Attack of the Killer Komodos

August 1, 2021
After their run-in with zombie fungi in The Mutant Mushroom Takeover (2020), friends Mags and Nate are back to solve another science-gone-wrong mystery. While visiting Mags' park ranger father at Yellowstone National Park, the pair uncover a sinister plot involving animals never before seen in the park. The extraordinary creatures are terrifying--but even more alarming is the possibility that Mags' dad might be mixed up in all of it. The stakes get higher when a famous cryptid documentary crew shows up and a massive earthquake separates kids from adults. Encountering more earthquakes and incredible wildlife, Mags must use all her science knowledge and survival skills to get her loved ones out of the park alive. Veering more into adventure than the series starter, this story is better appreciated as a sequel. Mags' first-person narrative is action-packed with a liberal dash of snarky, sometimes gross, humor and dangerous elements that will keep readers' attention even though the madcap plot relies a bit too much on coincidence. Nate's goofy personality and budding YouTube career balance Mags' more serious, science-loving nature. The author's note provides insight into the science behind the story, and as with the previous entry, there are plenty of STEM connections, such as the way Mags uses her knowledge of pH as a weapon. The first book cues the main characters as White by default; this one includes some diversity in supporting characters. A humorous, genre-blurring survival story. (Science fiction. 10-13)

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October 1, 2021

Gr 4-7-For budding naturalist Magnolia Stone, exploring the backcountry of Yellowstone National Park is a dream come true. She is there with her family and her adventuresome best friend, Nate, who produces The Conspiracy Squad on YouTube. Nate is a fan of the supernatural, and he is convinced that Bigfoot inhabits Yellowstone and is determined to document it. Maggie's father is a park ranger and Nate believes that he is part of conspiracy to keep Sasquatch secret. Maggie and Nate get more than they bargained for when they find themselves separated from the group after an earthquake disrupts their trip. Finding themselves lost and possibly hunted by rogue Komodo dragons, they then discover they are on the set of a Finn Brody documentary, which is a once-in-a lifetime, big deal in their book! Readers will appreciate that author Short has a background as a science reporter. VERDICT A thrilling, fast-paced adventure book where readers discover awe-inspiring science with interesting and diverse characters.-Lisa Gieskes, Richland County P.L., Columbia, SC

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