Frank Einstein is a boy genius obsessed with science and inventing things. He’s determined to win the Midville Science Prize because he needs the prize money to save his grandfather’s store. A quirk, not a quark, of fate allows his robots to come to digital life. With Klink and Klank’s help, as well as trusty sidekick Watson, they set in motion the plans to build an antimatter motor. Then Frank’s nemesis T. Edison foils the plan by stealing Klink and Klank and the plans for the motor. Is this the end of Klink and Klank and Grandpa Al Einstein’s shop?
It’s not often that serious science and humorous fiction blend well together. Isn’t that an oxymoron? But Jon Scieszka does a great job with it in this story. There’s lots of illustrations explaining the science behind Frank’s experiments. Teachers are going to want Frank Einstein in their classroom libraries because kids will learn science without even realizing it. It’s sort of like sneaking veggies into the lasagna.
In addition to the science and the comic-book style illustrations, there’s a joke-cracking robot, a devious enemy, a lovable grandfather and our hero, Frank Einstein who is a clever blend of Mr. Gadget and Sherlock Holmes, if Holmes had a big heart.
Best for ages 8-10, but older nerdy readers will get a kick out of it too.
Did a school visit today and the kids recommended these books to me!