Mission 4: Grave Danger

September 1, 2013

Gr 3-5-Max Flash is a pint-sized escapologist with magician parents. The hardest thing in his day is trying to master the Houdini water escape to his parents' satisfaction. This is about to change when he learns their true identities as well as his fate. Montgomery and Carly Flash are agents for the DFEA (Department for Extraordinary Activity), and their basement has a secret communication center where an agent named Zavonne communicates with the family when there is a mission they need to perform. Max is wanted by the DFEA for his size as well as his contortionist and escapologist skills. In his first mission, he has to infiltrate Nexus Scope computer company to contain a game character that has somehow jumped the line from virtual to plain old reality. The DFEA is providing three gadgets that he can use only one time to help him on his mission. Filled with straightforward sentences, each short, well-paced chapter ends with a cliff-hanger and the pages are adorned with Amerimanga-style illustrations. Interestingly some of the vocabulary seems higher than expected for a series that will be popular with reluctant readers, and there are several Briticisms in the text. Subsequent books follow the same format; Max is given a mission and three gadgets to help him complete it successfully. Fans of video games and nonstop action, as well as children looking for a fast read, will enjoy this attractively packaged series.-Stacy Dillon, LREI, New York City

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