The following review was contributed by: S.V.SWAMY

'Menace in the Walls' by Dr. N.L.Eskeland is a short novel dealing with the adventures of a 13-year old boy Joshua Keegan and his young sister Kelley. Based on a real-life incident but not sacrificing the thrills of a mystery novel, the book manages the double duty of entertaining and educating the young reader in Science and Scientific Investi-gation.

The story is about how a poisonous mold 'Stacybotrys' affects the health of small infants and also that of Joshua's favorite horse, resulting in deaths. In the process of unravelling the mystery of the deaths, the concepts of spores, microbes, culture, microscope, staining, lung infection, emergency room procedures, sterilisation etc., have been nicely interwoven into the story. The sibling rivalry between brother and sister and how they join forces against a common adversary has been nicely brought out.

Some of the children who read this book will get interested in exploring these topics further. One way for parents could be to encourage the children to read further and also to interact with their school teachers. The book is not meant to be an introduction to science. The primary aim is to entertain. The style is good and will attract and hold the attention of the young readers and even the parents. And if some of them develop a desire for further investigation, it will benefit science.

In conclusion, the reviewer compliments the author and the publisher for a good effort.