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The Genius Factor #1
How to Capture an Invisible Cat
Every Friday the 13th, 6th grade genius and inventor extraordinaire Nate Bannister does three not-so-smart things to keep life interesting. This time, he taught a caterpillar math, mailed a love letter, and super-sized his cat Proton before turning him invisible.
As Nate and his new (well, only) friend Delphine race to stop Proton from crushing everyone and everything in town, they come face-to-face with Sir Jakob Maculte (the twenty-seventh lord of Mayberry Castle and leader of the nefarious Red Death Tea Society). Known for its criminal activity, killer tactics, and impressive tea brewing skills, the Red Death Tea Society will do anything to get in their way.
Nate and Delphine must pull out every mind-blowing gadget, half-perfected invention, and unproven but theoretically sound strategy they've got up their sleeves in order to survive to see Saturday the 14th!
As Nate and his new (well, only) friend Delphine race to stop Proton from crushing everyone and everything in town, they come face-to-face with Sir Jakob Maculte (the twenty-seventh lord of Mayberry Castle and leader of the nefarious Red Death Tea Society). Known for its criminal activity, killer tactics, and impressive tea brewing skills, the Red Death Tea Society will do anything to get in their way.
Nate and Delphine must pull out every mind-blowing gadget, half-perfected invention, and unproven but theoretically sound strategy they've got up their sleeves in order to survive to see Saturday the 14th!
272 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2016
17 people are currently reading
695 people want to read
About the author
Paul Tobin
917Ìýbooks401ÌýfollowersPaul Tobin is the Eisner-award winning, New York Times-bestselling author of Bandette, Colder, and many other comic books and graphic series.
Bandette, drawn by Colleen Coover, was awarded the Eisner Award for Best Digital Series in 2013, 2016, and 2017; and was a finalist for the Oregon Book Award for Graphic Literature in 2016. His original graphic novel I Was the Cat was nominated for an Eisner in 2015.
The Genius Factor: How to Capture an Invisible Cat , first in his five-book series of middle-grade books, came out in 2016 from Bloomsbury Kids. It was followed in 2017 by How To Outsmart A billion Robot Bees , and How To Tame A Human Tornado in March 2018.
Bandette, drawn by Colleen Coover, was awarded the Eisner Award for Best Digital Series in 2013, 2016, and 2017; and was a finalist for the Oregon Book Award for Graphic Literature in 2016. His original graphic novel I Was the Cat was nominated for an Eisner in 2015.
The Genius Factor: How to Capture an Invisible Cat , first in his five-book series of middle-grade books, came out in 2016 from Bloomsbury Kids. It was followed in 2017 by How To Outsmart A billion Robot Bees , and How To Tame A Human Tornado in March 2018.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
March 11, 2016
Fun book! Every Friday the 13th, Nate the boy genius gives himself permission to do three dumb things. When one of those things gets out of hand, he needs the help of Delphine, who is rather a genius about getting into trouble, which makes her an excellent partner in crime. The action never stops, nor does Delphine's quick-witted responses.
October 13, 2016
Lately I have been looking for good books to read. Once I finished this book I simply thought, "Well that was not what I was looking for. It was an amazing book, not just a good book!" To set the tone this book had a genius and a not-so-genius in it. One day when the not-so-genius acknowledges the genius, they become friends. Now you would think that a genius (Nate) would be well, a genius right? Well that does not apply to Nate every Friday. Every Friday Nate does something not-so-smart and on this Friday-the-thirteenth, Nate drags his new friend along with him into the adventure. Will Nate and his friend save the town from the giant invisible cat he has created? Or will the town be trampled by a giant invisible cat? Read to find out! I loved this book because it had lots of action and suspense. I didn't like this book because it did not turn out the way I thought it would. I felt the book should have a better ending. People that will like this book are people who have read Harry Potter, and The Mysterious Benedict Society. This book is like The Mysterious Benedict Society because it has lots of action plus there is lots of twists and turns of events. I will warn you though, this book is full of math, math, and math!
October 12, 2018
Delphine had no idea that a chance meeting in a dog park was going to lead to her near death by giant, invisible cat, or getting on the wrong side of a secret society bent on world domination and overly obsessed with tea, but then, it's hard to know what to expect when Friday the 13th rolls around and you are friends with Nate Bannister.
Yes. I know. That was kind of a long, rambly, run-on sentence, but it captures my feel of the book, so I shall let it stand. For as dramatic as it all sounds, this book is actually pretty light hearted fun with a good dose of sarcastic humor, and some crazy science, so if any of those sound like your cup of tea, pounce on this book!
Content notes: No language issues, Delphine enjoys exclaiming "Piffle!" when she's stressed, but knows better than to use any strong language. No sensuality issues, people ask the main characters if they like each other, but they are at a point in life where they honestly still want to be friends even if others and emotions are starting to cloud that. Many, many dangerous, weird science perils occur but no one gets killed or even seems to get seriously injured; most injuries consist of bumps and bruises with occasional unconsciousness.
July 19, 2020
Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaalllllly cccoooolllll
R e e e e e e a a a a l l l l l l l l y y y y y y y y y y y y c o o l l!
R e e e e e e a a a a l l l l l l l l y y y y y y y y y y y y c o o l l!
March 22, 2016
This is the first book in Paul Tobin's new series, The Genius Factor. The two main characters are Nate Bannister, the rich genius, and his only friend Delphine. Both of these kids are in sixth grade and Delphine is extremely popular and funny, while Nate is an outsider with no friends.
Every Friday the 13th Nate does three not so smart things. This year he made his cat into a giant, made him invisible, then deconstructed the formula to change him back and put sections of it on seven different people or things. Unfortunately, his cat, Proton, has escaped and is destroying the city. Nate convinces Delphine to help him collect the parts of the formula to change Proton back. With a talking dog, a car reminiscent of Kit from Night Rider and other gadgets and gizmos, they embark on an adventure to capture the gigantic invisible cat and change him back. Time is limited with Nate's nemesis, the Red Death Tea Society, on their heels trying to stop them and intimidate Delphine. With Nate's brain and inventions along with Delphine's fast thinking, they manage to keep their town, friends, and family safe.
Action abounds in this story. With spunk, sarcasm, and spontaneity protagonist Delphine tells the story and shares her inner thoughts and feelings with the reader. After the adventure, Nate settles back in to his mild mannered persona, and Delphine begins to feel a little guilty about this which is also a good lesson for the reader about the way some eccentric or different children may be treated in a school. Middle grade readers, future inventors, and adventure seekers will enjoy Nate and Delphine's encounters as they solve puzzles and pursue the runaway cat. There are five books planned for this series and you can see with this ending where the next one may go.
I would definitely recommend that this book be in school and public libraries. I think those reluctant readers would really enjoy this book.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Every Friday the 13th Nate does three not so smart things. This year he made his cat into a giant, made him invisible, then deconstructed the formula to change him back and put sections of it on seven different people or things. Unfortunately, his cat, Proton, has escaped and is destroying the city. Nate convinces Delphine to help him collect the parts of the formula to change Proton back. With a talking dog, a car reminiscent of Kit from Night Rider and other gadgets and gizmos, they embark on an adventure to capture the gigantic invisible cat and change him back. Time is limited with Nate's nemesis, the Red Death Tea Society, on their heels trying to stop them and intimidate Delphine. With Nate's brain and inventions along with Delphine's fast thinking, they manage to keep their town, friends, and family safe.
Action abounds in this story. With spunk, sarcasm, and spontaneity protagonist Delphine tells the story and shares her inner thoughts and feelings with the reader. After the adventure, Nate settles back in to his mild mannered persona, and Delphine begins to feel a little guilty about this which is also a good lesson for the reader about the way some eccentric or different children may be treated in a school. Middle grade readers, future inventors, and adventure seekers will enjoy Nate and Delphine's encounters as they solve puzzles and pursue the runaway cat. There are five books planned for this series and you can see with this ending where the next one may go.
I would definitely recommend that this book be in school and public libraries. I think those reluctant readers would really enjoy this book.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 21, 2016
"He handed me the crossbow and disappeared into the kitchen, leaving me behind as I wondered how in the world anybody could think Nate was strange. Nope. He was perfectly normal. Nothing to worry about. Cars suddenly flip over for no reason at all. Most of my friends have crossbows. The world is simply full of robot gulls."
Nate is like no one Delphine has ever met. Highly intelligent, but a little crazy. "... every Friday the thirteenth I schedule myself to do three, well, not-so-smart things." And Nate has never met anyone like Delphine either. "I like that you're not freaking out. I've never had a friend that wasn't, well, too scared to be my friend."
They meet when Delphine encounters Bosper, Nate's talking dog. Soon, Delphine has been convinced to help Nate try to catch Proton, his invisible, giant cat before it can wreak havoc on the city. To make matters more interesting, Nate insists that the Red Death Tea Society, an international criminal organization, has decided to eliminate Nate because he's "too dangerous to their taking-over-the-world plans." What follows is a laugh-a-minute adventure filled with the chaos of inventive ideas unbridled by common sense. "... sometimes a bit of chaos makes life better. Otherwise, everything is too predictable." Delphine remains the voice of reason, asking questions when Nate wants to leap before he looks at the consequences.
Hilarious! The narrator's voice is fun, full of sarcastic questions and witty retorts. Middle grade students will totally relate to Delphine's frustrations as she deals with this genius whose "mind can be hard to focus sometimes." Love the characters Tobin has created and I anxiously await the sequel.
Nate is like no one Delphine has ever met. Highly intelligent, but a little crazy. "... every Friday the thirteenth I schedule myself to do three, well, not-so-smart things." And Nate has never met anyone like Delphine either. "I like that you're not freaking out. I've never had a friend that wasn't, well, too scared to be my friend."
They meet when Delphine encounters Bosper, Nate's talking dog. Soon, Delphine has been convinced to help Nate try to catch Proton, his invisible, giant cat before it can wreak havoc on the city. To make matters more interesting, Nate insists that the Red Death Tea Society, an international criminal organization, has decided to eliminate Nate because he's "too dangerous to their taking-over-the-world plans." What follows is a laugh-a-minute adventure filled with the chaos of inventive ideas unbridled by common sense. "... sometimes a bit of chaos makes life better. Otherwise, everything is too predictable." Delphine remains the voice of reason, asking questions when Nate wants to leap before he looks at the consequences.
Hilarious! The narrator's voice is fun, full of sarcastic questions and witty retorts. Middle grade students will totally relate to Delphine's frustrations as she deals with this genius whose "mind can be hard to focus sometimes." Love the characters Tobin has created and I anxiously await the sequel.
April 2, 2016
This has 'book one of a very successful series' stamped through it, for it is a well-nigh superlative read for the primary school audience. Our heroine has a very quick wit and lots of verbal smarts about her first-person telling, but that only makes the book even more immediate and warmly received. The pairing of her with the boffin boy from school who has caused no end of trouble by creating the title character provides no end of chutzpah and pizzazz, even if it does break through the 'inventive' wall into the realm of 'piffle' at times. It seems so obvious, reading it, that a girl with athleticism and wit and verve can be matched with the geeky brainbox boy and create a rollicking adventure that would in all purposes serve both genders, with neither feeling left out or that the book was not for them. High octane and thoroughly pleasurable action. Four and a half stars.
February 18, 2016
Utterly bonkers and enormously fun for that. Full of wackiness, crazy inventions, tight corners, exhilaration and one seriously big (and invisible) problem to solve. Another book which celebrates being a little bit different, being curious and clever, with a good dose of silliness and laughter.
March 8, 2016
This book is the first book to consistently make me laugh out loud since The Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy! Paul Tobin is a comedic genius and adults and kids will love it. I just want to read it again and again.
May 23, 2016
Hilarious! Loved it.
June 3, 2016
Made me laugh out loud on public transport at 7am, so pretty good ! The science is interesting too.
September 20, 2016
Same book but the one that I read has a different cover. But it is still a paperback.
August 21, 2020
In this book we follow Nate, a young genius who every Friday 13th decides to do three no-so-smart things to stop him from being bored and give him a bit of adventure. This time he has created a problem that may have been a massive mistake....he's supersized his cat Proton...and turned him invisible. Nate and his new friend Delphine must find a way to stop Proton and get himÌý back to normal before he destroys the entire town. Oh and there's a mysterious evil society out to stop them.Ìý
Wow, so much happened in this book. It was relatively short (it is definitely aimed at children) but I still found this an incredibly fun read. There are so many different things going on in this book, everything is pure chaos and it was so much fun!Ìý
The main character Nate can be a little annoying at times with the constant math talk but then again he is a genius and he likes figuring things out so... However he was nicely balanced with Delphine who although not a genius was still a really fun character and made some pretty smart decisions for a kid so overall not a bad set of characters
The plot itself is hilarious, a giant (invisible) cat, a mysterious evil society as well as various gadgets and gizmos - a lot of fun and an absolutely crazy story! This is definitely perfect for children, it is a really quick read with a lot of action all the way through the story. At no point did it really drag or lose momentum, there was far too much happening for that!
This is definitely such a fun middle grade that can be enjoyed no matter what age. I would 100% recommend this as it is just hilarious and light-hearted, you can't not enjoy this book! Go pick it up now!Ìý
Wow, so much happened in this book. It was relatively short (it is definitely aimed at children) but I still found this an incredibly fun read. There are so many different things going on in this book, everything is pure chaos and it was so much fun!Ìý
The main character Nate can be a little annoying at times with the constant math talk but then again he is a genius and he likes figuring things out so... However he was nicely balanced with Delphine who although not a genius was still a really fun character and made some pretty smart decisions for a kid so overall not a bad set of characters
The plot itself is hilarious, a giant (invisible) cat, a mysterious evil society as well as various gadgets and gizmos - a lot of fun and an absolutely crazy story! This is definitely perfect for children, it is a really quick read with a lot of action all the way through the story. At no point did it really drag or lose momentum, there was far too much happening for that!
This is definitely such a fun middle grade that can be enjoyed no matter what age. I would 100% recommend this as it is just hilarious and light-hearted, you can't not enjoy this book! Go pick it up now!Ìý
December 3, 2016
The team of six-grade Nate, who is a genius nerd, and popular Delphine who is bubbling with kindness and empathy and is the only classmate to befriend Nate, bursts into action on the very first page. Together they try to undo Nate's latest caper, he unwittingly enlarges and makes invisible his family's cat Proton. When gigantic Proton escapes he becomes the target for the evil Red Death Society. This is a dangerous organization of killers who will perform exactly what their name denotes, death and tea related incidents. This is an over the top adventure with lots of techie gadgets and inventions created by Nate to battle the evil society. Readers who love nonstop inventions and lots of gadgets will be hooked. While this appeals to both boys and girls, I think boys will love the frenetic pace, somewhat reminiscent of playing a video game with danger lurking behind every corner.
July 27, 2018
How to capture an invisible cat was our pick for the July Vibookcrate JR box.
It has all the things you are looking for! It is funny, full of adventure, it has a talking dog and a giant invisible cat!
Nate Bannister is a kid with an IQ bigger than anyone else! He is an inventor, and a hero but not friend until he meets Delphine.
Nate and Delphine must try to save the town from both Nates giant and invisible cat Proctor BUT the must also thwart the evil plans of the group of evil geniuses from the red death tea society.
This is a must read for anyone who loves wacky adventures and crazy inventions!!
It has all the things you are looking for! It is funny, full of adventure, it has a talking dog and a giant invisible cat!
Nate Bannister is a kid with an IQ bigger than anyone else! He is an inventor, and a hero but not friend until he meets Delphine.
Nate and Delphine must try to save the town from both Nates giant and invisible cat Proctor BUT the must also thwart the evil plans of the group of evil geniuses from the red death tea society.
This is a must read for anyone who loves wacky adventures and crazy inventions!!
September 6, 2017
This book was over-the-top goofy, but in a very fun way. Delphine, our narrator, is a bit of a troublemaker but a kindhearted girl who is loyal to her friends. She makes a new friend in her odd classmate Nate, and together they take on a huge invisible cat and an evil tea-drinking group of bad guys. Lots of humor, a little bit of budding romance, and a talking car. Good stuff.
*I received a free review copy of this book from the publisher*
*I received a free review copy of this book from the publisher*
March 17, 2022
85%
* super creative and out-there ideas that titillate and expand the mind - the bizarre inventions and their uses were by far the best part of the book. it felt like a little bit of my inner child imagination was drawn to the surface of my mind
* humorous writing and great characters filled with life and personality
* there were a few moments that felt a *tad* too dramatic (i.e. the skydiving bit)
* super creative and out-there ideas that titillate and expand the mind - the bizarre inventions and their uses were by far the best part of the book. it felt like a little bit of my inner child imagination was drawn to the surface of my mind
* humorous writing and great characters filled with life and personality
* there were a few moments that felt a *tad* too dramatic (i.e. the skydiving bit)
June 3, 2017
I appreciate the whimsy of this middle grade book, but I wish the gender roles had been reversed or something. It read as reinforcement of damsel in distress doing emotional labor for a brainiac who was condescending. She called him on it, at least, so that was good. I think my library kids will like this, but I want to temper it with Princeless.
January 4, 2018
This is actually a book written for young adults. It was recommended to me by my daughter, who had to read this as a school assignment. She told me it was 'cute'. And, you know what, she was right. This book is an easy read, but is cute, funny and endearing. If you ever are looking for a quick literary bite or appetizer, this is highly recommended :-)
January 18, 2018
I love the theme of this series. The relationship dynamics didn't bother me (and I consider myself to me a feminist). I found them rather cute and appropriate for the age.
My 10 year old read this to me and he cracked up at a bunch of parts.
Me: I love bosper!!!!
And tea... muhaha!
It is a fun and perfect middle grade story.
My 10 year old read this to me and he cracked up at a bunch of parts.
Me: I love bosper!!!!
And tea... muhaha!
It is a fun and perfect middle grade story.
July 31, 2017
3.5 stars - I loved the characters, the craziness of the problem and how almost everything was just on the side of unbelievable. By the end though I was having a hard time enjoying the quirks and I just wanted the damn cat captured.
February 1, 2018
I read this aloud with my 8 year old and we both really enjoyed it. He enjoyed the fantastical adventures and weird science inventions; I enjoyed the beautifully sarcastic voice of Delphine and her out of the side of her mouth asides.
June 4, 2018
For a youth book, the story is inventive, creative and (semi)educational. The character of Delphine brings a nice ,(sarcastically) comical touch to the intelligence of her is-he-or-is-he-not-her-interest. Fun, entertaining, immaginative and a but fantastical. Good and relaxing material for youth.
June 17, 2018
Cute and clever sarcasm but the story got a little too ridiculous and drawn out for continued enjoyment at the level it started out at. Started at a four/five, ended at a three/four. The kids loved it though. A few sexist comments toward the beginning that I skipped when reading to them.
January 17, 2019
A lot of boyfriend/girlfriend/crushing references which was annoying to see in a book for any age group but it was mild enough that my almost 8 year old could read it. I might talk to her about it. Scientific terms are thrown about like candy but don't really work in many contexts, I'm pretty sure anyway. But it's ridiculous, hilarious, and entertaining sci-fi for kids and the writing isn't too bad either.
March 14, 2019
I read some of this every night with my two boys who are 11 and 8 years old. It was funny, and they stayed interested most of the time. We all agreed that there was a lot of rambling that took away from the storyline.
August 8, 2017
Loved this book!! Great voice, and the characters were exceptional.
November 8, 2017
One of the best books I have ever read, even though it isn't as extreme as the Percy Jackson series it is very good.
April 29, 2018
Fun adventure with science and problem solving for grade school readers. Enjoyed it as an adult!
August 1, 2020
Long winded in parts, but did make my children laugh out loud at multiple times as I read it to them.
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