Tentacle and Wing

Twelve-year-old Ada's greatest secret has been revealed after a surprise test at school. She is a chimera, or "kime," born with human and animal DNA, the result of an experiment gone horribly wrong. She has infrared vision and can see various colors floating around objects. The rest of the world fears kimes, and as a result, Ada is in danger of being hunted or worse. Ada is forced to leave her life behind. She is quarantined at the Genesis Institute with others who are like her. Ada soon finds herself surrounded by all sorts of chimera: a boy whose skin changes color, a girl with dragonfly wings, a boy with seal hands, and more. At first she struggles to fit in but soon meets friends. Ada begins to realize that Genesis may not be telling the children everything and may even be harboring a secret about the origins of the chimera. Young adult author Porter (Vassa in the Night) makes her middle grade debut with a well-written, engaging tale of friendship that is peppered with intrigue. VERDICT A strong purchase for readers who enjoy mysteries with fantasy elements.—William Anderson, Scott County Public Library, IN