Shortlisted for the National Book Tokens Children’s Book of the Year 2012 A terrific action adventure packed-full of fascinating true science! Itch is making an unusual collection: when it is finished, it will include all the elements of the periodic table. But collecting elements is a risky business and having almost killed his classmates by releasing arsenic vapour into a biology lesson, Itch takes possession of a new piece of rock which may have even more dangerous consequences. Itch and his cousin have to keep one step ahead of some very serious enemies who will do everything they possibly can to get it.
Simon Mayo says, "As soon as I came across the fact that a small number of people like to collect elements from the periodic table—they call themselves ‘element hunters’—I knew I had got my story... I wanted to make sure that everything in the book is technically accurate; even if this new element doesn’t actually exist, in theory it could."
Itchingham Lofte - known as Itch - is fourteen, and loves science, especially chemistry. He's also an element-hunter: he's collecting all the elements in the periodic table. Which has some interesting and rather destructive results in his bedroom... Then, Itch makes a discovery. A new element, never seen before. At first no one believes him - but soon, someone hears about the strange new rock and wants it for himself. And Itch and his family are in serious danger...
You can follow Itch on Twitter @itchingham. Click here to download an iPad app to bring the elements to life or here for the Android App.
'A great debut . . . you'll be itching to read more.' - Anthony Horowitz
'Simply put, Itch is a hugely enjoyable read, and has everything the 10+ reader could want.' - BookZone4Boys
'You'd have to work quite hard not to like Itchingham Lofte.' - Tim Radford in The Guardian
Author
About Simon Mayo
Simon Mayo is best known for his BBC Radio 2 Drivetime show. He began writing four years ago, when he decided to create something for his son Joe, an avid reader and science nut. Having spent ten years interviewing scientists for his Radio 5 Live show he had plenty of ideas, and was soon consumed by ITCH and his story, waking up in the middle of the night to write. Simon has spent the last three years juggling his broadcasting job with visiting schools and talking about the ITCH series. During this time he’s met over 10,000 children as well as having appeared at literary and science festivals. Simon has worked on BBC radio since 1981 and runs a Book Club on his Radio 2 show. He is also the co-presenter of "Kermode and Mayo's Film Review" on BBC Radio 5 Live. In 2008, Mayo was recognized as the "radio broadcaster of the year" at the 34th annual Broadcasting Press Guild Awards and the "Speech Broadcaster of the Year" at the Sony Radio Academy Awards.
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