Tiny Parents

All Marie and Eddie Bicker want are normal parents like other kids have. Instead, their parents, Marigold and Norton, are members of a group called OOPS (Organization of Practical Scientists), whose members are constantly inventing what they believe to be useful devices. When an experiment with a Proton Enlarger goes haywire (this is not thoroughly explained, but rather blustered over), the parents start shrinking and simultaneously their life spans shorten. Faced with such an odd problem, Marie and Eddie zealously search out methods to avoid their parents' complete disappearance. Weiss and Friedman's stylized, original text and premise may appeal to some readers, but their failed attempt to create humorous, involving characters won't capture--or keep--the attention of most. Ages 8-up. (May)