D.A.T.A. March of the Mini Beasts by Ada Hopper, illustrated by Sam Ricks

Gabe, Laura, and Cesar are known as the "DATA set". Gabe is the oldest and the leader - he knows all about dinosaurs. Laura is their engineer and inventor, even though she's only a 2nd grader. Cesar is the historian, with a photographic memory and a penchant for tasty treats.

While the three are selling chocolate to fund raise for their science club, they meet mad scientist Dr. Bunsen. He claims to have invented a growth ray and tries it out on their plastic animals. It's a flop - the animals don't grow at all - but something else happens.... the kids are faced with some knotty problems and decide it's time to make their unofficial club into a real group facing Danger! Action! Trouble! and Adventure! along with science. The book ends on a cliffhanger as the kids run into problems with another one of Dr. Bunsen's wacky inventions.

I have mixed feelings about this new series. On the one hand, it's funny, great sense of adventure and excitement, science aspect, and features a cast of Hispanic kids! Not as the sidekicks, as the main characters! On the other hand, science takes a back seat to the adventure/humor and Dr. Bunsen is the stereotypical man in a lab coat scientist.

Verdict: I think the pros outweigh the cons and I'll be adding this series next year. I'm looking forward to trying it with my Bookaneers book club.

ISBN: 9781481457286; Published 2016 by Little Simon; Borrowed from another library in my consortium