Max Einstein: The Genius Experiment by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein

My name is Maxine, Max, and my hero is Albert Einstein. Honestly, I don't know if Max Einstein is my real name, but it's the only one I've ever known. This past twenty-four hours has been crazy. First, two big guys grabbed me and took me to an orphanage, and then I was taken by some other people and flown to Jerusalem along with eight other geniuses. The CMI, Change Makers Institute will choose one of us to lead a group of science experts in solving the world's problems. I probably won't win, since I think answering their questions about things I already know is a waste of time. I only answered two of the fifty questions on the last test, since Einstein said imagination is more important than knowledge. Regardless, as an orphan, I've never had friends before, and I'll miss the other eight kids. I wonder where they'll send me after the leader is chosen.

Max was a very endearing character. She was a genius, but she didn't feel better than anyone else and could identify with the less fortunate. Her idol was Albert Einstein, so she constantly analyzed situations logically. In quiet moments, she even spoke to him in her head to get inspiration. However, imagination was more important than knowledge. The big conflict in the plot arose from a group called the Corp that wanted Max to help them make more money. Some chapters shared their motives and plans for kidnapping Max, but Dr. Zimm seemed to know her when she was an infant. Dr. Zimm and the Corp will be the ongoing antagonists for the rest of the series. It looks like the CMI will undertake different humanitarian missions in each book, while the Corp tries to stop them. Tackling world issues reminds me of the Explorer Academy series without the impossible inventions. Overall, Max Einstein is a fun series, and I recommend you give it a shot.