BookBright
ABOUT THE BOOK
NO SPOILERSTwelve-year-old Ken is part of a lunch-hour crew of science-obsessed kids at school who call themselves the EngiNerds, and his life takes a wild turn when a massive, mystery-packed box arrives on his front porch addressed to him in handwriting he doesn't recognize. With help from his best friend Dan, Ken opens the box and discovers hundreds of metal parts along with a wordless instruction manual, and the two set to work building whatever it is. But when they step outside briefly to chase down Ken's dog, they come back to find the thing has finished assembling itself in the living room: a walking, talking robot named Greeeg who has only one thing on his mind: eating every last scrap of food in the house.
Free Battle of the Books questions for EngiNerds
SPOILERSEvery one of these has the same answer, and that is the point. In a real battle the question is read aloud with a dozen other books in play, and students have a few seconds to place it. Here is what a battle might ask about EngiNerds. Use them as a quiz, a trivia round, or BOTB practice.
Where in the book they come from
- Early in the book
In what book does a robot eat glass jars, plastic wrappers, and cardboard along with the food inside them?
✓ Answer
EngiNerds by Jarrett Lerner
Greeeg shoves the pickle jar, mustard bottle, plastic wrapping, and roast beef into his stomach hatch all at once. Then a trash compactor inside crunches it all down until the compartment is empty again, like the greatest magic trick ever.
- First half
In what book does Jerry accidentally squirt a stream of chocolate milk into the air when stunned by surprising news?
✓ Answer
EngiNerds by Jarrett Lerner
When Ken announces in the science room that he got a robot, every kid looks up from his lunch. Jerry, who is always sipping chocolate milk, accidentally clenches his fist and squirts a stream of milk that splatters onto the carpet.
- First half
In what book does a grandfather eat microwavable burritos for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and every snack in between?
✓ Answer
EngiNerds by Jarrett Lerner
While Ken visits his grandfather, his dad heads to the grocery store to buy a week's worth of microwavable burritos. Grandpa K. eats them for every meal and as in-between-meal snacks, which becomes a running joke about his retirement diet.
- Second half
In what book is a robot uprising inspired by the final episode of a kids' show about ladybugs?
✓ Answer
EngiNerds by Jarrett Lerner
Dan gets the idea for his robots from the last episode of The League of Ladybugs, where polka-dotted bugs battle emotionless mechanical beetles. The show was canceled two years earlier, so Dan only pretends to watch it while he secretly builds robots.
- Second half
In what book does a dog drag a lamp and an extension cord across the living room?
✓ Answer
EngiNerds by Jarrett Lerner
Kitty the dog wandered out the open front door, dragging a lamp by its cord across the room. Ken finds the shattered ceramic on the walkway and the dog whining beside it.
- Near the end
In what book does a TV witness shout "Pew-pew-pew-pew-BLAM!" while crouching for a reporter?
✓ Answer
EngiNerds by Jarrett Lerner
On the news outside the bakery, a woman named Rhonda demonstrates the robots by squatting and making pew pew sounds. The clip helps confirm the bots are now causing public chaos.
