Five young friends invent a candy-making machine for their school’s annual science fair, but when their candy creation comes to life and escapes, they’ll have to work together to find a solution before it destroys the entire city!
Madison, Ava, Emma, Aidan, and Dylan have pretty normal lives for a group of twelve-year they go to school, participate in extracurricular activities, and oh, yeah, they also have AWESOME SCIENCE ADVENTURES. Together they form The Not-So Secret Society.
When the team invents a candy-making machine for their school’s annual science fair, things don’t go according to plan . . . when their candy creation comes to life and escapes! Halloween just got a whole lot scarier, and a whole lot more fun.
Writing team Matthew Daley ( Lantern City, An Illustrated Novel ) and Arlene Daley call on their combined twenty-five years of education experience to create this thrilling coming-of-age adventure. Co-Created by Trevor Crafts ( Lantern City) and Ellen Crafts, and lllustrated by Wook Jin Clark ( Adventure The Flipside, Regular Noir Means Noir, Buddy ), The Not-So Secret Society is an all-ages adventure that celebrates the value of teamwork and lifelong friendships.
Growing up, Matthew Daley walked to and from school. It wasn’t up hill both ways, though the mere fact that he did so is quite a seismic feat in the 21st Century. This is important because he walked passed a library, and on most days, he stopped there on his way home from school. He also believed that world peace could be achieved if everyone celebrated Doughnut Day every day.
Once he discovered that money doesn’t grow on trees – but rather, from them – he started to work. There was no other way to pay for his book/comic book/music buying addiction or his insistence of seeing every movie in the theaters at a minimum of three times. The jobs that he has held are (in no particular order of importance): referee, dish washer, soda salesman, envelope stuffer, waiter, microfiche filer, classical music morning DJ, small publisher rejection letter writer, sexual assault workshop facilitator, college essay ghostwriter, research consultant, high school English teacher, college professor, and writer.
When he isn’t writing fun things like Lantern City, Rise: An Illustrated Novel, and the upcoming The Not-So Secret Society, Matthew likes to study maps with his son, draw satellites with his older daughter, eat clementines with his younger daughter, and watch horror movies with his wife. His ability to arrange words in a decipherable way has earned him recognition from The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and the National Association of Black Journalists. One day, he might achieve the career goal he set for himself at age four: work as a milkman, fireman, and garbage man, splitting the day in three shifts. In the meantime, he will continue to write.
5 out of 5 stars! I won this in a giveaway on goodreads and I'm glad I did. It was so cute and reminded me of shows that I used to watch as a kid. I really love the diversity of the characters. It will definitely show kids of color that they can go the STEM route in school. The shorts at the back of the book were the best; too funny. I love the message of the Not-So Secret Society: - Embracing of Differences - Spirit of adventure - Sense of Collaboration - Exploration and Learning - Respect for Adults I will definitely pass this to my niece when she is old enough and my sister can use the parent guide in the back to make it interactive. I would enjoy watching it A TV show and hope they come out with more books
We start with a group of kids (the not-so secret society) in a subway rearranging blocks to create a portal to a mythical realm, but having created the door they have to leave to go complete their science experiment (we never come back to this particular story thread). We see them next day in class tired from working late on their project. First the teacher calls the 52s to the front (a group of students whose names all start with Z) and they show a great project which is an energy cube which can pull energy out of the air and charge up devices immediately. They also mention how they win everything at school (the talent show, the art showcase, and a cook-off.) The not-so secret society they have a device meant for recycling and it fails. Ava, a member of the not-so group who is into pro-wrestling moves, states that they will enter the science fair. The other members are frustrated since they didn't plan on doing that. However they meet at another member's parent's bookstore (she has red hair, she probably has a name, but I couldn't find it. They really needed to have all the not-so society characters introduce themselves at the beginning of the story, as it is there are several kids in the group that I am not sure what their names are. - Edit I finally discovered it, her name is Madison, but I still think they should have introduced all the characters at the begining.)
They discuss several ideas of projects and end up decide on bringing candy to life. One of the boys, Aidan does most of the work and after some fails ends up bringing a gummy bear to life. They notice it loves candy and when it eats candy it grows. Aidan takes the gummy bear to his apartment because he says there is no candy at his house. However, it is Halloween and his parents have decided to have candy. So when he sleeps the bear escapes and eats all the candy and then wonders into other apartments to eat their candy. Aiden wakes up when his parents confront him about the missing candy and Aiden alerts his friends who come over. Aiden uses a flashlight and a magnifying glass to create something that can track the gummy bear. They knock on various doors and some people rave about their halloween costumes even though the kids are in their street clothes. One kids says that these adults think they are super heroes in their secret identities but it is an odd joke and it is odd that one of the kids explains what the adults are thinking (How do they know?) There is a big Halloween fair happening outside the apartment and they lose the candy bear in the crowd. They speak to Aiden's father to get advice on how to stop the bear and since he is a dentist he suggests toothpaste and floss. So they fill super soaker type water guns filled with toothpaste and make a net out of floss. The kids are now in their costumes and Emma is dressed up as a big box of red licorice. She lures the bear to the kids, who making ghost buster references about not crossing the streams, capture the bear. A candy maker is thrilled to find out about the bear and asks to have it in his shop. The kids agree and later we see the bear once again gorging on candy. Meanwhile we see the science fair. The 52s create a tater tot machine which is a success. The Not-So society creates a candy making machine which is more tame and doesn't win. We end with Aiden showing off an alien radio and the kids wondering if it is working before we see ailen versions of our kids hearing the music.
At the end of the story are 25 mini comics (one-page comics) created in different drawing styles: 1) the gang putting together a homework machine although it tells them to do their own homework 2) Red haired girl getting a bunch of books at her parent's bookstore 3) the gang about to splash in a puddle and instead getting splashed by a bus 4) Dylan having a watch that can do everything except tell time (I liked the animation style of this comic which was illustrated by Kelly & Nichole Matthews) 5) Emma in a spelling bee and getting "two" as her word, she asks them to use it in a sentence and they include all the versions of two/to/too in that sentence 6) the gang helping Aidan clean up his room (by stuffing everything in the closet) 7) eating ghost peppers to try to see ghosts 8) Mixing up a lot of crazy flavors up in a blender 9) we see them camping but when they get scared and run out of the tent we find out they are camping in what looks like central park 10) Ava using her wrestling moves on a fly while Aidan invents a special fly swatter 11) The gang dressed up as superheros but Dylan is in his underwear since he is invisidude 12) One panel of the kids surrounded by monsters saying this is a bad time for their flashlight to die 13) Celebrating the start of summer vacation, but one minute later deciding they don't know what to do with their time 14) Ava having a birthday cake with candles for every day she has been alive 15) a parent asks what type of movie they want to watch they all list off a bunch of movie types (action, musical, romance, etc) and the mom says "Lion King again". 16) they have a complicated new handshake but when they all try it at once they end up in heap in the playground (I like the drawing style of this one too - it was done by Rii Abergo. I think I kept noticing the nice drawing styles in some of these mini comics because I just wasn't a fan of the art work in the actual comic - it looks like something done by someone who thinks they know how to draw but don't really.) 17) Emma's parents say if she eats too much licorice she will turn into it, she doesn't see what is wrong with that 18) Madison finds a book in her parents book store called the Secrets of the Universe, but all the pages are blank 19) The group waits for a read out on Dylan's watch to know that there are no sharks in the community pool 20) they try out some shoes that are suppose to take them back in time - they don't work 21) Emma is freaking out about being in a play, but they are playing trees in the background and have no lines 22) the gang is planning what to do in the snow, but there is no snow in July 23) they try a new video game, but it makes them all sick 24) they are beaten in dodgeball 25) gets us back to the start by showing how Emma came up with the outfits they wore in the subway to look for that door (that they then abandon) The story also has at the end, a reading guide and activities for parents and teachers to share with kids.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Really enjoyed the book! First things first.. the art is very vibrant, which I loved. Each of the characters feel like they have their own unique personalities, diverse backgrounds, and attitudes towards how they interact with the world. It was a nice change of pace to see characters (especially for a younger audience) that utilize their brain rather than their brawn to solve situations. It's a lesson that every kid could take a page from.
I loved this book! It was wonderful that the kids used science and their minds to solve their problem without discouraging younger readers by being too heavy. SPOILER! For example, the kids learn that toothpaste is the way to defeat sugar. I would love it if this became a series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I say this about a lot of comics but this could genuinely be a cartoon, it reminds me of The Weekenders from Toon Disney. Friends actually hanging out and being friends. 12-year-olds that look and act like 12-year-olds. STEM and actual diversity! Misadventures!
The book is actually classified as a Halloween book on Amazon. When I first learned of this 2017 graphic novel from Kaboom!, I didn't even realize that it was a Halloween book.
I knew of this book as it was a selection of potential all-ages best of 2017 picks by Goodreads. So, when I found this at my local library, I was excited to read it because of that honor and didn't really know of the book's holiday implications. So please forgive me for not having a timely selection this week.
So what is the book about?
A group of middle school misfits called the Not-So Secret Society love science. But they're constantly overlooked by another group of science loving students that seem to make magic with their science projects. Tired of being upstaged, one of the members of the Not-So Secret Society challenges their rivals to build the greatest science fair experiment of all-time. The only problem- they've only got the weekend to do it and it just happens to be the same weekend that Halloween falls on.
Working with all their might, the students create a machine that can potentially bring any piece of candy to life! After some trial and error, the group finally manage to get a gummy bear candy to come alive. Only, this confection has a sweet tooth and everytime it eats sugar, the gummy doubles in size. With it being Halloween and candy everywhere, how can the members of the No-So Secret Society stop their mad science experiment without destroying the whole city block?
I actually enjoyed this book. It had heart, personality, and was pretty funny. Plus, I had fun reading it. The book started off very different than I expected however.
In the beginning, the Not-So Secret Society are in a subway terminal attempting to open some magical portal to another dimension. And they actually succeed. However, the book's authors Matthew and Arlene Daley never return to this plot line! I was convinced that somehow the kids had goofed in not securing the doorway and some creature got out. But that wasn't to be. Amazon seems to indicate that the Tale of the Gummy is the first in a series. So maybe they'll return to this plot point in the future?
There's a ton of extras at the end of this graphic novel. The Daley's, along with co-creators Trevor and Ellen Crafts are educators and they include several activities designed to make learning fun. Plus there's over 25 mini comic one-pagers that expand the personalities of the No-So Secret Society. The last story is actually a prequel to the beginning of The Tale of the Gummy. While only gag is by series artist Wook Jin Clark (Regular Show), I'm not sure why these adventures weren't placed at the beginning of the book. They really add a depth to the characters that is lacking in the first 30-pages of the book.
The No-So Secret Society have potential to be a great series for readers of all ages. But you, the readers are going to have to go out there and show your support if there's to be a volume 2. Yes, Halloween is the time of year this book is set, but The Tale of the Gummy can be enjoyed 365 days of the year! That's right, I'm saying it- this would make a great holiday gift!
Along with being available in paperback in bookstores everywhere, the NS3 can be found digitally on ComiXology and Kindle.
And that will do it for this week's Family Comic Friday. Next week, I turn big 4-0 and I count down my top 10 all-ages books and series of all-time. Until then, read on!
Take five science and candy-loving friends, a dose of STEM/STEAM, and a group of uber-over-achievers to go up against for the all-city science fair, and you've got the NS3: the Not-So Secret Society. This group of middle schoolers needs a project that will wow the judges at the science fair, and they come up with one when they create a machine that can bring candy to life! Their test run brings an adorable gummy bear to life, but Gummy has a sweet tooth that won't quit - and neither will the growth spurts that follow! The NS3 has to track down Gummy, who goes on a sugar-eating rampage, before it's too late, and they still have to make it to the science fair on time! This is an hilarious story of friendship, science, and candy, starring a group of middle schoolers that readers will love: Madison, the bookish one; Aidan, the inventor; Emma, the licorice-obsessed artist; Dylan, the comedian, and Ava, the tiny wrestling fan with a big temper. Readers who loved Eleanor Davis's Secret Science Alliance will enjoy this comic. I just want to know why three years have passed without a new adventure! Back matter includes a parent reading guide and learning activities, along with Common Core standards info. Unfortunately, the website for the NS3 doesn't seem to be up at the moment, but in the meantime, try some safer candy experiments in the spirit of the NS3, with no risk of giant gummy bear attacks. This Pinterest board never disappoints - I've made the candy slime with my library kids, and I've made the Ziploc bag ice cream with my own kiddo. If you want to go old school, show them a few episodes of the early 2000s cartoon, Codename: Kids Next Door.
The Not-So Secret Society has to come up with a great project for the science fair. They decide that bringing candy to life might be good. But they quickly change their minds when their living gummy bear escapes and goes on a candy-eating rampage across the city, growing with every sugary intake. Can they save the city and come up with a less dangerous science fair project over just one weekend? Plus after the story are several one page guest artist mini adventures for the Not-So Secret Society.
Ok, the idea of a giant candy-rampaging gummy bear set loose over Halloween is kinda brilliant. It has all the great hallmarks of a monster movie without anything remotely scary. Jumping into this story it does feel a teensy bit like there was a volume before this one that introduced the characters, but there's a short bit at the end about how the series came to life and I think this is the first one. It's ok, it is easy to quickly figure out who is who and what's going on. Kids should enjoy this group of nerds and their crazy inventions and the adventures that follow. It's a quick graphic novel adventure, and right now the scifi graphic novels are really popular with the students at my school so I think this will be quite well-read. I'd definitely purchase another book for our library if they make any more in this series.
Something I was able to read with my 9 year old son....YES!! The Not-So Secret Society: Tale Of The Gummy is a fun read. Graphic Novels...I am so intrigued by but never actually buy so I don't own very many and have read very few of them. I decided to start collecting them for my kids...and then I will work my way into getting some for myself. This one was great. My 9 year old was entertained the entire time. We split the reading of it within 2 night time sessions. I could have easily read it within an hour.
The story....5 young friends...smarties...invent a candy making machine for a school project. The creation comes to life...and things great crazy when this creation is trying to destroy their entire city. Action packed, fun, fast moving, and the graphics are vivid and easy to understand and keep up with.
Thanks as always to the wonderful peeps of goodreads, Matthew Daley, and to KaBoom for my free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review to which I gladly and voluntarily gave.
Wherever this series goes I will follow. The Not-So-Secret Society is first seen ready to explore a hidden world under the subway when they are interrupted by an alarm telling them to work on their science experiment. What follows is research, planning, and collaboration on many levels resulting in a gummy bear that accidentally goes on a rampage and must be stopped.
The story is great but the concept and execution is even better. Like with the Scholastic Branches books, there are questions you can use for discussion and reading comprehension, plus related activities. Something that my kiddo loves and that I give props to in any book: book bios. This book had 5, for all of the collaborators, and that is outstanding!
It was fun while it lasted. As it is not very long, the fun does not linger. With a focus on STEM and hype about teacher discussion pages, adults will probably adore this. Children who have a better eye and ear for authenticity may read it as is and quickly move on to a better book within the genre.
A great middle-of-the-road graphic novel about friendship, science, and collaboration. What gives this an extra star is all of the extra back matter the two creators (a married couple who are both educators) to extend the story in multiple ways.
There are definitely children who will love this group of science loving kids who get into some funny hi jinx with their unplanned science projects. The story was quick and easy to read.