My reluctant reader has found a book he loves !! It's "The Secret Science Alliance and the Copycat Crook" by Eleanor Davis - this is part of the description on Amazon -
"Grade 3-7�Julian Calendar, 11, is a supersmart transfer student trying desperately to fit in at his new middle school. Just when he starts to believe that he'll never find his place, he discovers two other brilliant minds and together they form the Secret Science Alliance. These three braniacs create their own book of blueprints for such cunning creations as the stinkometer, sticky and dangerous gluebombs, and the flying Kablovsky Copter.""
It's a graphic/comic book novel - perfect !! Shame she hasn't written any others like it yet !!