Fever Crumb: Dessert for Your Brain

Fever Crumb

Author: Philip Reeve

Publisher/Release Date: Scholastic Press/April 1, 2010

No. of Pages: 336

Reading Level: Grades 5-7

Reading the book Fever Crumb is like opening presents at a birthday party: there is one surprise to look forward to after another.

In the book by Philip Reeve, Fever is a 14-year-old girl who is told that she is an orphan and has been adopted by a man known as Dr. Crumb.

The story takes place in the future in London at a time when cities are mobile and able to move into different territories. Archaeologists dig to discover ancient technology, because they live in a low tech, post-apocalyptic world.

Fever is the only female member of the Order of Engineers and is very mature for her age. She is extremely intelligent and tries to avoid all things that serve no practical function. For example, she shaves her head every other day because she believes that growing hair is “irrational. ” Hair attracts lice, fleas, and other parasites, she says!

Despite her peculiar behavior, Fever seems like she really has her act together. She never really shows much emotion and strives to be a strong person.

However, Fever’s life is about to change. She is sent to assist Kit Solent, another member of the order, when strange things begin to happen. For some reason, people are out to get her and she doesn’t know why. And she keeps having memories of events that never occurred during her lifetime.

Why is she having these memories? And why do people think she belongs to an alternative species of humans known as the Scriven? Is she a human or does she actually belong to the mutated Scriven? Is her life nothing but a lie?

You will have to read the book to find out what happens. I would recommend Fever Crumb to kids who enjoy a good mystery and/or science fiction/action/adventure novels. Read this and you’ll experience many shocking surprises and unexpected twists that will keep you turning the pages for more. This interesting novel is dessert for your brain.

—Mariam El Hasan

PHOTO: (TOP) Cover Courtesy Scholastic Press (BOTTOM) Kid Reporter Mariam El Hasan takes her summer reading on a boat trip. Ahhhh, Summer! (Photo Courtesy Mariam El Hasan)

NOTE: What did you read this summer? Use the blue comment link below to send in your recommendations!

Comments

[Judy]

I am on my way to the bookstore to get Mockingjay, the third book in the Hunger Game series by Suzanne Collins. I've been waiting all summer! I did read Fever Crumb while waiting. Loved it!

[KR: Miranda]

Coolio! I also heard it was a Steam Punk novel, and a sort-of prequel to a series of that genre, so with my recent obsession with Steam Punk, this sounds PERFECT!!

If you don't know, Steam Punk is a sub sci-fi genre (like sci-fi aliens or sci-fi thrillers) invented to be the Yin to Cyber Punk's (which I will explain) Yan (or is it Yang?). It involves an older-style setting (usually Victorian/Edwardian England, or the mid-west, esp. during or early post Civil War), where inventions run off of steam and coal instead of electricity. It is meant to be more hopeful then cyber-punk, but has evolved into a genre that often involves mystery, romance, and adventure, with some appearances of magic, and can be dark.

Cyber Punk basically looks at what can go wrong with technology, and often is the tale of criminals in that world.

[Benilda Fiah]

Nice Post