The Science of Breakable Things

With themes of pre-teen friendship, loss and depression (and botany!), this hooky debut is both fun, poignant - and hopeful.

When Natalie Napoli’s hashtag-abusing teacher insists science is the key to life, she deems him crazy. How can science save her family now that her mother – a botanist who had such a passion for plants and for life – can’t even get out of bed in the morning? Now that everything in their beloved greenhouse is dead, even the rare orchid with extraordinary properties which her mom had been studying before she gave up trying. Not even Natalie’s therapist dad can help, so how is a year-long science project and a bunch of magnets and pendulums going to make everything right for Natalie and bring her mom back?
But then Natalie hears about a city-wide egg-drop competition with a big money prize. And she has an idea. If she can win the competition, maybe she can take her mom to New Mexico – to a place where a field of blue orchids will recapture the resilience, the wonder, and the magic of everything that made life good.

As Natalie embarks on a quest to understand the scientific method – and what is really going on in her family – she not only begins to delve into her biracial identity and evolving friendships, but also faces the biggest scientific experiment of her life. Can she create the perfect egg armor and win the prize that might just save her mother?

Rights details

World English Language: Random House (Spring 2018)
Audio USA: Listening Library
Korea: Dolbegae
Italy: Mondadori
Germany: Fischer Verlag
Romania: Nemira
Turkey: Domingo
Iran: Porteghaal
Taiwan: Easter
Brazil: Morro Bronco
China: Love Reading

• Ages 8 - 12