The No-Brainer's Guide to Decomposition

Frani Gonzalez is used to being a bit strange. First off, some would give her a 4 letter label, but she likes to think that she has an active spider in her brain named Arañita who hops from web to web of thoughts in her brain at lightning speed. Sometimes Arañita creates problems, like making her la......more

What worked: The grossness factor of the story will appeal to many middle-grade readers although it’s not for the general population. You can expect flaky flesh falling off bodies with fingers, arms, and teeth dropping at every turn. Frani’s father studies the decomposition of dead bodies so there ar......more

Adrianna Cuevas delivers a refreshingly unique and captivating tale in The No-Brainer's Guide to Decomposition. Frani Gonzalez, the fearless protagonist, lives an extraordinary life at the Central Texas Forensic Anthropology Research Facility, where her father works. Her nonchalant attitude towards......more

Frani struggles to focus at home and school due to Aranita", an imaginary spider in her brain, which also isolates her socially. She finds solace working with her dad, a professor at a Texas University, who researches cadaver decomposition at a body farm. Here, Frani stays focused and engaged. The st......more

Loved the location of The No-Brainer's Guide to Decomposition! This middle-grade novel is set at the Central Texas Forensic Anthropology Research Facility which is really fascinating place. The story is about Frani, a kid who has ADHD (she names it "arañita") which is a double-edged sword for her an......more