Cody and the Mysteries of the Universe

Reviewed by: Phyllis Fuchs, retired librarian - Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 21, 2016

Review

First, there is the pleasing writing style, direct, often funny, and full of details about insects, microscopes, brothers and sisters, teen romances, threesomes, bullies. Second, there is not a lot of plot in this story of a best friendship between a girl named Cody who is white and Spencer, a boy who is black and living with his grandmother right around the corner. There is spying on neighbors, on grownups, the opening of a new school year, being bitten by yellow jackets, listening to how a violin sounds when it is played well, when bullies need to be confronted. The book is also full of both wise remarks, most are about friendship, and amusing pen and ink drawings. The book is recommended to middle-grade readers of both sexes who aren't in too much of a hurry to read carefully all of the story's one hundred and thirty seven pages and maybe discover some of those mysteries of the universe.

Overall Book Score: excellent