Book
The genius experiment / James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein ; illustrated by Beverly Johnson.
Record details
- ISBN: 9780316523974
- Physical Description: 356 pages : illustrations ; 20 cm
- Edition: First paperback edition.
- Publisher: New York, New York : JIMMY Patterson Books, Little, Brown and Company, 2019.
- Copyright: ©2018.
Search for related items by subject
| Subject: | Science > Experiments > Juvenile fiction. Problem solving > Juvenile fiction. Creative ability > Juvenile fiction. Genius > Juvenile fiction. |
Search for related items by series
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Holdable? | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lillooet Branch | JF PAT (Text) | 35180000379072 | Juvenile Fiction | Volume hold | Available | - |
- Horn Book Guide Reviews : Horn Book Guide Reviews 2019 Spring
A homeless, orphaned tinkerer, Maxine Einstein lives a Dickensian life in modern-day NYC until the Change Makers Institute recruits her to compete with other international child prodigies. Rewarded for her critical thinking and humanitarian instincts, Max shifts the contest's terms, and the children join together to fight global crises and evade an evil corporation. Playful illustrations complement the goodhearted madcap adventure. Copyright 2019 Horn Book Guide Reviews. - Kirkus Reviews : Kirkus Reviews 2018 August #1
A homeless genius orphan is recruited by one organization and hunted by another. Twelve-year-old orphan Max Einstein never knew her parents, is obsessed with Albert Einstein, lives in a squat above some Central Park stables alongside other good-natured down-on-their-luck types, and attends NYU using fabricated records. Her cozy existence is shattered when the powerful Dr. Zimm and the mysterious Corp target her. Luckily, she's swept off to Israel, where she meets a group of highly diverse, multicultural fellow child prodigies, the other "contestants" at the Change Makers Institute. (Max is white.) The CMI's testing them to find a visionary genius prodigy to lead world-improving projects, but Max has more interest in their aims than their tests. (While the book celebrates curiosity and learning, it also repeatedly rebukes standardized tests in favor of creativity and daydreams.) Max takes advantage of a chance to make friends her own age, while the Corpâwith an alluded c onnection to Max's pastâcloses in on her. Once a winner's selected and a team formed, it's off to the Congo on a mission to bring solar power to a village in hopes of encouraging African investors in industries other than mining (which uses child laborers). Max's morality, love for humanity, and free spirit make a refreshing counter to the familiar computerlike, elitist genius archetype; evasion scenes bring thrills; problem-solving provides delightful role-modeling. The ending promises a sequel. A fun, positive book with plenty of heart. (Thriller. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus 2018 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved. - Kirkus Reviews : Kirkus Reviews 2019 May #2
Max Einstein is "the smartest girl in the world." But is she smart enough to solve the globe's most pressing problems? The child genius is in hiding in New York City, and she's bored out of her mind. The leader of a group of child geniuses that formed the Change Makers Institute, Max normally spends her time traveling around the world trying to solve the Earth's most devastating problems. But after evil Dr. Zimm, founder and leader of the nefarious organization called the Corp, tried to kidnap her in series opener The Genius Experiment (2018), she was forced to go into hiding. When her friend and fellow genius Siobhan asks Max to join her on a mission to Siobhan's home country of Ireland, where water contamination is making Siobhan's family and friends sick, Max finally gets a chance to get back in the game. But as she travels from Ireland to India with her group of friends, trying to solve water-contamination and -shortage issues, she's also running away from the Corp, a reality that makes Max wonder if her presence on the teamâand the solutions she devisesâare doing more harm th an good. This fast-paced story features a diverse team of protagonists that realistically tackles some of the world's most pressing social-justice issues. While it is mostly entertaining, the insertion of scientific principles and ethical considerations often feels out of place and heavy handed, and some of the details included about India are incorrect. Overall, a fun read that could have benefited from less preaching and more background research. (Thriller. 9-12) Copyright Kirkus 2019 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved. - PW Annex Reviews : Publishers Weekly Annex Reviews
Johnson's wry sketch of the iconic photo of Albert Einstein sticking out his tongue, accompanied by his observation that "Imagination is more important than knowledge," opens a lively and astute series launch by frequent collaborators Patterson and Grabenstein. Max Einstein, a homeless 12-year-old genius, knows nothing about her parents, her past, or the origins of her treasured suitcase filled with Albert Einstein memorabilia. The feisty girl's infatuation with the scientist guides her critical problem-solving ("What would Einstein do?") after she is kidnapped by thugs working for a greed-driven corporation and subsequently recruited by the rival Change Makers Institute, dedicated to eradicating global warming, poverty, war, and pandemic disease. Eight other whiz kids competing to become the group's "instrument of change," a cunning double agent, and the good guys' surprising benefactor add to the story's intrigue, which illuminates present-day applications of Einstein's scientific theories as well as the wisdom of his humanitarian tenets ("Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile"). Sprinting from Manhattan to Israel to the Congo, the story is an entertaining and thoughtful exploration of perseverance, friendship, creativity, and identity. Ages 9â12. (Oct.)
Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly Annex.
