Scan barcode
pwbalto's review against another edition
3.0
Gr 6-12 -- Charlie is a genius at math, and a whiz at probability. So he has a good idea what to expect from sixth grade at Nagassack Middle School: verbal humiliation and physical intimidation to go along with his good grades. He already has a semi-derogatory nickname, “Numbers,” and he and his friends at the genius table in the cafeteria get called the Dork Brigade or Nerd Herd. He was not expecting a couple of cool older kids to recruit him into a super-smart gang that meets in secret to practice beating carnival games. Who would?
Ben Mezrich is the Harvard-educated author of the adult book Bringing Down the House, about six MIT students who took their card-counting skills to Las Vegas and cleaned up. This age-adjusted version takes Charlie and his co-conspirators to a Disneyland-esque theme park, where they are manipulated by their mentor into beating a game with a substantial payout. Mezrich addresses themes of loyalty and honesty while keeping the action tight and the dialogue snappy. Unexpectedly engrossing - and a winner for Mythbusters fans.
Reviewed for Booklist Online
Ben Mezrich is the Harvard-educated author of the adult book Bringing Down the House, about six MIT students who took their card-counting skills to Las Vegas and cleaned up. This age-adjusted version takes Charlie and his co-conspirators to a Disneyland-esque theme park, where they are manipulated by their mentor into beating a game with a substantial payout. Mezrich addresses themes of loyalty and honesty while keeping the action tight and the dialogue snappy. Unexpectedly engrossing - and a winner for Mythbusters fans.
Reviewed for Booklist Online
yapha's review against another edition
4.0
Sixth grader Charlie Lewis loves math and science. With two scientist parents, it is no wonder that he has grown up seeing math not as a subject in school, but a big part of everyday life. When two mysterious seventh graders approach him with the premise that you can use math and science to beat the games on the Midway Fair, he his intrigued. When he is invited to join a super secret group at school that wants to pull the same thing over the biggest amusement park in the country, he is curious. Can their plan work? Is it really all math and science? A high stakes adventure that every math lover must read. Recommended for grades 4-8.
More...