The thirteenth circle

Authors Connolly and Holmes have teamed up for their first creepy, sf collaboration starring seventh-graders Cat Mulvaney and Dani Williams, who do not have much in common except science. They each dream of winning the McMurray Youth Science Award, and, determined to win, they join forces, though they have different motivations. Cat, obsessed with crop circles that mysteriously form on a local farm, wants to prove aliens are behind the odd occurrences. Dani, skeptical of Cat's theory, wants to prove that a local pesticide company generates them. Told in chapters alternating between Cat's and Dani's points of view, the novel offers insight into their home lives, adding depth to the characters and aiding with character development. Shocking the girls, people in black show up in town and thwart their investigative efforts, adding intrigue and adversity. The pacing helps keep the excitement going as Dani and Cat continue their investigation despite many obstacles. Connolly and Holmes write an absorbing story using factual science and emotional situations that will resonate with middle-grade readers.

Two middle schoolers investigate mysterious crop circles. Dani wants to convince her artistic parents that she's a serious scientist, but her partner in a prestigious youth science competition, "designated school weirdo" Cat, has an alien obsession that might derail Dani's plans to win. When Cat signs them up to investigate local crop circles, Dani is skeptical at first, but she discovers that Cat is a pro when it comes to the scientific method. Still, Dani pursues her own line of inquiry: her belief that the crop circles are human made. The mystery may be the main event, but themes of family relationships and self-actualization permeate the girls' partnership. As they grow closer, the seventh graders bond over social challenges (other kids mock their interests) and parental woes (Dani longs for her parents' acceptance, and Cat just wants to know that her dad, who's away working for NASA, remembers her). The girls, who are white, follow their own paths despite criticism from others, which makes them good role models for readers. Well-developed parental relationships are central, as is the treatment of ways the girls grow closer through their shared love of science and how this affects their relationships with their parents and their school experiences. The references to scientific methodology are presented in an entertaining manner that's grounded in real life. An entertaining, science-focused mystery that encourages readers to embrace their true selves. (Mystery. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.