Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Schultz
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Crime-fighting kids return in fun, science-drenched mystery.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
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 :
- Illustrator : Scott Garrett
- Genre : Science
- Topics : Adventures , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship , Robots , STEM
- 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, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate