A fun STEM-based mystery series for middle grades

 Nick and Tesla Series:

By “Science” Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith

Nick and Tesla's High-Voltage Danger Lab: A Mystery with Electromagnets, Burglar Alarms, and Other Gadgets You Can Build Yourself

Age Range: 9 - 12 years

Grade Level: 4 - 7

Lexile Measure: 680L

Series: Nick and Tesla (Book 1)

Hardcover: 240 pages

Publisher: Quirk Books (November 5, 2013)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1594746486

ISBN-13: 978-1594746482

Publisher’s Blurb:

Nick and Tesla are bright 11-year-old siblings with a knack for science, electronics, and getting into trouble. When their parents mysteriously vanish, they’re sent to live with their Uncle Newt, a brilliant inventor who engineers top-secret gadgets for a classified government agency. It’s not long before Nick and Tesla are embarking on adventures of their own—engineering all kinds of outrageous MacGyverish contraptions to save their skin: 9-volt burglar alarms, electromagnets, mobile tracking devices, and more. Readers are invited to join in the fun as each story contains instructions and blueprints for five different projects.

In Nick and Tesla’s High-Voltage Danger Lab, we meet the characters and learn how to make everything from rocket launchers to soda-powered vehicles. Learning about science has never been so dangerous—or so much fun!

Nick and Tesla's Robot Army Rampage: A Mystery with Hoverbots, Bristle Bots, and Other Robots You Can Build Yourself

Age Range: 9 - 12 years

Grade Level: 4 - 7

Lexile Measure: 730L

Series: Nick and Tesla (Book 2)

Hardcover: 224 pages

Publisher: Quirk Books (February 4, 2014)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1594746494

ISBN-13: 978-1594746499

Publisher’s Blurb:

When a rash of robberies hits the town of Half Moon Bay, 11-year-old sleuths Nick and Tesla are determined to catch the criminals—but to do so, they'll have to build a host of new gadgets and gizmos! In this robot-themed follow-up to Nick and Tesla's High-Voltage Danger Lab, the brother-and-sister duo build four different droids out of ordinary household objects—and illustrated instructions are included throughout the story, so you can build them, too! Make bristlebots that buzz, hoverbots that float above the ground, battlebots that duke it out, and more! Can Nick and Tesla catch the criminal mastermind—and foil his army of rampaging robots—before it's too late?

Nick and Tesla's Secret Agent Gadget Battle

Age Range: 9 - 12 years

Grade Level: 4 - 7

Series: Nick and Tesla (Book 3)

Hardcover: 256 pages

Publisher: Quirk Books (May 6, 2014)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1594746761

ISBN-13: 978-1594746765

Publisher’s Blurb:

After foiling a gang of kidnappers and fending off an army of robots, 11-year-old siblings Nick and Tesla Holt could use a little rest! But as their third mystery opens, they discover there’s a spy in their midst, searching for secrets in the home of their beloved (and slightly crazy) Uncle Newt. Is it the new laboratory assistant? The exterminator? The housekeepers? Or someone completely unexpected? To expose the mystery agent, Nick and Tesla must engineer all kinds of outrageous contraptions, from code wheels and fingerprint powder to spy cameras and burglar detectors. Best of all, instructions are included throughout the story, so you can build the projects, too!

Nick and Tesla's Super-Cyborg Gadget Glove: A Mystery with a Blinking, Beeping, Voice-Recording Gadget Glove You Can Build Yourself

Age Range: 9 - 12 years

Grade Level: 4 - 7

Series: Nick and Tesla (Book 4)

Hardcover: 272 pages

Publisher: Quirk Books (October 7, 2014)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1594747296

ISBN-13: 978-1594747298

Publisher’s Blurb:

Einstein is running amok! Darwin is losing his head! The science museum in Half Moon Bay is in big trouble because its robotic replicas of history’s greatest scientists keep going kablooey! As 11-year-old amateur inventors Nick and Tesla Holt try to uncover the cause, they’ll need to keep adding all-new gadgets to their latest creation, a customized super-cyborg glove. Follow the action, and then follow the illustrated instructions to build your own gadget glove with four incredible functions: LED signal light, emergency alarm, sound recorder, and UV secret-message revealer!

 Nick and Tesla's Special Effects Spectacular: A Mystery with Animatronics, Alien Makeup, Camera Gear, and Other Movie Magic You Can Make Yourself!

Age Range: 9 - 12 years

Grade Level: 4 - 7

Series: Nick and Tesla (Book 5)

Hardcover: 256 pages

Publisher: Quirk Books (May 5, 2015)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1594747601

ISBN-13: 978-1594747601

Publisher’s Blurb:

11-year-old siblings Nick and Tesla Holt find themselves on the set of a big-budget superhero movie. But someone’s sabotaging the onscreen debut of their favorite comic book hero, so the brother and sister sleuths must crack the case with the help of a fresh assortment of homemade special-effects gadgets. This cinematic saga features instructions for all-new movie magic projects that kids can build themselves, such as camera gear, stunt dummies, make-up magic, and more. Science and electronics have never been so much fun! 

My thoughts on the series:

This is a lot of fun. I am way out of the target age range, but I enjoyed the stories. Middle-grade detectives, crazy scientist uncle, and international intrigue all converge. The projects are the type that kids in the target group will enjoy—my (bright) third-grader can’t wait to try some out. The illustrations could be clearer for the technically inept such as myself. However, there are videos available, as well as other cool information, at http://www.nickandtesla.com . It’s an entertaining website—fun even if you don’t have the books. Overall, though, the instructions are fairly clear and the parts needed are not too exotic. The earlier books give Radio Shack part numbers—alas, Radio Shack is no more.

The characters themselves range in believability. Nick and Tesla interact like real children. Other characters are more stereotypical, stock characters. However, the intended audience is not generally looking for sophisticated literary material. The characters, overall, are entertaining. There could be more female characters—beyond Tesla, the female characters tended to be minor. There are characters of color.

 

A sixth book is forthcoming.

Possible objectionable material:

Squeaky clean, no cursing. Some perilous situations, kids sneaking out at night, and somewhat oblivious adults.

Who would like these books:

Kids with an interest in science and inventing, and their adult helpers. Fans of mysteries, adventure, and spy stories.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the advance reader e-books.

 

(My apologies for crazy formatting issues.)