Omega City by Diana Peterfreund is the first book in a juvenile fiction series for 4-6 graders.
Gillian Seagret knows her dad isn't crazy, even if everyone else thinks he is. She is always on his side, even when his conspiracy theories about a lost Cold War technology, by a scientist named Dr. Underberg, causes him to lose his job and forces the family to move to the middle of nowhere. Gillian is determined to prove everyone wrong.
So, when Gillian is given the opportunity to do just that, she jumps at the chance. When she discovers a missing piece to a puzzled left behind by Dr. Underberg, Gillian thinks she's about to uncover Dr. Underberg's greatest invention.
With the help of her skeptical brother, Eric, best friend, Savannah, and space obsessed classmate, Howard and his brother, Nate, Gillian finds that all bets are off and that this might be one mystery that is better left alone.
I'd pulled this one for my 4-6th grade book club and I think it will be a fun one to discuss. I enjoyed the puzzles and mystery to the story, but I think my favorite aspect of the book was the banter and interactions between the kids. They were a fun group and I liked how the grew individually but also as a group, by the end of the story.
It'll be really neat to discuss conspiracy theories with the group, what they are and the controversies behind them. There's also this element of glass half full/half empty when it comes to the end of the world, which will make for some interesting discussions on humanitarianism and conservation efforts.
Overall, this was a futuristic treasure hunt, with a Cold War era twist. Not a bad read at all. This one gets 3.5-4 stars from me.
That's all for now!
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