Plot Summary: Fifth grader Victor Godwin lives with his mom in a multi-family house. Recently, their elderly tenant died, leaving an apartment open. Victor and his mom are in need of a new tenant in order to pay the mortgage, so Victor creates a very in depth checklist for his mom to utilize when interviewing potential tenants. Victor spends most of his time thinking about science. Victor is totally obsessed with science and creating science experiments. For months he has been preparing for the upcoming science fair. He has very carefully studied who wins and why, in order to create the perfect volcano for the judges. Victor also has a talent for fixing and creating things-his own inventions. One day, while he is home alone and working on his science experiment, he hears a very loud boom, sees a bright flash, and realizes that the house lights are flickering. But when he looks outside, the sky is clear. What is going on? Lightning and thunder with sunny skies? Victor goes outside to investigate and realizes that there is an odd looking metal rod that runs up the side of the building that he never noticed before. When he puts his hand to it, it's hot. Thinking how strange it is, Victor sees that it's getting dark out so he will have to check it out the next day.
Interestingly enough, the next day a man arrives at the door wanting to rent the apartment. Victor awakens and hears his mom welcoming a man to their home. He races down the stairs to see what is going on and sees a disheveled elderly man, who looks and is dressed just like Benjamin Franklin! He is introduced to him, and when they shake hands, Victor gets a shock....an electrical shock! The man, named Frank Benjamin, explains it as static electricity. Victor tells his mom that he doesn't think it's a good idea to rent to someone so strange, what about the checklist? She tells him that Mr. Benjamin seems nice enough, and paid a full year's rent in advance with gold coins! They need the money. The next day, while Victor's mom is at work, he is home working on his science project. He keeps hearing loud banging noises and goes downstairs to complain to Mr. Benjamin. Victor finds the apartment door open and lets himself in. As he wanders around to find their tenant, he finds a secret opening in the wall. As he enters the opening, a dank, musty smell wafts up from down below-it's a secret basement! The noise continues, and Victor knows that Mr. Benjamin is up to something and is down below. He begins his descent....... What will happen? Is this tenant a madman? You must read this book to find out.
Genre: Science Fiction
Subjects/Themes: Science, experiments, electricity, Prometheus
Reviews: Booklist, School Library Journal
Age Group: Grades 4-6
High Interest Annotation: This book is a great choice for those readers that enjoy the mysteries of science......great pictures are included as well!
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