Itch

Itch, Simon Mayo

This action packed trilogy is a great read for youth – especially if they are science fans already, or perhaps you would like them to be! 

Itchingham Lofte (Itch) is a 14 year old boy disinterested in sport or computer games, rather he is an element hunter – aiming to collect all the elements of the periodic table.  To date, he has managed to collect a fair number and in the process of fiddling around with them has made some cool explosions and chemicals.

Things gets much more serious however when Itch comes across an element previously undiscovered, element #126.   Stable, yet incredibly radioactive, it presents huge possibilities both for future world energy production and nuclear weapons.  Not surprisingly, everyone is interested – governments, energy companies and seriously bad people.  Itch, accompanied by his cousin Jack and sister Chloe, must decide what to do as they are pursued by people wanting 126 for themselves. 

It’s full of adventure with kidnappings, chases, MI6 protection, bombs and runaways.  Mr 12 really enjoyed it (and as a result he decided to do a school project on the periodic table) and then all the kids learned a song of the table of the elements!  Turns out Husband and I quite liked it too.  Some fun, light-hearted reading.