Review Detail

The Genius Factor: How to Capture an Invisible Cat

Middle Grade Fiction 185

If you're too smart AND too wealthy

February 14, 2016 (Updated: July 01, 2026)

Overall rating

4.0

Plot

4.0

Characters

N/A

Writing Style

N/A

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

4.0

Delphine gets a cryptic note from Nate and is soon plunged into a nonsensical adventure. Nate has managed to make his mother's cat, Proton, not only a giant, but an invisible one! He's prone to making these sorts of moves, and to further complicate matters, he has hidden the formula on four different people... and a goldfish. Despite his brilliance and extreme wealth, he needs help from Delphine. She finds him oddly attractive, and is willing to accompany Nate on his escapades, whether they are jumping from a plane or driving in a car to elude the dangerous Red Death Tea Society, which is out to capture Proton and use the cat for their own evil devices. Nate's dog, Bosper, is also engineered and can talk, which makes it easier to tell him to do things, like keep the giant invisible cat in one place while Delphine and Nate try to figure out a plan. Luckily, the two are able to take care of the issue with Proton, but the Red Death Tea Society is still interested in Nate, and Delphine is ready for any adventure that comes up.

Good Points

This certainly had a lot of action and adventure, and the fact that Nate has unlimited wealth (in the form of a rare Gold Elephant credit card) and limited parental supervision makes this a fun romp. After the sky diving, giant marauding cat, mechanical flying sea gull and sense of general mayhem in this book, my favorite thing was Delphine and Nate's relationship. They both have a little crush on each other, but are first and foremost friends and associates. The fact that they are both a little confused by their feelings of having a crush is absolutely age appropriate.

Goofiness abounds in this book, and Nate has a million improbably schemes. There are nano machines, jet packs, a mechanical octopus that can hypnotize people, and scores of other wacky devices and events. Readers who enjoy Dan Gutman's The Genius Files or Korman's The Hypnotists will enjoy this frenetic romp.