"Gleaming. Futuristic. Amazing!" That's what Elliot von Doppler and his new friend Leslie Fang think of the headquarters for DENKi-3000, the company that created the Electric Pencil with Retractable Telescopic Lens and the wireless TransMints that flood your mouth with taste ("Get your freshness direct from the web!"). Elliot's Uncle Archie invites the two for a tour but, sadly, this may be the last chance anyone will get to pay a visit: DENKi-3000, with no recent inventions and a complaining crowd of shareholders, is about to be taken over by Quazicom Holdings, which plans to shut it down.
Elliot's uncle runs the Research and Development Department. He's the only one allowed in or out--with the exception of Elliot and Leslie, and Famous Freddy Fang (Leslie's grandfather), who brings them daily deliveries of Chinese takeout. This kooky company is full of surprises. Behind the second-to-last door on the left lies the Creature Department, "where the magic really happens." The huge laboratory is filled with computers, chemistry sets and dozens and dozens of "un-human" creatures--the real minds behind DENKi-3000.
From fairy-bat to bog nymph to hobmongrels, Robert Paul Weston's (Zorgamazoo) otherworldly cast drives the plot. When Quazicom decides to get pushy, and Uncle Archie disappears, it's up to Elliot and Leslie to protect the company's future by ensuring that an awesome new invention is delivered just in time. Snappy dialogue and nifty writing ties it all together, resulting in a satisfying, fun-to-read story. --Lynn Becker, host of Book Talk, the monthly online discussion of children's books for the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators