Rating: Not for me

Reading Level: Mid-Late Elementary

I like how Tom Swift Inventors’ Academy normalizes innovative, tech-savvy kids. But I don’t like:

  • The kids break rules, a lot of rules: stealing, cutting class, making messes, entering restricted areas. They do it trying to be helpful, but it’s not great habits to encourage.
  • The kids *don’t* confide in trusted adults when they should. They give reasons for not confiding in trusted adults, but it’s not a kind of attitude toward grown ups that I want to encourage.

Overall you could do a lot worse. It is exciting and has some great science-friendly themes. I also like that a black kid is a stellar coder, and that two girls are also bright scientists. If your kid really wants to read it, I’d encourage you to also have some conversations about how you hope they could share any of their ideas with you–no matter how far-fetched, and that they can come to you for help even if they’ve done something wrong.