Itch: The Explosive Adventures of an Element Hunter

British radio personality Mayo makes his YA debut with this thriller, which sees 14-year-old Itchingham “Itch” Lofte pursued by everyone from unscrupulous scientists to government agents when he comes into possession of a radioactive rock that is actually a heretofore undiscovered element. For Itch, who collects elements from the periodic table (calcium from a seashell, fluorine from a Teflon frying pan, etc.), it’s a strange new treasure. For the disgraced Dr. Flowerdew, it’s an opportunity to curry favor with his former employers. For everyone in contact with the mysterious element 126, it’s a slow, painful death from radiation poisoning. Itch, his sister, and their cousin must dispose of element 126 before it falls into the wrong hands—or kills them. Mayo balances the high-stakes plot and serious reality of radiation poisoning with an underlying absurdity, particularly the over-the-top nastiness of Flowerdew and his compatriots. It’s an action-packed adventure with some chuckle-worthy moments, appealing protagonists, and a premise derived from plausible scientific theory. Readers will never look at common household objects the same way again. Ages 12–up. Agent: Sam Copeland, Rogers, Coleridge & White. (Apr.)