Nick and Tesla's Robot Army Rampage: A Mystery with Hoverbots, Bristlebots, and Other Robots You Can Build Yourself: Nick and Tesla, Book 2
Crime-fighting kids return in fun, science-drenched mystery.
Kids say
Based on 1 review
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that, as in Nick and Tesla's High-Voltage Danger Lab, the first book in this new series for and about young scientists, Nick and Tesla's Army Robot Rampage features 11-year-old twins living with their Uncle Newt for the summer. Once again, along with their new friends Silas and DeMarco, they stumble upon a crime and use their scientific know-how to solve it. There are detailed instructions for building electronic robots, but before you let their kids try this at home, parents will want to note the safety warning at the beginning of the book. The story has suspense and danger, as well as a few exploding robots and failed lab experiments, but no one's injured. On the whole, kids who love science and building will find Robot Army Rampage an entertaining, clever mystery.
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What's the Story?
Book 2 of the Nick and Tesla series ROBOT ARMY RAMPAGE picks up two weeks after the end of Book 1. The 11-year-old twins are still in Half Moon Bay with their Uncle Newt while their parents are supposedly consulting on some agricultural issue in Uzbekistan. Nick and Tesla's friend Silas asks for their help: A very valuable comic book, one the family needs to sell to stay afloat financially, has been stolen from his dad's store. Silas suspects a local antique dealer. Meanwhile, a woman who's an expert on robotics and who soon attracts Uncle Newt's interest takes over the local hobby shop where Nick and Tesla buy their project supplies. With Silas and their friend DeMarco, the young scientists/crime-fighters swing into action to figure out who has the comic -- and what robots have to do with a crime wave in their town.
Is It Any Good?
Nick and Tesla's adventures in science and mystery-solving are highly entertaining, especially to science-loving kids. The crime-solving isn't too sophisticated, but the authors manage a seamless, ingenious blend of science and mystery. Another nice quality: These books depict women and girls as successful scientists without ever making a big deal about it. We highly recommend this series for middle graders and tweens who love science and building.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about girls and science. What qualities make Tesla a good scientist? Would you like to be able to build robots like the ones Nick and Tesla make?
What other books have you read about kids solving mysteries?
Kids, try building one of the robot projects in the book (but be sure to ask a grown-up for help).
Book Details
- Authors: "Science Bob" Pflugfelder, Steve Hockensmith
- Illustrator: Scott Garrett
- Genre: Science
- Topics: Adventures, Brothers and Sisters, Friendship, Robots, Science and Nature
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Quirk Books
- Publication date: February 4, 2014
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 9 - 12
- Number of pages: 224
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
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