwin's field notebooks) mostly unfolds straightforwardly, combining effectively with the solid family-and-friends story. Zoomy's viewpoint is plausible as that of a kid who just is who he is and knows he's loved for that, even as he's aware that as a biracial high-anxiety geek he's not exactly mainstream among his agemates; his summer friendship with Lorrol develops believably and clearly enhances his life. Readers without much experience with Darwin may find this a piquant introduction, and those looking for a readable blend of mystery and domestic story will consider this a satisfying concoction. The book closes with a note differentiating fact from fiction and another providing additional resources on Charles Darwin.