Brendan Buckley's Sixth Grade Experiment

Brendan Buckley's Sixth Grade Experiment
Age Range
9+
Release Date
January 10, 2012
ISBN
9780385740500
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Brendan Buckley is headed to middle school on a whole new adventure. When his alternative energy idea gets him paired with new girl Morgan Belcher for the national science competition, Brendan is skeptical. But their partnership clicks, and they embark on a methane-producing experiment involving bottles, balloons, and the freshest cow manure they can find. As Brendan spends more time on the experiment, he has a lot of big questions: Does his police detective dad really think he’s a science-nerd whimp? Will he and Khalfani, his best friend and Tae Kwon Do sparring partner, remain best friends? And can Brendan prove that his scientific pursuits really could be world-changing?

Brendan Buckley is headed to middle school on a whole new adventure. When his alternative energy idea gets him paired with new girl Morgan Belcher for the national science competition, Brendan is skeptical. But their partnership clicks, and they embark on a methane-producing experiment involving bottles, balloons, and the freshest cow manure they can find. As Brendan spends more time on the experiment, he has a lot of big questions: Does his police detective dad really think he’s a science-nerd whimp? Will he and Khalfani, his best friend and Tae Kwon Do sparring partner, remain best friends? And can Brendan prove that his scientific pursuits really could be world-changing?

Editor reviews

2 reviews
Science Fair!
(Updated: June 04, 2026)
Overall rating
 
5.0
Plot
 
5.0
Characters
 
N/A
Writing Style
 
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
Brendan Buckley is back, (after Brenda Buckley's Universe and Everything in It) and he is still interested in science. Not only is he busy collecting rock samples with his newly found white grandfather, but he is working with a new GIRL classmate on a biomass fuel project for the science fair. Add to the general mayhem the fact that his parents are trying to adopt a baby, and Brendan's involvement in Tae Kwan Do, and this is one busy middle grade story. The addition of the equally science obsessed Michelle, and Brendan's reluctance to hang out with her because his friends don't hang out with girls, is a very nice touch.
Good Points
There are few books about science fairs, so this is one that science teachers and students who want ideas for a projects will like. Frazier has a good feel for the middle school mind, and Brendan's reactions are spot on. This book predates the push for diversity in characters, but Brendan is biracial and has a few issues with his family that are dealt with in a realistic fashion.

Great funny book with a boy protagonist!
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