Quark's Academy by Catherine Pelosi

Lothian, 2018. ISBN 9780734417800
(Age: 9-12) Recommended. Themes: Science, Scientists, Mysteries. Catherine Pelosi's debut novel explores the lives of three young scientific masterminds and their mysterious adventures at summer camp. Augustine, Celeste and Oscar receive special invitations to attend Quark's Academy participating in classes taught by 'leading inventors and being exposed to cutting edge science.' Each one has a passion for science, Augustine is focussed on saving the planet, Celeste loves logic and theory and Oscar enjoys the fun of scientific experiments. Along with twelve other young scientists they have the opportunity to develop and showcase their own inventions, competing for a monetary prize offered by Inventor Quark.
Leaving behind their parents, pets, toys and technology they meet on Monday morning at 7am and are transported into another world. Here tunnels connect to spherical laboratories where different branches of science are studied. At first, the trio find everything exciting and amazing, extracting DNA from animals, travelling on advanced transportation devices and developing their own inventions in their rooms. Over the course of the week the trio begin to uncover anomalies in the running of the Academy and embark on a dangerous quest to uncover the truth.
Quark's Academy is an exciting and imaginative story stepping into a world where scientific endeavour and inquiry is explored. Author Catherine Pelosi drew inspiration for this novel after attending the Sydney Observatory Adventure. She has written a junior novel just right for the young reader who loves stories that take them into new and exciting places.
Rhyllis Bignell