Oct 16, 2015

Recent Reads: Nick and Tesla's Special Effects Spectacular by "Science Bob" Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith

Disclaimer: I received this book from Quirk Books and the Librarything Early Reviewers Program in exchange for and honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review. 

Nick and Tesla's Special Effects Spectacular: A Mystery with Animatronics, Alien Makeup, Camera Gear, and Other Movie Magic You Can Make Yourself! (Nick and Tesla, #5)
Nick and Tesla's Special Effects Spectacular by "Science Bob" Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith
Series:Nick and Tesla #5
Publisher: Quirk Books
Publication Date:  May 5, 2015



 

Format: Hardback

Rating:


 



Goodreads Synopsis: 
What do a pair of kid inventors with a knack for science and electronics do when Hollywood comes to town? Why save the day, of course!

In Nick and Tesla’s Special Effects Spectacular, 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!

“How do you connect students interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) with fiction reading? Look for science adventures. Get started with the Nick and Tesla series. Each book contains an engaging adventure revolving around a ‘build-it-yourself’ science project.”—Teacher Librarian

“Real project blueprints are included along with this tale of 11-year-old siblings who create outrageous contraptions and top-secret gadgets.”—Los Angeles Times
 Review: 
Nick and Tesla is the 5th book in a series but I did not realize that and honestly it did not matter all that much as far as the plot went. Nick and Tesla are twins whose parents have been missing and they are staying with their uncle and whilst doing so have run into many mysteries and helped to solve them. 

In this book Nick and Tesla are helping their friends mom on a movie set and someone has been trying to sabotage it. They are trying to figure out who it is and why. 

The book was very fun, it includes projects for parents and kids to do together, these ones were special effects related, so there was a grabby arm, a prop dummy, and zombie paint.  All of which include a step by step and a list of materials you will need to complete the projects. They go along with the story too so they are just popped in randomly.

The mystery bit of the book was entertaining and I think young readers will enjoy it and even the series, even though I have not read the whole series. There is an underlying theme about trying to figure out where their parents are but as a reader you didn't need to have read the other books to get the plot.

Overall, I thought this was a fun and easy read and thing young readers will love the mystery and the projects.



 

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