Professor Kompressor

Professor Kompressor #1

by Nils Andersson

Professor Kompressor is an inventor. He is excellent at inventing, but the inventions are not always excellent.

This first collection of Professor Kompressor stories recalls a number of episodes from his inventing career. The ideas may seem sound, and perhaps quite original, but they don't always work out as intended. In fact, they very rarely do. It was perhaps predictable that an invisibility cloak would be easily mislaid, but who could have guessed that tinkering with an old Volkswagen Beetle would be so dangerous? There is plenty of evidence that Professor Kompressor is a genius, but this does not in anyway prevent him from accidents and mishaps.

Genres: Childrens

116 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 19, 2012

About the author

Nils Andersson is a real life Professor of Mathematics and a leading authority on Einstein's theory of relativity and extreme astrophysics. At work he worries about black holes, dead stars, white dwarfs and waves of gravity. In his spare time he likes to read - always did, ever since he was little. He continues to be excited by books for younger readers, great stories that inspire developing minds and make the next generation fall in love with books.

A house full of books made him wonder what it would be like to write one of his own. So, with a bit of help from his 7-year old daughter, he did. The result is a collection of madcap adventures of Professor Kompressor, an excellent but accident prone inventor.

The Professor is a fictional character (certainly not based on the author!) and his adventures are completely made up. Yet, the various episodes draw on ideas from science and the modern world. The aim (if there is one!) is to show that you can have a lot of fun with science and technology, especially if you allow for a bit of creative mis-interpretation.

Reviews

[Carolien · Rating 4 out of 5]

We listened to the audio version and both my daughters (aged 7 and 9) enjoyed it very much. They laughed at the various mishaps and had earnest conversations on why or how the inventions went wrong.

As an adult, I enjoyed the science concepts that were included in each invention. Artificial intelligence, robotics etc are all woven into the stories and introduce the children to science in a tangible manner. We'll be following the rest of the series.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a book that both my children and I loved. We have reread it a couple times now and each time it brings smiles to their faces.

[Barbara Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Professor Kompressor is a parody of the absent minded professor. He has been endowed with creative genius, but he is also confused and mixed up. In the first book of the series, the reader is presented with twelve chapters, which are actually short stories within themselves. Professor Kompressor lives alone, although his caretaker named Maud figures prominently in some of his adventures. The Professor is often driven by impulse to create an invention to fill a need. Even though he might fail, the Professor has indomitable spirit and never gives up. Here are a few examples. He wants to control things so he invents a universal remote to control all the devices in his home from his armchair. A problem is created when he makes it too powerful and it starts turning off devices all over the town. When Maud starts gossiping with the neighbors about the invention, the police come to destroy it! Some of his inventions are humorous. After much research in the library, the professor succeeds in inventing a moon rocket, only to discover that he inadvertently placed the starter switch control on the outside of the ship. He invents an invisibility cloak to conceal himself only to discover he can no longer find where he put it. One of the best chapters involves his meeting with Father Christmas on Christmas Eve.I won't ruin the surprise.....

The author is a Professor of Mathematics with an interest in astrophysics who has learned how to make science interesting and exciting for children. This book will appeal to all ages though children eight and older should be able to read it independently. Classroom teachers can use each chapter as a read aloud and point of discussion. The book will produce lots of open ended questions from budding young scientists; it makes a nice addition to the elementary school S.T.E.M. curriculum. Adults will enjoy the nice balance of information, humor and entertainment. Highly recommended!

[Helena B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Professor Kompressor is a book that both your kid(s)and yourself can enjoy. It's a humouristic and well told story with a lot of details that will make you laugh, want more and will also make you understand that everything can be possible (with a little fantasy!). I believe that all kids will love the professor, as he's a fascinating man with tremendous ideas that sometimes doesn't work out really in the way that they were supposed. The professor is also a man that enjoys the small details in life - his tea for example - and his well regulated lifestyle. The minor details are also what makes grown up readers enjoy the story, as they might recognise former teachers, relatives and other's they've met as a "copy" of the professor. I like the style the book is written in, the small repetition that's so much a reality in everday life, but almost an obession for the professor. And I like that the professor always have this splendid ideas, but that they - most of the time - turn out into something else. Buy and read, I'm sure both you and your kids will really like it!

[Paula McBride · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this for my son, from Amazon, as a way to encourage more reading. I told him he only needed to read a chapter a day, but on his first day he read four chapters in one go! After that he couldn't put the book down.
He particularly liked the characters - especially the bumblebee and the vicar - also how the professor never gave up and how things always seemed to work out, just not as expected always.
All-in-all, a very enjoyable read for my son. The story line makes young ones think, encourages them to believe in themselves and their ideas more, and is good fun too!
We would like more of this, please.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of twelve short stories about a clever inventor who always overlooks something that causes his inventions to wreck havoc. The stories are clever and well thought out, and the final story provides the perfect ending. I would recommend this story for children as well as adults looking for a quick, light-hearted book to read.

*I was a first read winner on this site*

[Karen Chong · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun, short read. I enjoyed how sometimes the professor's inventions went wrong despite his best intentions.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good children's book. It will definitely inspire a child to be creative.