The Brain Finds a Leg

In The Brain Finds a Leg we meet Sheldon. Sheldon isn't one of the most popular kids in Farrago Bay. He's awkward, and the target of the school bully. Then new kid, Theophilus Brain, chooses Sheldon to be the Watson to his Holmes. Zany antics ensue after this partnership is formed that is guaranteed to entertain even the most reluctant reader. The Brain and Sheldon have set out to not only solve the murder of Biff Manly, but also the reason behind the strange animal behavior troubling Farrago Bay. Kangaroos robbing grocery stores, crocodiles behaving like dogs, and possums stealing cars! The Brain and Sheldon have their work cut out for them. Wacky characters, bizarre predicaments, and a writing style that has the ability to simultaneously be both comical, and educational. The Brain Finds a Leg is truly a delight to read.

A quirky read The Brain Finds a Leg will certainly entertain middle grade children. Filled with wit and humor Chatterton puts his main characters in outlandish circumstances via a most fun and fantastical way. From thieving kangaroos to stalking birds then back to an alligator that thinks she's a dog the I was is taken on a wild ride through the animal kingdom, never once feeling like the strangely realistic behaviors different species took on were so far beyond outrageous that it drifted into the territory completely unimaginable. It was, quite simply, just downright fun. It is that same creativity and spirit that brought to life the main character of The Brain. Always a child at heart this young boy maintains the intellect of those twice his age and more; yet in doing so it doesn't diminish his likability or his believability as the person who had the most potential to solve the crime he and Sheldon were investigating. I enjoyed the best buddy relationship between the two boys -- Sheldon was introverted and picked on, the class outcast, so it was realistic that Brain (being the new kid in town) would gravitate towards befriending him. Not only that but Sheldon allowed for Brain to hold the reigns in the relationship, steering them through the investigative process with the utmost trust that all would be alright in the end. Brain too had endearing qualities as it related to his new partner. He took great care to value Sheldon's opinion and let him take change when it was most critical. The mysterious circumstances surrounding the bizarre animal behavior and the events of the surfer's death made for a good mystery. There was just enough of an ick factor to make it appealing to boys yet not so distasteful for girls. It was not so complex that an attentive reader wouldn't be able to have an idea of the direction the story would take, yet the events weren't so transparent that I was bored with the twists and turns. On occasion I was surprised by a revelation or two myself. Chatterton has written both the plot and the characters with a winning combination of humor and intelligence making it perfectly crafted to enthrall your middle grader.