Even the most observant scientist can botch up a theory or two.

Alexandra Bointon dreams about becoming a scientist. When her school has their annual science fair, she always pairs up with her best friend, who is happy to let Alex take over and call all the shots. But this year is different. Her best friend teams up with someone else, and Alex ends up with the new kid, Keith. Reluctant to accept the situation, Alex tries to squirm out of it until Keith tells her his Aunt Karen is a famous scientist, who will be visiting him soon. Alex is excited at the prospect of meeting her idol; maybe teaming up with Keith won’t be such a bad deal after all.

But an observant scientist has to pay attention to details, and it isn’t long before Alex starts to puzzle over the new kid. Why does Keith always cover up his work when she walks by? Why are there always flecks of paint on his clothes and dirt under his nails? And more important, why does his famous Aunt never seem to show up? He is good at science, and he is a great partner, but what is Keith hiding? A foolproof, scientific method of reasoning is sure to lead Alex to the answer. But by the time she is ready to reach her conclusion, does Alex really want to know?

A fun story with an unexpected ending, The Not-Quite World Famous Scientist is perfect for readers, scientific or otherwise, who are ready for chapter books.