"NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From the bestselling author of Song for a Whale comes a deeply moving story about a boy, an octopus, and the extraordinary bond that changes them forever-perfect for fans of Remarkably Bright Creatures to hand to the young readers in their lives.
Max can't seem to escape the big, looming shadow of his politician dad. But for the next few months, Max and his mom are going away to a quiet Texas beach town where Max can be someone else. Someone who doesn't make dumb mistakes that embarrass his father-someone who knows how to be strong.
He stumbles on his fresh start right away, when he finds an injured octopus washed up onshore after a storm. With the help of a local wildlife center and a couple of new friends, Max rescues the octopus-who they name Ursula-and vows to take care of her until she's ready to return to the sea.
But as their bond deepens and Max makes unexpected discoveries that turn his summer upside down, Max's true strength will be put to the test. Can he keep his promise after all?"
"Over 500,000 years ago, a single gene mutated. It spread over time, becoming critical in the journey transforming our earliest ancestors into fully modern humans, capable of navigating the entire planet and beyond. Then just a few thousand years ago, humans gradually outsourced knowledge to writing, and we displaced art and music from the heart of learning.
This is the extraordinary story of the discovery of a supergene that makes us uniquely human. Dr Lynne Kelly recounts how a widespread congenital disorder was the critical clue she and her collaborators needed to identify the gene that has long eluded researchers into human cognition.
The knowledge gene supercharged our ability to learn and share knowledge with others, explaining the prodigious memories of Indigenous people the world over. The discovery of the knowledge gene unlocks many other puzzles too. It explains for the first time why humans are the only species to make art, offers new insights into the earliest music and storytelling, and into the cognitive strengths of neurodivergent people.
The Knowledge Gene shows that we can all access the full power of our memories, without giving up any of the advantages of writing and technology. The implications for learning and creativity at any age are profound."
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