A Refreshing Look at Renewable Energy with Max Axiom, Super Scientist

"Max Axiom" is a popular series thanks to its graphic novel format and the protagonist, a science superhero, who can use his abilities to investigate topics he finds interesting. These four titles have Max flying with Hurricane Hunters, shrinking down to explore genes and bacteria, and even travelling inside an electrical line. He visits labs, talks with experts out in the field, and chats with his neighbors about subjects like solar power and preparing for storms. The 4D app allows readers to access videos of chromosomes, storm surges, fish ladders, and other related topics from the text. There is also a how-to video for the suggested activity in each book and a quiz. For those without the app, an access code for the companion website offers the same content. VERDICT Solid information in a crowd-pleasing format for middle grades.