Shusterman, Neal and Eric Elfman. Tesla’s Attic. New York: Disney Hyperion Books, 2014.

The first installment of the Accelerati Trilogy, I purchased this primarily based on the co authorship of Neal Shusterman. His Unwind trilogy, Full Tilt, Bruiser and other titles are already extremely popular in our library. I always tell the kids that Shusterman writes smart books for smart kids. I was super excited about a title designed specifically for my younger readers. I was anxious to see what is pairing with Eric Elfman might produce.

Tesla’s Attic did not disappoint. We meet Nick just after he’s moved from his home in Florida to Colorado Springs after a tragic fire that takes the life of his mother. A seemingly innocent decision to empty the attic of his deceased aunt’s victorian home to create a bedroom unlocks a series of events that will change his life, and the life of several of his friends forever. These innocuous items all have significant secrets, powers, thanks to the inventing genius of Nikola Tesla. They bring together a disparate group of kids: Caitlin, Mitch, Vince, Petula, opening them to the evil designs of the Accelerati.

The tone of the book is quirky and fun, but the adventure is at many times bone chillingly real. Still the content is perfectly appropriate for the younger set - a nice balance! The Accelerati will not hesitate to murder to acquire each of the items from Nick’s attic for their own nefarious purposes. The characters are unique and each fighting their own battles that range from the typical - an unrequited crush to the infinitely more difficult - a parent in jail. Readers will look forward to seeing how these characters and their relationships develop. The action is steady and the mystery “solving” involves some pretty intense thinking on the part of these kids. Readers will be exposed to some pretty serious science in the guise of an adventure story. (SHHH!) As a 7-12 librarian, I am ever on a quest for strong male protagonists who have interesting stories. Both abound here.

I am preparing a 8th grade book talk right now. I can’t wait to elicit the students' responses on what an old fashioned camera, a toddler toy, an old baseball mitt, a reel to reel tape recorder, and an old cell battery might have in common. We’ll discuss Nikola Tesla and maybe even sneak a peek at the new Tesla cars as testament to his enduring influence. I’ll have some fun hinting about the plot, and then I suspect this title will sell itself. The second ordered...the third as soon as it is available.