About the Author

M.E. Castle is a writer and actor working in the glorious center of the universe, New York City. He graduated from Oberlin College in 2008 with a degree in theater and has written a number of short stories, only a handful of which have ever been seen by an audience wider than his closest friends. "Popular Clone" is his first novel. You can visit him online at www.theclonechronicles.com."

Reviews

Despite the assurances from the adults in his life that things will eventually get better at school, twelve-year-old Fisher Bas is weary of his role as bully bait, and with his considerable I.Q. and his unfettered access to the science labs of his Nobel Prize-winning mother, he's prepared to do something about it. Using Mom's research into the Accelerated Growth Hormone (AGH), Fisher manages to create an exact duplicate of himself in just one weekend and sends his doppelgänger (dubbed Two) to endure the torments of middle school come Monday morning. Two, however, has a very non-Fisher-like quality of making trouble, and his bad-boy sensibilities not only win over Fisher's classmates but also unfortunately attract the attention of the mysterious Dr. X, one of Fisher's mother's fiercest rivals. When Two is 'clonenapped' by Dr. X's henchmen, it is up to Fisher (and his flying pig) to shed the lab coat, tap into his inner hero, and save the day. Endearingly awkward and eminently likable (despite what his classmates might think), Fisher is a protagonist to root for, and his ultimate triumph over both the bullies and Dr. X offers a pleasing bit of wish fulfillment to any kid who has ever dreaded the beginning of the school week. Gadget geeks will thrill at the wildly imaginative inventions that populate the Bas household, including a talking toaster (with a British accent), a table that sets itself, and a helpful watch that provides both dating tips and breath mints. The ethical dilemmas of cloning are largely avoided to favor a more light-hearted approach, and readers will likely end up fantasizing about what they could get away with if only they too had a Two. --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Literature-- "Journal"

Fisher has inherited his parents' scientific genius as well as their social awkwardness, and he becomes determined to put the former to use in combating the latter after tiring of being invisible to everyone except a gang of bullies. Sneaking a supply of his mother's experimental accelerated-growth hormone, he creates Fisher Two, a clone he deputizes to deal with middle school (while the real Fisher stays home playing video games). Complications and humor ensue as 'Two' proves to be far better liked than the original, getting involved with girls, pranks, a Palo Alto controversy concerning french fries and ducks, and a mysterious bad guy who is after the aforementioned hormone. Throughout, Fisher offers observations ('in science, there are rules for everything. But people don't behave according to rules') and drawings of his inventions and secret plans. The story is quick flowing and if first-time author Castle can clone this fun in future sequels, he'll be popular for sure. --Booklist-- "Journal"

For 12-year-old science and math whiz Fisher Bas, a typical day at school means avoiding 'The Vikings, ' a trio of relentless bullies, and not living up to the ideals of his comic book hero, Vic Daring. His Nobel Prize-winning parents assure him that this phase will pass, but after a particularly humiliating day, Fisher vows never to go to school again. He steals his mother's 'Accelerated Growth Hormone' and creates a clone, Fisher-2, so he can spend his days eating junk food, living vicariously through his clone, and working on inventions that include a 'social survival watch' (complete with 'conversation topic generator' and 'mint spritzer' for bad breath) and a Popcorn Gun, which are diagrammed throughout in sketchy line art. When Fisher-2 instantly becomes popular at school (as well as a troublemaker) and is 'clone-napped, ' Fisher and his flying pig must save the day. Fisher's wild imagination and sincerity fuel Castle's debut novel, first in a planned series. Heavy doses of self-deprecating humor, high-tech wizardry, and goofy middle-school antics add up to an amusing and action-packed adventure. --Publishers Weekly-- "Journal"

Geeky Fisher Bas is trying to make it through middle school by avoiding bullies and befriending his science teacher. His parents are Nobel Prize-winning scientists and his mother has created Accelerated Growth Hormone (AGH), which has the potential to revolutionize medicine technology and has made her the target of evil scientist Dr. X. But before he can steal the AGH, Fisher decides to use it to grow his own clone. It will go to school for him and deal with the bullies and tedious teachers, and Fisher can stay at home and conduct important experiments. However, he didn't bargain on his clone, whom he refers to as 'Two, ' earning a reputation as a troublemaker and becoming more popular than he could ever imagine. This leads to some interesting problems. When a popular girl comes to his home, hoping that they can become study buddies, he can't decide if he should be himself or substitute his more confident clone. Soon Fisher's social drama takes a backseat to Dr. X's dark scheming. When Two gets kidnapped by the evil mastermind, Fisher goes into complete Spy Kids mode, equipping himself with a popcorn gun and a flying pig sidekick. This fun novel is for kids who like Anthony Horowitz's 'Alex Rider' series (Philomel) and can handle the challenging scientific vocabulary. --School Library Journal-- "Journal"

What happens when you take one lovable-but-nerdy sixth grader and add a little mad scientist and a smattering of tween James Bond? You get Fisher Bas, a 12-year-old genius who's seen the inside of one too many toilet bowls thanks to the Vikings, Wampalog Middle School's infamous band of bullies.
Unwilling to subject himself to one more day of torment, Fisher steals a sample of his world-renowned scientist mother's top-secret human-growth hormone and clones himself. At first, Fisher is relieved to let his clone deal with the Vikings while he watches from his computer at home, but his simple plan quickly becomes dangerously complicated. Fisher Two's unexpected popularity threatens to blow their cover, and things go from bad to worse when both Fishers wind up in the evil grasp of resident mad scientist Dr. X, who's desperate to get his hands on the top-secret formula. Castle's debut, the first in a planned series, strikes just the right balance of humor and action and is sure to keep young readers turning the pages. Fisher's struggles to fit in, to relate to girls and to uncover and preserve his true self feel genuine, making him a misfit and unlikely hero worth rooting for.
An inventive new take on the traditional bully story. --Kirkus Reviews-- "Journal"

Gr 4-7-Fisher Bas is a middle school genius. The son of Nobel Prize-winning parents, the geeky 12-year-old spends his days avoiding the school bullies that he refers to as the Vikings. The friendless kid dreams of hiding out at home and playing video games, working in his lab, and snacking on Cheetos. Then one day, after a particularly terrible week at school, Fisher steals a touch of his mother's experimental Advanced Growth Hormone (AGH) and clones himself. Fisher Two is sent off to attend school and does all the things Fisher hates. But things quickly spiral out of control as Two becomes popular at school, bringing attention to himself and Fisher. Ultimately, Two is kidnapped by a mad scientist who wants to steal Mrs. Bas's formula, and Fisher must embark on a daring plan to save his clone and the AGH. This is an over-the-top, action-packed, adventure with wacky humor and outrageous science that should appeal to listeners looking for some zany fun. Joshua Swanson's narration of M. E. Castle's novel (EgmontUSA, 2012) is excellent, providing just the right tone for the story and giving the characters unique voices that suit their personalities. His reading will quickly pull in listeners and keep them hanging on until the wildly explosive conclusion.-Deanna Romriell, Salt Lake City Public Library, UT (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.