2021 Readers' Favorite Gold Medal Award for Children - AdventureShe dreams of becoming an inventor. First, she has to survive middle school... Putney Hicks just wants things to go right for once. A socially awkward girl dropped among rich kids in an experimental STEM institution, the anxious twelve-year-old can't seem to see her own potential. But life sprinkles in a surprise when she receives a mysterious tablet housing an advanced, talkative intelligence. Wondering if the friendly pixie in the device is alien or supernatural, Putney is determined to keep it safe while exploring its possibilities. But when competitive art and science projects lead to an ill-advised bet with a wealthy mean girl, the would-be engineer may be in way over her head. Will Putney's mysterious new mentor help her make it through her first week in class? The Secret of the Magic eyePad is the award-winning first book in the Putney Hicks Inventor Adventures middle grade series. If you like girls in STEM, preteen drama, and clever innovations, then you'll love Marsha Tufft's lighthearted tale.