Rube Goldberg and His Amazing Machines (Rube Goldberg and His Amazing Machines #1)

Gr 4-6--In a new series based on a fictionalized version of the infamous inventor, Rube Goldberg loves to create contraptions. With his dad working out of town all the time, his mom deceased, and his grandmother dropping off the occasional casserole, Rube is able to spend his days and nights working on projects. After a summer of isolated machine building, Rube starts sixth grade at Beechwood Middle School. When the principal of Beechwood announces the school's Con-Con, or Contraption Convention, Rube withdraws even more from his old friends Boob (yes, Boob McNutt) and Pearl Williams. Rube's new and unlikely friend, Zach, drives a wedge further between Rube, Boob, and Pearl, as Rube elects to spend time working on inventions with Zach to prepare for Con-Con. Suspicions mount, strange things happen, and friends say all the wrong things as the competition draws nearer. With the exception of the curse of a haunted doll found in the woods, a few supernatural disturbances at the school, and an international criminal disguised as the new science teacher, Rube's induction into the middle school experience will be highly relatable to kids making this transition. Lively cartoon illustrations convey the spirit of the characters, while italicized passages convey Rube's thoughts. Rube and Boob are cued as white, and Pearl is Black. VERDICT With middle school humor and entertaining images, Rube learns to navigate strange and difficult situations in this first installment of the "Rube Goldberg" series.--Lindsay Persohn, Univ. of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee