Eighth grader Toby Harbinger and his friends Tamara and Micah are not looking forward to the Hubble Middle School’s annual science fair. Not that they don’t have great ideas for it. For example, Micah has come up with a way to levitate his frog with magnets. The problem is the underachieving rich kids who win every year with projects made by their overachieving parents. This year will be no exception…

A mysterious person working at Hubble decides to help the rich kids by selling top secret plans for projects; projects which will do more than win the science fair; projects which will bring the United States to its knees…

As Toby and his friends slowly uncover this international plot, they find themselves in more and more trouble— first with the school, then with the police, and finally the government. To make matters worse, Toby is constantly being harassed by two men, D. Arthur Vaderian and the Wookiee, who are out to steal Toby’s father’s extensive Star Wars memorabilia collection.

If this is not enough craziness, how about a high speed chase in the Weinermobile, terrorists getting addicted to the Home Shopping Network, and a climatic light saber showdown between Vaderian and Toby’s father (in a too-small Jedi outfit)?

If you are looking for a thrilling mystery mixed with downright insanity, read Science Fair, by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson.