At the Bottom of the World (Jack and the Geniuses Series #1)

by Bill Nye, Gregory Mone, Nicholas Iluzada

Overview

New York Times bestselling authors Bill Nye the Science Guy and Gregory Mone take middle-grade readers on a scientific adventure in the launch of an exciting new chapter book series, Jack and the Geniuses. The perfect combination to engage and entertain readers, the series features real-world science along with action and a mystery that will leave kids guessing until the end, making these books ideal for STEM education.
 
In the series opener, Jack and the Geniuses: At The Bottom of The World, readers meet Jack and his foster siblings, Ava and Matt, who are orphans. But they’re not your typical kind of orphans—they’re geniuses. Well, Ava and Matt are, which sometimes makes life difficult for twelve-year-old Jack. Ava speaks multiple languages and builds robots for fun, and Matt is into astronomy and a whiz at math. As for Jack, it’s hard to stand out when he’s surrounded by geniuses all the time.
 
When the kids try to spy on Dr. Hank Witherspoon, one of the world’s leading scientists, they end up working for him in his incredible laboratory. Soon, Hank and the kids travel to Antarctica for a prestigious science competition, but they find that all is not as it seems: A fellow scientist has gone missing, and so has any trace of her research. Could someone be trying to use her findings to win the contest? It’s up to Jack, Ava, and Matt to find the missing scientist and discover who’s behind it all—before it’s too late.
 
Integrating real science facts with humor and suspense, and featuring an ensemble cast of loveable boy and girl characters, this uniquely engaging series is an irresistible chemical reaction for middle-grade readers. With easy-to-read language presented in a fun, motivating, and accessible way, this series opener is a great book for both inquisitive kids and reluctant readers. The book also includes information about the science discussed and used to solve the mystery, as well as a cool science project about density that kids can do at home or in the classroom.

Bill Nye's brand new talk show series for Netflix, "Bill Nye Saves the World" is set to launch in Spring 2017.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781683350651
Publisher:	ABRAMS
Publication date:	04/04/2017
Series:	Jack and the Geniuses
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Lexile:	680L (what's this?)
File size:	5 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Bill Nye is a science educator, mechanical engineer, television host, and New York Times bestselling author with a mission: to help foster a scientifically literate society. Gregory Mone is a novelist and science journalist who has written several books for children. He lives in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.

Editorial Reviews

02/20/2017
This first book in the Jack and the Geniuses series from science educator/TV personality Nye and coauthor Mone introduces 12-year-old Jack and his genius foster siblings, Ava and Matt, resourceful emancipated minors. Soon after they accept positions as assistants to Henry “Hank” Witherspoon, an eccentric scientist and inventor, they are off to Antarctica to help judge an award for innovative desalination techniques. Upon arriving at McMurdo Station, they learn that Hank’s friend Anna Donatelli has gone missing. Determined to solve the mystery, the siblings use their science smarts (and, in Jack’s case, charm and intuition) to figure out who might have wished her harm. All of the inventions used and discussed are based in reality—endnotes offer additional information on self-driving cars, robotic exoskeletons, and other technologies—and the Antarctic setting is well researched and fully realized. Readers will appreciate Jack’s humor and candor, and will quickly recognize that, although he may not be an official “genius,” intelligence takes many forms. This fast-paced, science-themed mystery is a strong first outing, sure to leave readers awaiting this team’s next adventure. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"This is a fantastic start to a new series that includes STEM concepts, facts, and excitement about the scientific world."

School Library Connection

"The scientists are diverse, the educational and entertainment values are high, and there’s even good end matter (a fact vs. fiction section on what was real in the novel, cool information about Antarctica, and a science experiment), making this a promising series start."

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

"An adventure replete with both cool gadgets and working scientists of both sexes...The cast and plotline are strong... and two appendices fill in details about Antarctica and some of the episode’s techno wizardry. For inveterate geeks, there’s even a relevant science project!"

Booklist

"An adventure replete with both cool gadgets and working scientists of both sexes...The cast and plotline are strong... and two appendices fill in details about Antarctica and some of the episode’s techno wizardry. For inveterate geeks, there’s even a relevant science project!"—Booklist

"Fast-paced enough to engage even reluctant readers, informative without being didactic, and entertaining: a solid series start."—Kirkus

"The scientists are diverse, the educational and entertainment values are high, and there’s even good end matter (a fact vs. fiction section on what was real in the novel, cool information about Antarctica, and a science experiment), making this a promising series start."—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

"Readers will appreciate Jack’s humor and candor...although he may not be an official “genius,” intelligence takes many forms. This fast-paced, science-themed mystery is a strong first outing, sure to leave readers awaiting this team’s next adventure."—Publishers Weekly

"This is a fantastic start to a new series that includes STEM concepts, facts, and excitement about the scientific world."—School Library Connection

From the Publisher

"The scientists are diverse, the educational and entertainment values are high, and there’s even good end matter (a fact vs. fiction section on what was real in the novel, cool information about Antarctica, and a science experiment), making this a promising series start."

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

"An adventure replete with both cool gadgets and working scientists of both sexes...The cast and plotline are strong... and two appendices fill in details about Antarctica and some of the episode’s techno wizardry. For inveterate geeks, there’s even a relevant science project!"

Booklist

2017-02-14
Nye, "the Science Guy," collaborates with Mone and illustrator Iluzada to launch a new fictional series featuring three kids; two of them are geniuses—the third, Jack, is just reasonably clever.Still, it's useful to be clever when you're a 12-year-old immersed in an exciting mystery and pitted against a nasty bad guy. The young geniuses are Ava, 12, with "skin the color of coffee," and olive-skinned Matt, 15, white Jack's foster siblings. The three live on their own until wealthy, white inventor Hank takes them under his wing. This results in a science-infused trip to Antarctica, where a scientist friend of his has disappeared under suspicious circumstances. The setting is vividly depicted and a useful location for displaying new technology in an engaging manner, even slipping in some information on topics such as the world's need for more sources of fresh drinking water and climate change. The teens use technology, deductive skills, and a good dose of intrepid bravery to bring about a happy ending, all related in Jack's wry, believable first-person voice. Backmatter explains some of the innovative technology and provides further information on Antarctica. Fast-paced enough to engage even reluctant readers, informative without being didactic, and entertaining: a solid series start. (Adventure. 9-14)

Kirkus Reviews