Project Jackalope

Gr 5–8—Jeremy is completely content with his life, running the odd errand for weird Professor Twitchett and sliding by at Buckram County Junior High relatively undisturbed. His troubles begin when Twitchett disappears, leaving behind his latest experiment for Jeremy to protect. What the professor failed to mention is that said experiment happens to be a ruthless, killer jackalope, and just about everyone wants to get their hands on it. Jeremy is forced to enlist the aid of Agatha Hotchkins, junior high science whiz and all-around grump; with jackalope in tow and secret government agents on their trail, they embark on the longest day of their lives. Project Jackalope is fast-paced and generally enjoyable but lacks a certain spark to set it apart. The characters are interesting but rarely show any depth, and they sometimes make decisions that run counter to their established motivations. Jeremy never takes charge of his situation and seems happy to ride the wake of Agatha's more forceful personality. There is a definite thinness to the plot and characters at times, but there is also a good deal of action, humor, and fun, and the book will keep readers smiling to the very end.—Erik Knapp, Davis Library, Plano, TX