Max Einstein #2: Rebels with a Cause by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein

My name is Max Einstein, and I am the smartest twelve-year-old in the world. Unfortunately, Dr. Zimm  of the Corp wants to capture me, so I can help his organization make evil weapons and more money than they'll ever need. It's clear that I'm no longer safe in New York, so Ben (teenage billionaire and head of CMI) has flown my team over to Ireland to help the people of Siobhan's hometown. It's what we do. People in the town have become seriously ill from drinking tainted well water, so we need to figure out a sustainable way to solve the problem. When we're done here, I hear there's another water issue across the planet. It seems there's a shortage of water, and local officials are using the situation to make money off the citizens.

Well, here's another series where I didn't start by reading the first book. It will probably appeal to a select audience of middle grade readers. While the conflicts were big and important to the world, they didn't create much tension in the plot. I didn't get a sense of urgency as I read, and the obstacles were easily overcome. Some readers might be turned off by the many references to science, physics, and Einstein, although I enjoyed them. The group of kid geniuses used science and technology to resolve the problems, so the solutions were realistic and feasible. Including a team member who wanted to replace Max as leader added an amusing angle to some events. The other team members didn't take him seriously, but the situation added a twist to a climax. Overall, this was a fun book that can be enjoyed by many young readers, and you may want to give it a shot.