Isaac the Alchemist: Secrets of Isaac Newton, Reveal’d.

“[A] splendid story…narrative nonfiction at its best and most convincing.”

*Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews  (Read it here!)

*Starred Review, The Horn Book

*Starred Review, School Library Journal

Kirkus Review Best Books of 2017, School Library Journal Best Books of 2017

101 Great Books for Kids List

NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children Recommended Title

*****

Isaac is an angry 12-year-old boy who lives, all alone, in an attic room above an apothecary’s shop. He’s terrible in school, where they don’t teach you anything about stars, dragons, fireworks, catapults, or magic.

Not that that stops him. Because Isaac has a book of Mysteries, borrowed from the apothecary.

Want to make a flaming kite that will look like a comet, scaring the country folk for miles around? Read on.

Someday, though he doesn’t know it yet, Isaac will become the world’s greatest alchemist. He’ll try to learn how to turn ordinary metal into gold. He’ll search for the Philosopher’s Stone that will reveal the secret of eternal life.  Along the way, he’ll discover the secrets of the universe, and the name Isaac Newton will become famous all over the world.

Someday, people will call him the Last Sorcerer.

But for now he’s only a boy with a quill pen, scribbling down his secrets in a tiny notebook….

Read a sample chapter HERE!

SEE the official Isaac The Alchemist BOOK TRAILER here!!

I’m happy to say the book has won quite a few more awards, which I listed in a post a while ago. Since that post is now buried deep in my website, I decided to put the complete list at the end of this page where teachers, librarians, and other interested people can actually see it.  Check it out below! 

School Library Journal Best Books of 2017

Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2017: Best of Children’s Middle Grade List

Outstanding Science Trade Books, 2017,  National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and Children’s Book Council

2018 Orbis Pictus Recommended Titles, National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)

2017 Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Books

Chicago Public Library Mock Newbery Pick

Parents’ Choice Awards, Nonfiction, Spring 2017

101 Great Books for Kids list for 2017 (Evanston Public Library Edition)

Nerdy Book Club Award for Long Form Nonfiction

Texas Library Association’s 2018 Topaz list   

2017 Cybils Finalists

Minnesota Book Awards Finalist 2018

My thanks to everyone, the  book-lovers of all kinds who work so hard on award committees.