Bill Nye to write middle grade science series — exclusive

Bill Nye has made a career out of his knack for getting kids excited about science — and he’ll reach even more budding Einsteins with a new middle grade chapter book series, Jack and the Geniuses, co-written with Gregory Mone.

“The fire of excitement that I feel about science today was kindled when I was a kid,” Nye told EW in an exclusive statement. “Like any kid of any age, Jack and the Geniuses love science and seek adventure. Here’s hoping that a few kids read these books and have scientific adventures for the rest of their lives.”

Both educational and captivating (just like his old show Bill Nye the Science Guy), the three Jack and the Geniuses books will feature “real-world science along with action and a mystery that will leave kids guessing until the end,” according to publisher Amulet Books. The first title in the series, Jack and the Geniuses: At the Bottom of the World, launches in April 2017.

The titular geniuses are Jack’s foster siblings, Ava and Matt. Ava is fluent in multiple languages and builds robots as a hobby, while Matt’s subjects of excellence are astronomy and math. In the first book, Jack, Ava, and Matt try to spy on scientist Dr. Hank Witherspoon, and then start working for him in his lab. But when the trio and Hank travel to Antarctica for a science competition, they find out that another scientist — and all of her research — has gone missing, and it’s up to them to find her.

Check out EW’s exclusive first look at the cover below — and mark your calendars for next April!