Alexander McCall Smith.  Max & Maddy and the Bursting Balloons Mystery
Knopf  $12.95  ISBN 978-0-679-97775-2  70 pg.
Reviewed by Colleen, Age 10.

In this Max and Maddy adventure, the famous balloonist, Mr. Helium, asks them to help him figure out who has been sabotaging the balloon race that is coming up. To help them solve this mystery, Max, Maddy, and Mr. Helium enter the balloon race. They have no idea what danger is seeking them. The saboteur might be in the balloon race, or just some random person that just wants to ruin everybody’s fun. With teamwork, courage and intelligence, Max, Maddy and Mr. Helium will try their hardest to find the saboteur.

Max & Maddy and the Bursting Balloons Mystery is a compelling novel and is a great novel for children. I couldn’t put the book down when I started reading it. The only disappointment that I had was the antagonist was too obvious. When I got to the end of the book, I realized that the bad guy was just as I expected; it was no surprise to me. However, I did enjoy the descriptive language and the innocence of the book.

I recommend this book for children 7-9. It is an easy read with no surprises and I am sure that kids will enjoy it very much.

This reviewer gives Max & Maddy and the Bursting Balloons Mystery 4 stars.