The Unusual Mind of Vincent Shadow (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Mike Wohnoutka (Illustrator), Guy Francis (Illustrator)

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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Product Description

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.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (November 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316056650
• ISBN-13: 978-0316056656
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #57,123 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Creative! Fun! Worth Reading, December 31, 2009

By	TravelerToo (USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a must buy for young 4th or 5th graders and even a 6th grader. I gave it to a 5th grade relative who did not put it down for four hours. He is a nonreader but this book really caught his attention. I decided to read it and found it delightful. The author, a toy inventor, has written a wonderful, engaging, fun, book for young people especially great for boys. His humor and clever style of writing as he takes his young toy inventor on his adventures will delight your child. I talked to a teacher friend about it and she was using it in her classroom to encourage creative thinking in her students. The book's clever cover where you can see into Vincent's attic and the notebook of inventions in the back cover all add to the books enjoyment. My 5th grader has now started his own notebook of ideas. I would highly recommend this book.

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

By	Valerie J. Gibson - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

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

5.0 out of 5 stars Really fun!, January 28, 2010

By	C. Anderson (Minneapolis) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

What a fun book to read. The characters are all likeable and the story is fun. The book itself is really cool with the pull out toy inventions. For the price, it is well worth all the fun.