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Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite
“I don’t date. I study. I’m not a cheerleader in training. I don’t flirt. I’m… just serious.” That’s Laura McGonogle. She’s shy, but she’s also very smart. Other than her serious nature, she’s a typical fourteen-year-old with a family of overachievers. In C.J. Booth’s Laura McGonogle and the Wombat-O-Matic, Laura happens on a crippled wombat far from home. She adopts him and tries to nurse him back to health. In the process, they develop an inseparable bond. She names her wombat Whizzzer, and, with the help of her two friends, JW and Vaughn, they invent a device to help Whizzzer walk again. Little does she know that her device, which she calls the Wombat-O-Matic, is revolutionary and, upon entering it in a National Science Competition, she’s sabotaged by a fellow student who spreads misinformation about her invention. Can she reclaim her reputation and make her invention worthy of recognition?
C.J. Booth’s middle grade novel, Laura McGonogle and the Wombat-O-Matic is the first book in the Whizzzer series. The language is suitable for the middle grade audience, and the author uses dialogue effectively to help move the story forward and develop the characters. The themes are evident: resilience, working diligently toward a goal, believing in oneself, friendship, teamwork, and caring for animals. The main character, Laura, touches young readers who share her serious nature of hard work and the love of science. The story is inspirational in many ways, proving that young people, especially young girls, even those who are shy, can forge their way forward and excel in their dreams and aspirations. A great read!
