Against the Odds

Gr 4–6—The Odds, a motley crew of middle school students from Muellersville, PA, are bonded together because they all accidentally gained superpowers. In the aftermath of a fateful bus accident, they are learning to live with their new abilities. They are also trying to come to an understanding of what part the scientific lab Auxano played in the whole incident. Together they travel to Philadelphia, then to an apartment full of excommunicated Amish teens, and finally into the belly of Auxano, all while going to school and taking exams. The Odds are also attempting to hone their powers; Farshad's strong thumbs cause him to break things, and Nick's original ability to transport himself a few inches has transformed into more than he bargained for. Their journey is full of self-realizations as well. Cookie must learn how to manage her social circle and admit that she has more in common with her Odds partners than she thought. Told in a mixture of prose, comic book illustrations, and newspaper articles, this title is sure to grab the attention of many types of readers. The characters are from a mix of cultural and ethnic backgrounds, including Indian American, Amish, and African American, and they freely acknowledge their differences. This is very much a sequel, and the setting is continually being developed.