The Mad Scientists' Club facts for kids

The Mad Scientists' Club is a fun series of four books for kids. They were written by Bertrand R. Brinley and have cool drawings by Charles Geer.

Books in the Series

Here are the books in the series:

• The Mad Scientists' Club (1965)
  • "The Strange Sea Monster of Strawberry Lake"
  • "The Big Egg"
  • "The Secret of the Old Cannon"
  • "The Unidentified Flying Man of Mammoth Falls"
  • "The Great Gas Bag Race"
  • "The Voice in the Chimney"
  • "Night Rescue"
• The New Adventures of the Mad Scientists' Club (1968)
  • "Big Chief Rainmaker"
  • "The Telltale Transmitter"
  • "The Cool Cavern"
  • "The Flying Sorcerer"
  • "The Great Confrontation"
• The Big Kerplop; A Mad Scientists' Club Adventure (1974)
• The Big Chunk of Ice (2005)

The Big Kerplop was actually written first in the story timeline. It tells how the club started. It also explains why the club and Harmon Muldoon are always rivals.

What the Books Are About

The boys in the Mad Scientists' Club love using science and technology to create amazing (and sometimes silly) plans. For example, in "The Strange Sea Monster of Strawberry Lake," they build a fake sea monster. They make it from chicken wire and put it on a canoe. They even add a remote control so they can operate it from far away!

The club members are also part of an Explorer Scout group. This is mentioned sometimes, but it's not the main focus of their adventures.

The stories take place in a small, made-up town called Mammoth Falls.

Meet the Club Members

Here are the main members of the Mad Scientists' Club:

• Jeff Crocker — He's the President of the club.
• Henry Mulligan — He's the Vice President and leads their research.
• Dinky Poore — He's the smallest and quickest member.
• Freddy Muldoon — He's known as "Little Bright Eyes" because he often notices things others miss.
• Homer Snodgrass
• Mortimer Dalrymple — He joined because he had lots of radio gear and loved electronics.
• Charlie Finckledinck — He tells all the stories!

Dinky Poore is the smallest and most sarcastic. His size can be important, like in "The Great Gas Bag Race." Since he weighs the least, he's sure to be chosen to fly the hot-air balloon.

Science and Pranks

Unlike many kids' books, these stories focus on science, building things, and a "do it yourself" attitude. The boys love to pull good-natured pranks. They're a bit like young versions of MacGyver!

The first books came out after Sputnik 1 was launched. This was a big deal in the Space Race. The stories show the excitement about science from that time. The technology in the books might seem "low-tech" now. But back then, things like home-built computers, scuba gear, ham radios, and remote-controlled devices were very advanced! The science in the books is usually correct. For example, Dinky shows real escape tricks in "The Telltale Transmitter."

There are two strange parts that are not science-based. In "The Secret of the Old Cannon," it hints that the boys might have photographed a ghost. And in "Big Chief Rainmaker," there's an Indian Sun Dance that seems a bit magical.

The Arch-Enemy: Harmon Muldoon

Harmon Muldoon is the main rival of the Mad Scientists' Club. He's Freddy's cousin and Daphne's brother. Harmon was kicked out of the club for sharing secrets. So, he started his own gang. Their goal is to mess with the Mad Scientists' Club whenever they can.

Harmon was the radio expert when he was in the club. He has really good radio equipment. In "The Strange Sea Monster of Strawberry Lake," he almost exposed the monster by jamming the club's signals. In "The Great Confrontation," he even kidnaps Freddy and Dinky! Harmon's only real win is in "The Cool Cavern." He makes the Mad Scientists look so silly that Henry gets really mad. In "Big Chief Rainmaker," the two gangs even make a truce to help each other.

Here are some members of Harmon's gang:

• Harmon Muldoon — The leader, a radio expert, and a "big blabbermouth."
• Stony Martin — A "loudmouth." His garage is where the gang meets.
• Buzzy McCauliffe
• Joe Turner
• Speedie Brown — One of the best tree climbers in the gang.

Harmon's gang meets in an old garage behind Stony Martin's house. It's a great spot for the Mad Scientists to spy on them! Stony and Buzzy are often with Harmon in the stories.

Other Characters You'll Meet

• Alonzo Scragg — The Mayor of Mammoth Falls.
• Chief Harold Putney — The Chief of Police.
• Zeke Boniface — He runs a junk-yard and often helps the Mad Scientists.
• Richard the Deep Breather — That's Zeke's truck!
• Kaiser Bill — Zeke's guard dog.
• Colonel March — A military friend of the Mad Scientists.
• Elmer Pridgin — A hunter who holds a key secret in "The Secret of the Old Cannon."
• Daphne Muldoon — Harmon's sister, Freddy's cousin, and Homer's girlfriend.
• Mike Corcoran — He owns the Idle Hour Pool Palace.
• Professor Igor Stratavarious — A university professor who takes the club to Austria in The Big Chunk of Ice.
• Angelina Angelo and Angela Angelino — Students who join the club in Austria. They are the first girls to become members!

Fun Facts

• The real town of West Newbury, Massachusetts helped inspire the places and some characters in the books.
• Charlie Finckledinck, the narrator, didn't have a last name until the book The Big Kerplop!.