Nick and Tesla's Special Effects Spectacular: A Mystery with Animatronics, Alien Makeup, Camera Gear, and Other Movie Magic You Can Make Yourself!

Nick and Tesla's Special Effects Spectacular: A Mystery with Animatronics, Alien Makeup, Camera Gear, and Other Movie Magic You Can Make Yourself!

By Bob Pflugfelder, Steve Hockensmith

36 ratings 49 reviews 43 followers
Book 5 of 5 in the  Nick & Tesla Series
Interest LevelReading LevelReading A-ZATOSWord Count
Grades 4 - 8Grade 5n/a533732
What do a pair of kid inventors with a knack for science and electronics do when Hollywood comes to town? Why save the day, of course! 
 
In Nick and Tesla’s Special Effects Spectacular, 11-year-old siblings Nick and Tesla Holt find themselves on the set of a big-budget superhero movie. But someone’s sabotaging the onscreen debut of their favorite comic book hero, so the brother and sister sleuths must crack the case with the help of a fresh assortment of homemade special-effects gadgets. This cinematic saga features instructions for all-new movie magic projects that kids can build themselves, such as camera gear, stunt dummies, make-up magic, and more. Science and electronics have never been so much fun! 

“How do you connect students interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) with fiction reading? Look for science adventures. Get started with the Nick and Tesla series. Each book contains an engaging adventure revolving around a ‘build-it-yourself’ science project.”—Teacher Librarian

“Real project blueprints are included along with this tale of 11-year-old siblings who create outrageous contraptions and top-secret gadgets.”—Los Angeles Times

Publisher: Quirk Books
ISBN-13: 9781594747601
ISBN-10: 1594747601
Published on 5/5/2015
Binding: Hardcover
Number of pages: 256

Book Reviews (32)

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I liked this book a lot. This is because the authors put projects to show how to make something that Nick and Telsa used. In the book Nick and Telsa made the object. The objects let the reader know that this object is real. The projects are not hard either. Some of them you might need an adult though. Some are cool such as the Nearly Human Homemade Stunt Dummy. This object nearly looks like a human. This object is for a play or movie. It is used in a dangerous scene. That one was my favorite.

Nick and Tesla find themselves on a huge big budget hollywood superhero movie. But someone is trying to ruin the movie! the pair use their detective work to figure out who it is.

like this book

In the very entertaining book, Nick and Tesla's Special Effects Spectacular: A Mystery with Animatronics, Alien Makeup, Camera Gear & Other Movie Magic, Nick and Tesla joined by their two friends DeMarco and Silas must solve a case by the cameras. When the group of friends visit DeMarco's aunt on set, they realize something is going wrong. The main actor has gone nuts, and incidents and pranks are constantly being pulled. Soon the movie will be shut done, or DeMarco's Aunt Zoe fired. All the while trying to find new information on their missing parents. Will Nick and Tesla solve the case? I recommend this book to everyone. It is appropriate for young and old. Also, instructions for certain experiments are inside the book, which adds a nice feature. I give this book 5/5 stars/

this book is so cool. this is a wonderful mystery with awesome do it your self projects for the big screen. Im so excited to finish the book and do all the projects

This super fun, hands on book is great for all readers. Join Nick and Tesla as they help make a movie about their favorite superhero and you learn how to make a movie, too!!!!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book! I was completely hooked on to this book! I love funny stories and this is totally a funny book. I highly recommend it.

This is a good mystery with some interesting try-at-home projects. I want to issue a warning. This is not the second book in the series; it is at least the 3rd, maybe the 4th or 5th. Still, a pretty good story.

This book is real funny because it's about twins Nick and Tesla and their friends Demarco and Silas somehow got themselves in trouble and later on they secretly help Demarco’s Aunt Zoe and the film producer get fired. Nick, Tesla, Demarco and Silas simply sneak out of Demarco’s house and then put on make-up and go all over the movie making place. They are doing this because they want evidence in order to fire Jack Willtrout and Damon Wilder. Aunt Zoe and the film producer were thankful because Nick, Tesla, Demarco and Silas saved the movie. This book is really interesting.

This book starts out as Silas, Demarco, Monique, and Elisha are filming their own movie. Then Nick and Tesla to the movie to help out. Demarco, Monique, and Elisha are siblings & Nick & Tesla are siblings. Then Demarco Monique and Elisha’s mom called to him saying, “Your Aunt Zoe’s here kids!” All three of them shouted “COMING MOM.” Then Aunt Zoe took Silas, Demarco, Nick and Tesla to a movie she and her team are making. Soon Aunt Zoe told Silas, Demarco, Nick and Tesla to go back to Demarco Monique and Elisha’s house because the four of them wandered off somewhere. In the end Silas, Demarco, Nick and Tesla wanted to help save the movie because Jack Wiltrout and Damon Wilder were trying to ruin it. Then after the movie making was over Aunt Zoe took Silas, Demarco, Nick and Tesla to Nick and Tesla’s house where Tesla poured some soda on her Uncle Newt whose lab coat was smoldering.

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