The Unusual Mind of Vincent Shadow [Hardcover]

Tim Kehoe (Author), Mike Wohnoutka (Illustrator), Guy Francis (Illustrator)

Book Description

Grade Level: 3 and up

Vincent Shadow isn't particularly good at sports and is constantly being picked on by his classmates at Central Middle School. But it is Vincent's unusually creative mind that truly separates him from other kids his age.

Vincent's top secret attic lab is crammed with toy prototypes --from Liquid Superballs to Bullz-I Basketballs and Sonic Snorkelz--and he has a sketch book filled with drawings of toys he still wants to build. So when a chance encounter with an eccentric toy inventor offers him the opportunity to go from unknown weird kid to toy inventor extraordinaire, Vincent realizes that playtime is over: it's time to get serious about toys.

* Now retitled as Vincent Shadow: Toy Inventor in paperback!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4–6—Eleven-year-old Vincent Shadow has a gift so unusual and problematic that he's always had to hide it. Much like his idol, eccentric inventor Nikola Tesla, his ideas come to him in the form of blinding, fully formed, and intricately detailed visions. Unlike Tesla's, Vincent's visions are all of fantastic toys: windless kites, everlasting squirt guns, and 3-D ink, among them. Being a boy genius was easy when Vincent's supportive mom helped him build a secret home laboratory, but following her death and his father's remarriage, things change. The family is about to move from New York to Minnesota, and Vincent's inspiration level is fading fast. Just as both his genius and morale seem to be bottoming out, he learns of a promising toy-invention contest sponsored by legendary toymaker Howard G. Whiz. If Vincent wins it, he'll earn an apprenticeship back in New York—a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to utilize his gift. As the contest nears, renewed inspiration comes from newly discovered Tesla artifacts and the surprising support of his stepsister. The question is, can Vincent overcome the last-minute sabotage by a rival in time to realize his dream? This is a solid, whimsically illustrated writing debut from a real-life toy inventor. It begs for a quick follow-up.—Jeffrey Hastings, Highlander Way Middle School, Howell, MI
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Review

This is a solid, whimsically illustrated writing debut from a real-life toy inventor. It begs for a quick follow up School LIBRARY JOURNAL

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (November 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316056650
• ISBN-13: 978-0316056656
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 0.8 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #455,000 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fun read for kids 7-12, November 7, 2008

By 

C. Klett - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Unusual Mind of Vincent Shadow Book One: High Voltage (Paperback)

This is a great read for kids who are inventive and creative. Perfect for kids too old for the Magic Treehouse and too young for Harry Potter. Not too long either. I read it to my kids before bed and we finished it in less than a week. Lots of fun illustrations too. Plus more twists and turns than you'd expect - enough to keep my 7 and 8 year olds' attention. Hopefully there will be more books soon about the adventures of Vincent Shadow.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very enjoyable read for me and my son, May 14, 2010

By 

professor216 (MO) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Unusual Mind of Vincent Shadow (Hardcover)

My 3rd grade son struggled to read it on his own. Probably should be a 4th grade plus reader. We read it together, I helped him with the words with which he struggled. Then he really got into the story. And so did I. Highly recommend this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Unusual Mind of Vincent Shadow, January 30, 2010

By 

Valerie J. Gibson - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Unusual Mind of Vincent Shadow (Hardcover)

Son can't leave it alone! He leaves it in the car for ride time reading! The perfect gift!