It's the opportunity of a lifetime: a position in NASA's exclusive Multi-World Agency. Aside from the sheer excitement of being part of one of the most cutting-edge and experimental programs in the world, not to mention the chance of being able to go to space, it guarantees a bright future for the few teens who will make the cut.
In Katie Kennedy's book, "What Goes Up," Rosa and Eddie are among hundreds of overachieving geniuses who are selected to compete for the spots. After a series of increasingly unpredictable tests, Rosa and Eddie, the frontrunners, are finally selected as Team 3, but due to Eddie's inconclusive test results, another pair of teens, Brad and Trevor, are selected as "understudies." As far as Rosa and Eddie are concerned, they're still being tested, so the tension continues to build as their training begins. The training, much like the testing, is unusual, revealing unique abilities, personality quirks and potentially devastating character flaws. The training, however, has an air of urgency.
Finally, the trainees are let in on the secret that has the entire agency abuzz: There's something unusual in space - an entity that has a strong gravitational pull, a massive presence that wasn't there before. In other words, something momentous is about to take place, and the new recruits will need to get up to speed as quickly as possible.
The plot is difficult to describe, but it's easy to develop an affinity for this quirky and humorous sci-fi tale. Rosa and Eddie, the primary protagonists and narrators, are exceedingly smart and sympathetic. The plot structure is unusual as the characters spend the first half of the book in testing and training before the main conflict presents itself. Oddly enough, this does little to hamper the pacing. The testing and training phases present our characters with an intriguing array of problems ranging from the concrete to the esoteric. This approach to character development is sly but satisfying, giving readers unexpected insight into the minds and motivations of the characters.
Most impressive is the almost-effortless inclusion of a wide variety of scientific, mathematical and philosophical theories introduced throughout. "What Goes Up" is a winning combination of smart science fiction, endearingly snarky characters and a page-turning plot. Readers looking for a young adult sci-fi with heart and substance need look no further.
Courtney Waters is the teen services coordinator at Missouri River Regional Library.