The Mesmer Menace (Gadgets and Gears, 1)

Great introduction to steampunk for younger tweens.

An author may not be breaking new ground with a boy scientist, distracted parents, a sidekick and a looming threat, (heck, that could be Tom Swift), but how you put it all together makes all of the difference in the world. And here, to my taste at least, the combination results in a very nice treat.The setting is an "automated" Inn high above an isolated town. Plenty of room for Wally's inventor/scientist parents to work on their experiments and inventions. While creatively designed, the setting is not over the top. Actual useful things are being invented - Dad works with wind power and electricity and lightning; Mom favors more useful inventions. This isn't "wacky" world, just imaginative and a little exaggerated with a slight steampunk feel.Wally is an appealing hero. He wants to be a scientist like Mom and Dad, and has some real talent. So, he's not a sad sack type, but a gung ho boy hero. No middle grade or teen angst, this is can-do territory.The story is set in the early 1900's, during the Teddy Roosevelt era; T.R. himself is a robust character who sets the plot in motion. This adds a nice touch to the steampunk feel of the tale.Wally has a dachshund sidekick, Noodles. Actually, the dog narrates the story. He has a vaguely fussy feel, but is a sympathetic and observant narrator as well as participant. Sometimes these sidekicks, (human or animal), can get a little twee or snarky, but Noodles is a reliable, enthusiastic and not-annoying narrator.As you might expect, there are two sarcastic cousins who are staying at the Inn and drift in every now and then to be annoying. But, while they certainly annoy Wally they are not written in a way that actually annoys the reader. (Sometimes the designated annoying characters can really be too much, but not here.)The plot is paper thin, but that's O.K. because the plausibility of the plot is less important than it's ability to drive the action, and this book does just zip along.Which leads to the last and maybe most important point. This feels like it would be a good transition book for a young reader moving from simple early chapter books to more demanding fare. The story is crisp and direct. The characters are all recognizable. The writing, (vocabulary, complex sentence structure, inflection and style), is of a high quality but not too advanced. (Noodles helpfully explains some bigger words, like "exuberance", so there's a bit of a vocabulary lesson hidden in the tale.) There are no awkward passages or scenes or developments that seem out of place. This is all complemented by the illustrations, (generally a partial page drawing every few pages), - not cartoonish and not fantastic, but somewhere in the comfortable middle.So, this strikes me as a kid friendly, entertaining and rewarding read that would appeal to a wide range of kids and that has a nice, solid science orientation.Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.

Young readers should love the idea of a dog narrating the story. Young inventors are always good subjects for juvenile literature. I was a #1 Tom Swift fan by the time I was ten. Well, this certainly is much more hilarious than Tom Swift, and appears to be kicking off a series that might well be as popular in our time as Tom was in mine. In spite of all the humor, this is intelligent writing and the young readers may well pick up a little knowledge without even realizing it. It also should stimulate imagination. I wouldn't put it at the top of a recommended reading list for kids, but it wouldn't be too far from the #1 position. And parents who choose to read this to their youngsters just probably will get a kick out of this too. Highly recommended.

The Mesmer Menace: Gadgets and Gears is a pretty interesting book. Told from the historical perspective of the first decade of the 20th century, Wally Kennewickett is the son of two scientists and is a brilliant tinkerer in his own right. The plot kicks off when his parents are called off by President Theodore Roosevelt to help their country which leaves Wally to fend for himself with the help of his trusty Dachshund, Noodles, against the forces of the evil Mesmers. Much of the book is told from the viewpoint of Noodles, which is certainly an odd twist and gives the book a very tilted viewpoint which is fun.I found the book to be cleverly written and I also enjoyed the sprinkling in of historical and scientific tidbits. My 12 year old son also read the book and he said it was very similar in overall style and setting to the  Floors  series of books by Patrick Carman. So for fans of the Carman books, I would think that The Mesmer Menace would be a similar read.

This was a really fun book. I loved the steam punk aspect and all the gadgets and robots that helped run the Amazing Automated Inn. Our storyteller, a cute little dachsund named Noodle, was such a great voice. I loved how his thoughts really brought the story to life and added a bit of comedy at times. When the mesmers come to invade the inn, it's up to Noodle and his owner to try and save them. Their creativity and bravery was great to watch.*I received this book in exchange for an honest review*

While this children's novel is ideal for its readers from 9 to12 years old, the book has some flaws. I believe the author and illustrator have the best intentions overall. Young readers will enjoy the outrageous adventure told from Noodles, Wally's beloved dependable and reliable dachshund.The story takes place in 1902. For young readers, they not be aware of President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt for example. There is mention of Albert Einstein, the brilliant genius, who I believe came later than 1902.Back to the story, Noodles provides the narration and does a very good job too. While the plot to hypnotize President Roosevelt is unraveled, Wally and Noodles must stop a secret organization of magicians known as the Mesmers.

My son is seven and thoroughly enjoyed this book, a story that follows the Kennewickett family of inventors. After Wally's parents are called away by Teddy Roosevelt, Wally and Noodles, his faithful dog, must protect the world from evil Mesmers. We loved that the story was mostly told by Noodles from his perspective, that there were so many interesting inventions and automatons, and that the hero was a very clever, inventive boy. We did have to break out a dictionary a few times to properly explain some of the words thrown in for color, like haberdashery. It held my son's interest and he asked for the next in the series, so I'd call that a win. I do wish the author had taken a bit more time to describe and flesh out some of the characters, but all in all, we enjoyed the book.