Project Jackalope by Emily Ecton

Grade 4 to Grade 7

Jeremy’s troubles begin when his eccentric neighbor leaves him an ‘experiment’ for safekeeping – a jackalope! This so-called mythological creature looks like a bunny rabbit, but comes with razor-sharp antlers and supposedly a ruthless killer.

When government agents show up at Jeremy’s house seeking the jackalope for their own purposes, he must find a way to protect the jackalope, and himself. So he reluctantly joins forces with Agatha, his annoying genius neighbor. Together, with the jackalope tucked away in a backpack, they have only one chance to save Jack and still get their science fair projects in on time.

I’m pretty sure there aren’t many books about jackalopes and that’s what makes this book unique. I know nothing about jackalopes or their mythology so all the facts about them were a surprise to me. As soon as Jeremy discovers the jackalopes, he went online and found out that they drink whiskey and can mimic human voices. After reading that I went on Wikipedia to see if it was ‘true’. I was very surprised to find out it was. Look it up is you doing believe me.

This book is fiction but the government agents chasing Jeremy are part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, is a real agency in the United States Department of Defense. The book talks more about the stuff the agency is researching in the Author’s Note but I’m pretty sure it’s all made up. So I went on the Internet and found out they ‘make pivotal investments in breakthrough technology for nation security’. To find out more about DARPA, you can visit their website or you can just go on Wikipedia.

The Astrotwins Series by Mark Kelly

Middle School

In the summer of 1975, twins Mark and Scott Kelly are in big trouble when they take apart (a.k.a. destroy) their dad’s calculator. As punishment, they are sent to their grandpa’s house, where there’s no TV. Grandpa suggests they channel their energy into something constructive.

With the help of Jenny, nicknamed Egg, and a crew of can-do kids, they set out to build a real-live rocket that will blast off and orbit the Earth.

Unlike the ‘Moon Base Alpha’ series, an actual astronaut wrote these books. Mark Kelly was a captain in the United States Navy when he commanded the final mission of Space Shuttle Endeavour in May 2011 and is a veteran of four space flights to the International Space Station.

When I first found these books I thought it would be like ‘Phineas and Ferb’, two brothers and their friends building the impossible. But these books are nothing like ‘Phineas and Ferb’. For one, these kids didn’t build the spaceship in one day. The first book shows just how much hard work, cooperation and brainpower go into making space travel possible.

These books are for kids a lot smarter than me; the science, mathematics and physics in this story kind of went over my head. Don’t feel bad if you don’t understand everything said in this book. I didn’t really understand it and I’m 23 years old, even the simplified terms I didn’t really get.

*****

Last summer, with the help of their friends, Mark and Scott Kelly turn some spare parts into a real rocket ship and sent Scott into orbit. This summer is looking dull in comparison. Until they hear on the news that a Russian cosmonaut is trapped inside the Salyut space station orbiting 220 miles above earth.

Complete with spacesuits and snacks, the twins take off to rescue the Russian spacecraft.

This story is almost like reading a history/science textbook, so many facts it made my head spin.

A big part of this story is about Russia and how it’s different from the United States and how Russians ‘couldn’t be trusted’. I actually read another book on this subject and might review it someday. Anyway, I really don’t understand why some countries fight. I’d probably understand more if I watched the news but that’s not going to happen. For half the book I didn’t understand why the Russians would want to hurt the world then I read the word ‘Stalin’ and it started to make sense. I had to keep reminding myself that this story takes place in 1976. Then again, when it comes to how humans treat each other, it’s the same story but a different year.

*****

Be sure to check out the Glossary at the end of each book in an attempt to understand the science and history in the stories.