Martin Chatterton

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 show more 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. show less

Zaniness abounds as Sheldon and The Brain jump back into the sleuthing business with both feet. If you liked the first in this series (which I did) then you certainly won’t be disappointed with the follow up. There is definitely no sophomore slump here!

In revisiting the boys Chatterton has made a few changes to both their surroundings and their behavior. The Brain, ever the mastermind, shows a few chinks in his armor in this adventure. He’s still as smart as ever but at times seems to show more step back to allow Sheldon to take the wheel. Sheldon, on the other hand, is still as endearingly doofish as he was the first go round. Only this time it’s twice as sweet because he’s got the new girl to pine for.

Speaking of which, the addition of Helga was fabulous. A sassy and bold young girl, she kept pace with the boys (even out running them at times) where other ladies might have cowered back and let them do all the heavy lifting. She was, without question, a fabulous addition to the team.

The plot of The Brain Full of Holes is just as quirky and fun as it’s predecessor. The Brain and Sheldon are now living in Switzerland with Sheldon’s mum and her new husband Captain Schnurrbart. The Captain is a big time security muckety muck whom the boys rely on to assist them in resolving their latest case. This case, involving the mysterious disappearance of Helga’s father, includes a marked rise in the appearance of strangely familiar (yet disconcertingly different) animals. More importantly the team was working towards saving the world from it’s ultimate demise at the hands of a copious amount of Silly.

Mix all of this together and you have yourself one hell of an enjoyable mystery. A mystery that is neither predictable nor too twisty that middle graders will have difficulty following.

Filled with wacky situations The Brain Full of Holes will certainly entertain young reluctant readers. While I personally see it being more of a boy book I do think the addition of Helga makes it increasingly appealing to young girls as well. It’s definitely a good read for anyone who enjoys off-beat, entertaining and humorous stories. show less

I had originally planned to do a joint review with my son. Unfortunately, his summer schedule has been hectic, and he wasn’t able to finish the series in time. So for this review it’s just me.

In The Brain Full of Holes we meet up with Sheldon and Theo “The Brain" in Switzerland. They relocated after the escapades in Farrago Bay, and the marriage of Sheldon’s mom and The Brain’s guardian. Now the boys aren’t only partners, but also stepbrothers. Sheldon, while still awkward, seems show more to be a bit more sure of himself. At least until the lovely Helga shows up to request assistance in locating her missing father. For Sheldon it is love at first sight, and he uses every opportunity to inadvertently embarrass himself in front of his crush. Helga’s father has gone missing just like the holes in the swiss cheese. The Brain and Sheldon are on the case, and things get weird. I’m talking like flying cow weird!

I loved The Brain Full of Holes even more than the first book in this wacky series. Sheldon is a character you can’t help but adore. I can’t get enough of him. He’s the underdog, but always manages to come out on top. The plot was fascinating. It featured an excellent mix of mystery and science. Some might even consider it sci-fi. This book was a real page turner. I’m not a science person by any means, but all the talk of particles and dark matter kept me glued to the page. This is an amazing series that I’d recommend to even the youngest teen. I hope to see more adventures involving the lovable Sheldon and brilliant Theo. show less

I first saw The Brain at summer 2009 ALA. We were on our way out, and I scooped it up and added it to my pile. Then, somehow, it moved to the bottom of the pile. I kept meaning to read it and I didn't and...pretty soon, I found myself on the way to ALA Midwinter. With nothing in my bag but The Brain Finds a Leg and Lost Conspiracy (which I never did read completely). I started reading The Brain. I started giggling. By the time I had arrived in Boston, I had finished the book, laughed myself show more silly, and was getting very wary looks from the other passengers!

Martin Chatterton is Carl Hiassen on a double dose of weird crossed with Roald Dahl. That pretty much covers these books. In the first story, we start out with a kind of weird introduction, which I had a little trouble getting through - a pod of whales goes crazy and kills a boat of whale watchers. However, the real story starts afterwards, with the whale watcher boat captain's family. His average son Sheldon is getting bullied in school and slogging through life in a haze of misery, his dumb surfer son Sean, who is their mother's favorite, is being nasty to everyone, and their mother is helpless and miserable.

Then Sheldon meets The Brain. He's the combination of every famous detective who ever lived and exerts a strange influence over Sheldon's impossibly nasty teacher. The Brain informs Sheldon that he is suitable for a sidekick, something The Brain finds himself in need of. Together, they investigate the strange occurences from the suddenly aggressive whales to missing bodies, not-so-missing body parts, canine reptiles, and light-fingered koalas. The ending is a little abrupt, but matches the zany flavor of the story!

In the next tale of Sheldon and The Brain, the two are now brothers, living in Switzerland. By the way, the first story takes place in Australia and I thought it was Florida for quite a while, until the koalas showed up really. It didn't occur to me that people don't surf in Florida. At least, I don't think they do.
Anyhow. More strange things are afoot, including missing parents, a gorgeous girl, and rabid cuckoo clocks. I didn't like this one quite as much as the first, although it was quite funny, but I'm just not much of a sequels person. It did move more smoothly and didn't have the problems with beginning and ending that the first one did.

Fans of Carl Hiassen, the weird and gruesome (yes, these books are a bit gruesome in spots - definitely middle grade) and what I call "wacky science" will laugh themselves silly over these zany stories. They haven't circulated quite as well as I'd hoped at my library, but I haven't had a chance to booktalk them yet. Just wait....

Brain Finds a Leg
ISBN: 978-1561455034; Published October 2009 by Peachtree; ARC provided by publisher at ALA; Purchased for the library

Brain Full of Holes
ISBN: 978-1561455270; Published March 2010 by Peachtree; ARC provided by publisher at ALA show less