Nikki Tesla and the Ferret-Proof Death Ray
(Elements of Genius #1)

Genius kid Nikola "Nikki" Tesla doesn't intend for her latest invention--a death ray--to vaporize her bedroom, but sometimes accidents happen, especially to Nikki. Even though she and her mother have moved several times, trying for a fresh start, their connection to Nikki's father, a brilliant, troubled weapons-inventor known to have perished in a lab explosion, always follows them. In addition to reporters, Nikki's latest incident attracts two mysterious agents, who invite her to enroll in a special boarding school: the Genius Academy. She was bullied badly at her last school, so she's reluctant to accept this new offer. But after an agent blackmails her by threatening to arrest her mom, Nikki reluctantly agrees. At the Academy, she discovers a group of six other geniuses: Charlotte Darwin, Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein, Grace O'Malley, Adam Mozart, and Mary Shelley. Instead of classes, the students are tasked with saving the world, X-Men-style. The latest threat? Nikki's death ray has been stolen. This fast-paced caper features plot twists galore and a main character who confronts her past and learns that she can make friends along the way. A lively series kick-off. Ages 8-12. (July)

Gr 4-6--Twelve-year-old Nikki Tesla and her pet ferret Pickles have been sent to the Genius Academy, where she can make inventions in her own laboratory without the threat of blowing up her home. Nikki has never been good at making friends, and she has no intention of making any at this school, either. That is, until her death ray is stolen. Now she has to learn how to work with her classmates as they race around the globe piecing together clues to save the world from destruction by an evil villain. Occasionally the plot is lost as Nikki explains repeatedly why she doesn't want or need friends, but it comes back around. Each Genius Academy student (Leo da Vinci, Charlotte Darwin) is modeled on a notable historical figure. Most of the personages referenced were white and European, though the characters named after them appear more diverse in the book's illustrations. The integration of art and geography into the science fiction plot is seamless. The end pages contain information about the real Nikola Tesla and his possible invention of a death ray. VERDICT Readers will enjoy this fast-paced adventure.--Julie Overpeck, Holbrook Middle School, Lowell, NC