Publisher's Synopsis
2014 Re-release of book, Newt's World: Internal Byte. Larger print. From Florida Book Award (2008) Gold Medal Winner Susan L. Womble comes the second book in the Newt's World series, Internal Byte. Follow the continuing adventures of Isaac Newton "Newt" Willis and the rest of the Willis Charter School class as they attempt to thwart another attack on Newt's holographic world. Newt opened his phone; there was a message. It was to all of the students in the class, including Newt's mom; it was from Marcus. It read: Trouble-Bad guys are coming for Caleb and Newt-They plan to use us to get our parents to do what they want-They already have me, and I think they might have my dad-I am in the trunk of a car. I don't know where they are taking me. Newt realized that his mom must have gotten that message, which is why she changed the security system. Newt texted Caleb: U OK? Caleb called back. "We thought they had already gotten you. We'll come by and get you; we just got to the bus." Newt asked, "Who is we?" Newt's World: Internal Byte," by Tallahassee author Susan Womble, is the second in the series. A National Board Certified teacher at Godby High School in Tallahassee, Florida, Womble teaches reading, writing, language arts, and learning strategies. Newt is a twelve-year-old boy who finds himself in a wheelchair after an accident. The first book in the series, "Newt's World: Beginnings," won the gold medal in the children's division of the Florida Book Awards last year. Newt's fans won't be disappointed by the second book in the series. Newt and his sidekicks, Caleb and Marcus, are back together even though the charter school they all attended burned down in the last book. Newt's father converts an empty house into a school for the kids, but big change arrives at the Willis Charter School in the form of girls. The girls bring different interests and ideas that provide an education all by themselves for our trio of best buddies. Womble's trademark is short chapters ending in cliffhangers that keep readers turning the pages. She illustrated the cover herself and her father, Tommy Larned, drew the clever illustrations by chapter headings. Newt's World has some similarities to the real world: girls tend to like the most athletic boy and a bully makes life scary for the good kids. But there are differences in this world, too. Newt is a computer genius, his father is rich enough to buy him almost anything, and the charter school requires gun-packing body guards and a security detail. When the class bully, Mike, taunts Newt by calling him a gimp, a new girl confronts him. She tells her friends, "Hey, you gotta stand up to those boys, or they'll bully you all of your life." Eventually Mike's classmates prod him into reforming. The boys collaborate to invent a new holographic video game called "Newt's World Ultimate Game." It is a further refinement of software belonging to Willis Communications, the company owned by Newt's father. On the spooky side, the game is getting smarter and doing things on its own. Since the boys suspect an unknown person is accessing the game, they install security codes to protect it. When all goes wrong--and it does in a big way--the members of Newt's class unite to save Willis Communications and thwart a kidnapping. By combining the unique skills and talents of every child, the resulting team conquers the evil always lurking one byte away in Newt's World. Young readers will probably decide this book is, as Marcus would say, "fantabulous." Teachers will appreciate the accompanying workbook and Womble's web sites which offer additional activities and insight into Newt's World.
