Back to School Reads: Max Einstein: Rebels With A Cause

*This is a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% mine.

Yeah, I know what you're thinking - "Why is Billy featuring a Back to School Reads!" post in November?

Well, that's a great question and I do have an explanation for it. I had requested a review copy from the publisher prior to the book's release date, which was Sept. 9th. I never received a reply from the publisher. Due to my past experiences with publishers, I just naturally assumed there were no review copies available. It was a not big deal to me as I'm a James Paterson fan so I would eventually buy the book anyway. However, the publisher did send me an uncorrected proof copy in early October. By that point in time, I was a little busy getting ready for my 13 Reads of Horror! event, so I pushed the review for this title until the beginning of November.

Max Einstein: Rebels With A Cause (Jimmy Patterson; 336 pages; $14.99) is the sequel to last year's Max Einstein: The Genius Experiment, which both are co-written by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein with illustrations by Beverly Johnson. It's the first children book series to be official authorized by the Albert Einstein Archives.

Max Einstein is a twelve-year-old genius orphan who used her hacking abilities to enroll herself into college. How did she get the last name Einstein? She's a huge Albert Einstein fan and is constantly referring to his theories. She even imagines having conversations with him. To make a long story short, Max is recruited by the Change Makers Institute, an organization with a headquarters in Jerusalem, who collect the best young intelligent minds from around the globe in the effort of making the world a better place. And then there's the evil Dr. Zimm, who will do anything he can to persuade Max into joining his "Corporation" so he can use her mind to wreck havoc upon mankind.

Rebels With A Cause centers around Max and her young genius pals going on a quest to fix a water crises in India and Ireland. Max is always up for finding a solution to any problem but she might be a little bit over her head this time as her nemesis, Dr. Zimm has a kidnapping scheme up his sleeve.

Final Thoughts

The Max Einstein book series is a blend between Stephen King's The Institute and an episode of the short-lived '90s animated series James Bond Jr.. While the target audience is aimed at middle graders, the books do contain a bit of violence and heavy themes that might not be suitable for every young reader.

As an adult, I enjoyed reading Max Einstein: Rebels With A Cause, and it has nothing to do with the fact that I'm a James Patterson fan. I've been a little critical of many of Mr. Patterson's recent releases and, to me, the author's children's books are better written than his adult thrillers.

Overall, Max Einstein: Rebels With A Cause is well-written, fast-paced adventure that both young and adults will enjoy reading. The story is enhanced by cute illustrations by Beverly Johnson. Warning: There are a few math and science lessons! However, the lessons are there as plot devices so young readers probably won't even notice them.

Once again, Max Einstein: Rebels With A Cause is a pretty good read!