Review of Ellie Ment and the Material Matter
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[Following is a volunteer review of "Ellie Ment and the Material Matter" by Bertie Stephens.]
Ellie Ment and the Material Matter by Bertie Stephens is an adventure story that combines science and fantasy with humour and environmental awareness.
The story centres on Ellie, an 11-year-old girl who loves science, but her world is flipped over when a purple fire burns down her school, and she is recruited into the Material Matter, a secret organisation of people wearing elemental bracers that manipulate natural forces
As the story progresses, you start to realise that there isn't just one mystery (the fire) to be solved, as Ellie starts to realise that the organisation isn't what it seems to be. For a STEM adventure book, this is quite an interesting read. It has the perfect balance between education and fun.
Ellie is depicted as a typical 11-year-old girl; she has an adventurous and quirky trait to her that often leads to accidents and missteps, but that has never stopped her from expanding her knowledge. Plus, her friendship with Michael greatly shows how STEM and creativity work perfectly together, especially during chemical reactions.
Michael, her best friend, is a very gifted and well-thought-out character. He often builds his creations from junk, continuously showing us that intelligence comes in many forms.
Overall, I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars. It is such an immersive book; it hooked me with educational facts, a playful tone, and fourth-wall breaks. Its greatest win is how it tackles microplastics and sustainability with a tone that never felt preachy, instead using a witty, fast-paced narration.
However, while we are given educational facts, I felt as if two or three environmental issues would have sufficed rather than the numerous that were discussed. And even though this is a STEM book, the number of scientific terms is too much, and it kind of threw me off my reading flow and to any other person who isn't fond of chemistry. All in all, these are just tiny problems in an otherwise well-written novel.
I would highly recommend this book to teachers who want to engage their STEM students, chilldren the of 9-12, and parents who are looking for books to entertain their kids.
******
Ellie Ment and the Material Matter
View: on Bookshelves |
Ellie Ment and the Material Matter by Bertie Stephens is an adventure story that combines science and fantasy with humour and environmental awareness.
The story centres on Ellie, an 11-year-old girl who loves science, but her world is flipped over when a purple fire burns down her school, and she is recruited into the Material Matter, a secret organisation of people wearing elemental bracers that manipulate natural forces
As the story progresses, you start to realise that there isn't just one mystery (the fire) to be solved, as Ellie starts to realise that the organisation isn't what it seems to be. For a STEM adventure book, this is quite an interesting read. It has the perfect balance between education and fun.
Ellie is depicted as a typical 11-year-old girl; she has an adventurous and quirky trait to her that often leads to accidents and missteps, but that has never stopped her from expanding her knowledge. Plus, her friendship with Michael greatly shows how STEM and creativity work perfectly together, especially during chemical reactions.
Michael, her best friend, is a very gifted and well-thought-out character. He often builds his creations from junk, continuously showing us that intelligence comes in many forms.
Overall, I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars. It is such an immersive book; it hooked me with educational facts, a playful tone, and fourth-wall breaks. Its greatest win is how it tackles microplastics and sustainability with a tone that never felt preachy, instead using a witty, fast-paced narration.
However, while we are given educational facts, I felt as if two or three environmental issues would have sufficed rather than the numerous that were discussed. And even though this is a STEM book, the number of scientific terms is too much, and it kind of threw me off my reading flow and to any other person who isn't fond of chemistry. All in all, these are just tiny problems in an otherwise well-written novel.
I would highly recommend this book to teachers who want to engage their STEM students, chilldren the of 9-12, and parents who are looking for books to entertain their kids.
******
Ellie Ment and the Material Matter
View: on Bookshelves |
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