The calendar has flipped to that month of anxiety and excitement for educators - welcome to August! This month's Weekend Picks are brought to us by Professor Erinn Bentley, and she kicks off the month with an eco-thriller by Holes author Louis Sachar.
 Erinn Bentley | Dr. Erinn Bentley is a professor of English education at Columbus State University, where she also serves as the Associate Director of the Center for Global Engagement. She enjoys mentoring pre-service secondary English teachers, graduate students, and her doctoral candidates. In addition to teaching YA literature and pedagogy courses, Erinn leads study abroad programs for education majors in Belize, Ecuador, England, and Japan. In her free time, you’ll probably find her on a robotics field mentoring FIRST teams as part of the Columbus Space Program. |
Fuzzy Mud by Louis Sachar
 Louis Sachar | While relaxing at the beach and lounging by the pool this last week of summer break, I was looking for a quirky, entertaining read to end my vacation. Louis Sachar’s Fuzzy Mud was an excellent choice. From the author of Holes, this novel is another imaginative story featuring three adolescents who stumble upon a scientific mystery. 5th grader Tamaya and her neighbor 7th grader Marshall run into the off-limits woods to avoid being bullied by school mate, Chad. Defending herself, Tamaya scoops some “fuzzy mud” from the ground, throwing it in Chad’s face before she and Marshall escape. And this is where reality blurs into fantasy. Later that night, Tamaya’s hand begins to tingle, and Chad is reported missing the next day. |
| Feeling guilty, the pair search for Chad and uncover a mysterious “frakengerm,” which spreads throughout their community. Enter a mad scientist, the authorities, and series of Senate committee hearings – and this wild little mishap in the woods turns into a full-blown eco-thriller. Geared for middle grades readers, Fuzzy Mud explores typical themes found in adolescent literature, including friendship and teamwork, fitting in vs. being oneself, and resilience through difficult challenges. This novel also portrays how environmental disasters can impact humans, animals, and nature, raising questions regarding the ethics involved in scientific experimentation and research. While there are some dark elements (e.g., flesh eating bacteria), Sachar deftly weaves in pitch-perfect humor (e.g., “buttface”) to lighten the tone and remind us that this is a story for teens told by teens. While the horror/fantasy aspects of the novel might initially hook readers, it is the poignant characters that will resonate. |  |
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