Like the previous books in the Max series, this one is a winner. It retains the 32 page 11 by 11.3 inch page size with beautiful often full page illustrations, an exciting adventure story, and packed with real science and a friendly dog. As before, the author's aim is to instill an interest in science among kids, and to use real science, not fiction in the drawings, mode of travel, and principles of how the adventure is undertakes, down to the spacesuits and time needed to get there and back.

You may notice a few people you recognize in the illustrations as characters in the story. This was done on purpose by the author. It is his way of honoring friends and relatives. For example you should be able to recognize Sally Ride, the science teacher killed on a space shuttle lift-off. Sidebars are packed with real science extending the book's suitability through grade school, maybe further.

Kids can be rough with books. The dust cover is very nice. What is different here though, is that the author is a long-time teacher himself. So when you take off the dust jacket, the book surface is identical to the dust cover not only in illustration and labeling, but in the quality of the illustrations on the dust cover. Well done. If you want to instill and interest in science among your own kids, this book series is perfect for that, that is the author's goal in writing the series. ( )