Reading "ITCH" by Simon Mayo has really changed my perspective on how I view science. This book made me itching for more, a marvelous piece of work by Mayo. We follow the story of Itchingham Lofte, "Itch", and his epic adventures revolving around a single rock. When I started this project I was immediately excited when I read the back and seeing that there is an featured augmented reality animation app, the animation was truly fantastic a short snippet of the book, which part... well you're gonna have to read the book to find out.
Itch is 16 year-old teen who has an unusual hobby: he collects all the elements on the periodic table and it gets him in trouble with his mom, a lot. For instance like an explosion that burns off Itch's eyebrows and automatically demotes his collection to the shed in the back yard and weekly check-ins of his room and his collection. It's just not Itch's week, so to protect his most valuable pieces he brings them to school, which includes wallpaper laced with arsenic. Itch and his cousin Jacqueline, Jack for short, are in the same class, and they are on a trip to the school's greenhouse and when everyone becomes violently ill Itch blames himself because he brought the wallpaper to school. But when Itch and Chloe, Itch's little sister, met up with Cake Itch's "supplier" of almost all of his collection, says that there wasn't enough arsenic to make arsenic gas, so Cake gives him a rock saying that it is an element.
However when Itch brings the rock to his professor Mr. Watkins, he suggests that they inquire the help of another professor Dr. Flowerdew a chemist; when Dr. Flowerdew runs tests on the rock they find out that it is highly radioactive and Dr.Flowerdew runs out of the school saying that he has a lead container at home. Itch agreed to let Dr. Flowerdew to take it but when Dr. Flowerdew doesn't return it, that's when things get crazy. Itch, Jack, and Chloe are in a race for their lives and a race against time, with the police, secret organizations, and multiple other countries following the three teens every move they only have letter to follow and help them make their decisions. Will Itch, Jack, and Chloe be able to beat the clock before their time runs out, or will the rock fall into the wrong hands?
I loved this book, I usually don't read books from this genre and I was really surprised on how much I liked the action and thrill. Not trying to be cliché or anything, but this book keep me at the edge of seat the whole way. This being written by a British author, there were a few terms I didn't quite understand. Over all a marvelous book, with a sensational ending that I didn't expect. I would definitely recommended this book to science lovers and to people who don't know what "2Na + 2H2O = 2NaOH + H2" creates, I give this book a 5 out of 6 hands down. An excellent work that should be in everyone's collection.
Hey,
I can’t wait for the sequel that is coming out in 2014. Try to take a moment and look at the Sterling Publishing website for the book, I put the link at the bottom and check the book out, Itch came out this April and is now available and don’t forget the about the app!
http://www.sterlingpublishing.com/itch