The Science of Boys

by Emily Seo PhD, Gracey Zhang (Illustrator)

Overview

Twelve-year-old science nerd Emma Sakamoto wants to reinvent herself when she starts high school. When stylish new girl Poppy asks for Emma’s help getting the attention of her crush, Cole, Emma lies and tells Poppy that she’s writing a book about the science of boys. Emma’s friend, George, offers to help Emma apply scientific principles to the mystery of getting a boyfriend. But George has an ulterior motive!

Real science and enthusiasm for scientific principles are interwoven into this humorous story of friendship, family and what it means to truly belong.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781926890371
Publisher:	Tradewind Books
Publication date:	06/30/2022
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.25(d)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Emily Seo holds a PhD in chemistry from the University of British Columbia and worked in science publishing in Germany. Her experimentation with words resulted in The Science of Boys. She currently lives in Vancouver, BC, with her husband and two young scientists.

Gracey Zhang is the author and illustrator of Lala's Words, for which she received the prestigious Ezra Jack Keats Award. She is also the illustrator of The Big Bath House, Nigel and the Moon and The Upside Down Hat. Born and raised in Vancouver, BC, she is now based in New York.

Editorial Reviews

Emma will take readers through the gamut of teenaged emotions: embarrassment, loneliness, excitement, deceit, acceptance, and the long difficult journey to self-knowledge. Highly Recommended.

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

If author Emily Seo could pick one scientific concept to describe adolescence, it would be the second law of thermodynamics: the entropy or disorder of the universe will increase over time. In short, there will be chaos–and that’s exactly what ensues in her debut middle-grade novel, The Science of Boys (Tradewind Books), when main character and science nerd Emma Sakamoto tries to help a popular girl catch a boy’s eye.

Quill & Quire

A genuine and fun-filled read, The Science of Boys captures many complexities in the lives of preteen girls today while encouraging curiosity and an interest in science—a subject that girls still often lack confidence in and are discouraged from pursuing.

BC Bookworld

2022-07-13
Hoping to fit in, Emma writes a book about how to get a boy’s attention.

As a scientist’s daughter, 12-year-old Emma Sakamoto loves science and knows—and freely shares—a lot of facts. This quirk, plus her flat chest and ragged clothes, draws negative attention from mean girls at school. When Emma meets Cole, her friend George’s cousin who is a teen actor with a large social media following, the opportunity to change her image arises. Emma makes a deal with fashionable new girl Poppy: Emma will share her book on the science of boys to help Poppy get Cole’s attention, and Poppy will help Emma with her image. The only problem is that Emma isn’t actually writing a book, and she can’t stop lying about herself to try to fit in. George agrees to help, but figuring out the formula for attracting boys won’t be easy. Incorporating real science principles, this funny, clever coming-of-age story examines friendship, acceptance, adolescent concerns, and societal messages. Emma also has family troubles: Her mother left them eight months ago, and her father seems depressed. Being lactose intolerant plays a considerable role in Emma’s daily life; many readers will find the dietary restriction relatable. Black-and-white drawings are scattered throughout the book, adding pleasing visual representation and humor. Contextual clues indicate that Canadian Emma has some Japanese heritage; the illustrations show racial diversity in the supporting cast.

A delightful mix of science and relationships. (Fiction. 11-14)

Kirkus Reviews