Overall, this was a suspenseful book with good ideas and a lively heroine. The authors shine beginning in Chapter 4 when the action starts to ramp up. They have their readers eager to find out about all the shadowy characters (the spy, the Corp), who Max’s parents were, and how the team will solve the problem of getting those poor kids out of the mines so they can go to school and have electricity in their homes. The friendships Max develops are heartwarming and the value of teamwork well portrayed. And, the authors bring in just the right power-hungry, local villains, even though, sadly, they are modeled after real-life villains. (I concur with the authors on using real-life problems; if we don’t acknowledge their existence, they will continue. Likewise, the authors use age-appropriate language.) And, just when the kids think they have the problem solved, it all comes crashing down. Yes, this is a page turner.I also commend the authors for finding many creative ways to bring Einstein’s ideas into the narrative, and subtly injecting new vocabulary words. Parents and teachers will appreciate this. Finally, while the authors left the door open for a sequel, they still left this reader feeling satisfied and even pleasantly surprised at the end. The quizzes, ideas, and end notes are quite helpful, too.However, I have some thoughts on what would possibly have improved the reading experience. There were times when I felt that I was being bombarded with much too much about Einstein. Sometimes less is more. I also had trouble understanding what was going on the first few chapters because there weren’t enough clues in the narrative as to where Max lived and what her situation was. And, initially it looked like an all-science story, but it's actually so much more. I eventually caught on, but I hope young readers will persist until they reach the fourth chapter where more is revealed and the action kicks in. Also, there is a map showing the trip to Israel, but what about the location of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where much of the action takes place? The illustrations are good, but the placement of the picture of the wizard announcing who is selected as project leader should not have preceded the actual announcement in the narrative, nor should it have been right in the middle of Max’s interview for the position - a dead giveaway. Finally, when a fiction or science fiction book is heavy on actual science, it would be helpful for the authors to include explanatory notes at the end on the status of current science for budding young scientists. For instance, do actual wind turbines have solar panels on them today, or is this under development? My Google searches showed many sites saying it had been tried but the panels were too heavy for the turbines, the rotation of the blades reduced the potential for capturing sunlight, and there are many hybrids now where the solar panels are mounted on the post holding up the turbine blades. So, if solar panels on turbine blades are being developed and are already being used, tell us, please. Curiosity. And, what about the possibility of airplanes flying remotely? Yes, we have drones and we are already in a semi-autonomous society …but what’s the status of airplanes today? Pilots use autopilot already, but can they leave the cockpit? FYI, many children’s books include a science consultant.
