Avril is an unusual hero. Vertically challenged (short), slightly overweight (a bit fat) and thinning up top (bald), she is nevertheless an eccentric scientist of purely good intentions. She works at the Leviticus Laboratories, which is about to open its doors again for the first time since the scandal of fifteen years previous. It’s been off limits ever since Professor Gideon Blut was discovered conducting illegal human cloning experiments. The mad scientist disappeared in mysterious circumstances and police are still interested in determining his whereabouts.

Avril’s boss, Dr Wetherby, has had it in for the pint-sized scientist from day one. When he stumbles upon Avril conducting an apparently illegal experiment he demands to know what she’s up to. As he scuffles with Crump to get her away from the scene, a catastrophe occurs. Avril’s snack box (her old chemistry kit) is sent hurtling through the air, spilling its ancient and frankly mysterious scientific contents directly into the recently unearthed replication chamber belonging to the disgraced Gideon Blut. There is a colossal, flame-throwing, window-shattering explosion.

The result of this calamity turns out to be the creation of three unsuspecting clones called Bonaparte, an eloquent man who might have a bit of Shakespeare in him, Eddy, a young girl, and a hilarious talking dog called Augustus. Together, Avril and her amazing clones are soon on the run and their lives are in danger from many different quarters. A betting man would not discount Gideon Blut showing up on the scene too.

What it might lack in sanity and reality, this book more than makes up for in its ambition and good intentions. Avril Crump is certainly a story written to amuse rather than educate. (Age 9 and over) --John McLay