Book Review: Nick & Tesla's High Voltage Danger Lab

Nick& Tesla's High Voltage Danger Lab: A Mystery with Electromagnets, Burglar Alarms, And Other Gadgets You Can Build Yourself by "Science Bob" Pflugfelder & Steve Hockensmith

This is one of the first books I've actively sought out to review. Truth be told, I was looking to get a review copy for my son. He's in 6th grade. He's an innovator. He's a thinker. And he's an avid reader, but he is not a fiction-reader. Though I often catch him reading by headlamp in the wee hours of the night, he doesn't care for fiction. "I don't like novels," he claims. His nose is constantly buried in non-fictional works and even science textbooks from our friend who teaches at a local high school.

So, I asked my contact at Quirk Books, when I saw the description of the book, if I could get a copy. He happily obliged, saying that a review from the target audience would be great. When the copy came, I told Riley that I wanted him to give this fictional book a shot. He did. And he read it in a single sitting. Then he read it again. And, then, he started reading it aloud to his brother. Needless to say, I'm thrilled that this book has opened up his eyes to the land of novels. He did try a few of the experiments, too.

Here's what he has to say...(I gave him some guiding questions.)

What did you enjoy about this book?

I enjoyed how the experiments tied in with the story. For example: Tesla leaned over the bottle rocket, the instructions said not to lean over the rocket. So something bad happened. I won't ruin it for you. You just have to read it. I also thought the characters in the book were unusual and made the book funny.

What have you read that is similar to this book?

I have never read anything like this book. It is now on the list of my favorite books. I have read experiment books but I have never read an experiment book with a story behind it.

 

Who was your favorite character? What did you appreciate about him/her?

I liked the character Uncle Newt. He made the book really funny. His singing, his actions, what I imagine he looks like - from the description in the book - are all funny. Hilarious, in fact.

  

Did you find this book a quick read? Why or why not?

I read this book fast to my opinion. Most novels I read halfway, get tired of, stop reading it, and a while later I might come back to read it. This novel I read right through to the end.

What were your concerns about this book?

I would really like to read the next book in the series. And I'm not sure I can wait until February!

Note: we did receive a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of reviewing it. All opinions are 100% accurate and our own.