Edison's Gold

A decades-old rivalry between Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla seeps into the lives of their modern-day descendants in this spirited debut. Bighearted seventh-grader Tom Edison IV creates disasters more often than inventions: "Even when he was in trouble, his mind was a distracted flurry of explosions and ideas." When his father is laid off and the family faces moving from New York to Kansas, Tom desperately seeks a way to keep his life intact. After yet another accident, he uncovers the first in a string of riddles that mention a secret group called the Sub Rosa, dedicated to protecting Edison's secret alchemical formula for turning metal into gold. Crisscrossing New York City with friends Noodle and Colby, "he was going to do whatever it took to unlock its secrets and prove to the world that the Edison name was not a punch line but a badge of honor." Unfortunately, Tesla's great-grandson is onto them. Watson's novel is a fun ride, filled with kidnappings, close friendships, and inventions. The open-ended finale indicates that a sequel can be anticipated. Ages 8–12. (Oct.)