A seven year old boy named Audri (and his mother) created a YouTube video of a Rube Goldberg machine that he built.  Not only did he build it, but he also uses the scientific method to gauge how many successes and failures the machine will have.  Inspiring!

Rube Goldberg was born in San Francisco in 1883 and attended UC Berkeley as an Engineering major.  He never actually built any of the machines he drew cartoons of, but plenty of people have.  In fact, there are competitions for high school and college students to create working Rube Goldberg machines. 

Recently, the band OK Go, created a music video featuring Rube Goldberg machine.  It is nearly as awesome as Audri's machine and the music is catchy too.

Twelve-year-old Derek is looking forward to a great summer with his best friend.  Mom and Dad, of course, have other ideas for the Calvin and Hobbes-loving Derek.  Two words:  Learning Camp!  YIKES!  Even worse, he must spend more time at Learning Camp with that goody two shoes, Carly!  ICK!  What is a fun-loving skateboarder to do?  All he has left is his faithful dog, Bodi.

Solve a ten-year-old mystery, of course!  Derek finds a clipping about a mysterious death that occurred in Martha's Vineyard when he was just a toddler.  When he brings up the clipping to his Mom, she becomes mysteriously close-mouthed.  What is she hiding from Derek?  And why does the clipping mention that the girl died while trying to save a two-year-old toddler?  Is it a coincidence that Derek happened to be at Martha's Vineyard when it happened?

Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans are sure to enjoy My Life as a Book (AR 4.0, Level 5.2) by Janet Tashjian.  Each cartoon, drawn by the author's son, is laugh out loud funny.  Find out what happens to Derek when he manages to convince his parents to visit his grandmother in Massachusetts!