The Shrinking of Grin by J. Edwin Skinner
Paperback independently published 24th February 2025
ISBN 9798309276448
Suitable for middle grade 8-12
While Grin’s scientist father is disturbed by the unexplained disappearance of his research institute’s director, Magnus G. Musselman, Grin is more interested in emulating his father and sets his mind to conducting a series of crazy experiments on flies. He cannot imagine the trouble this will land him in. Literally cut down to size when he is faced down by a big fat bluebottle, he lands himself prey to a giantic wasp and is only saved at the last minute by a huge frog that takes pity on him when he lands on a lily pad in the garden pond. Guiding Grin down through the depths of this pond, the frog takes him to a fabulously weird world called Quilibria with the promise of a quick fix for his situation. Yet the fix is not as quick as he would hope in this strange new dimension, where nothing is quite what it seems. But it is the only place where Grin can hope to find the solution to his sadly shrunken state and to get back to his normal size. As he travels through Quilibria in search for the solution, he is met with one obstacle after another thrown in his way by a successful of weird creature. Will he find what he’s looking for? If he does, will he be able to take it with him or will he stay this size forever? And what does Magnus G. Musslema’s disappearance have to do with any of this?
MY REVIEW
Author J Edwin Skinner fantasy creation of What happens to Grin , is highly full of creative imagination. This story is clever, and totally unforgettable. Grins Father Dr Penn, works as a scientist working with mice, rats, rabbits and Guinea-pigs. When Gin is in his bedroom, a fly appears on his window sill. Then Grin is transported, to shrinking in size, riding through the air on the back of a bluebottle. When a wasp comes near him he freaks out. To Grins disappointment his mother can’t see him when she focused on the dragon fly, flying around. I loved originality, reading about Grins adventure, sleeping on a lily pad, meeting a frog and an ant. Time seems to last forever, while Grin has shrunk. I found the story quite humorous, wondering how grin will return to normal size. Middle grade readers are in for a surprise, version of fantasy fun.
