Travels with Sushi in the Land of the Mind

By: Jamie Steinberg

Author Eduard Shyfrin attempts to subtly incorporate Mathematics, Science and sushi all in a tale of two children tasked with saving The Land of the Mind. In a convoluted adventure, Stella and Aaron become responsible for traveling through various lands to rescue The Book of Understanding, which contains the rules for living a good life. Unfortunately for Shyfrin, the book’s plot moves too quickly and the subject matter seems far too advanced for the middle school age audience it aims at.

Stella and Aaron are siblings spending time with their grandparents at the beach. After their day of splashing, they head to their favorite sushi restaurant. Aaron and Stella order a specific amount of salmon sushi which triggers the restaurant owners to offer the kids something special to eat that sends them to The Land of the Mind. Once there the two are told a tale of The Supreme Ruler, the various lands at risk and their people known as “the Mushi.” Told they were chosen because of the amount of sushi they selected and how it relates to the number Phi (1.618) they are given the opportunity to step up save this world. The kids agree without hesitation or even concern for the life they are leaving behind. What about a moment of fear, doubt or clarification about seeing their loved ones again? How long will this journey even possibly take? None of that is explored at all. Nevertheless, it is then Aaron and Stella board a Phi-Fighter and head off on their mission.

Each chapter is a brief adventure for the kids. They meet various friendly faces and baddies along the way as they go from land to land with their guide Cassie and a talking crow named Sophie. Lands seemed to be tamed in one chapter, making the story move too fast for anyone to invest in the tale. Every land visited is meant to explore a life lesson and teach the reader right from wrong – all through the continuity of the use of Phi and Physics. Unfortunately, the terminology used and the explanation for the words (to me) seemed like they would be too confusing to the reader, leaving the young adult taking in this tale to shake their head in confusion.

My other issue with this read is the weaponry and ease at which the children use them. They are given a gun, something Aaron readily picks up. There is no pause for teaching him how to use it or even hesitation on wanting to use it. Additionally, at one point, Stella picks up a sword and begins using it in battle. It seems she is suddenly ready to take a life in order to protect those of the people whose land she is in. In an age where more and more young adults are using violence to solve their problems, I would expect Shyfrin to have had Stella and Aaron disinterested in solving their problems in such a dire fashion.

One of the only standouts to this story are the illustrations done by Tomislav Tomic. They are all done in black and white, giving a vintage look to the drawings. They are very detailed and help in giving the reader a picture of the people involved in the storylines.

As a lifelong scientist, Shyfrin attempts to make Physics relatable to younger audiences through Travels with Sushi in the Land of the Mind. Sadly, the terminology and their explanations are a not toned down enough for the age of an individual to grasp their meanings. The best thing I can say about this tale of science meets sushi? The chopsticks that come with the book are free.