Tesla’s Attic by Neal Schusterman and Eric Elfman is middle grade science fiction that pushes the boundaries of science almost to the realm of fantasy–and that is okay.  Starting with the premise that the most amazing inventions of  the scientific genius Tesla were inadvertently sold at a garage sale, the protagonist and an eclectic group of characters (love the lunch lady!) embark on a scavenger hunt to find the far-flung items before they fall into the wrong hands.  Rapidly paced and with never a dull moment, this book is a quick read that especially towards the end escalates to feeling positively madcap.  Tesla’s Attic book has high guy appeal and with 14 year old protagonists, there is some older audience appeal.  Fans of humor, adventure, and Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson’s Science Fair would enjoy this fun read.  Tesla’s Attic is the first in a planned trilogy and although its immediate plot crisis is resolved, there are plenty of mysteries and a last minute development that will make sure readers come back for the next book in the series.

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Hyperion Books for Children (A Disney Imprint)

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  2 religious exclamations; 14 mild obscenities; 1 derogatory name; 1 scatological word; 1 anatomical term.

Violence/Gore: Character injured by falling object, mention of blood; report of a fire and death, non-detailed; reference to road kill; report of a death; verbal threat; scene in a morgue; character is shoved; characters are slapped; character scrapes self; character is killed, non-detailed scene.

Sex/Nudity:  Characters are seen embracing; references including the following: making out, wet T-shirts, raging hormones, bra; characters hug; characters kiss.

Mature Subject Matter:

Death, death of a parent, incarceration, end of the world.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

Teacher drinks Jack Daniels in classroom.