Congratulations are in order for Dangerous Minds pal, Mark Jeffrey, the author of the Max Quick series of young adult books and podcast audiobooks. May 1, 2011 will mark HarperCollins hardcover publication (and ebook) of Max Quick: The Pocket and the Pendant, although it’s already starting to appear in bookstores around the country.

When time stops all over the world, creating ‘the Pocket’ of time wherein basic physics are strangely altered, only Max Quick and a few other kids seem to unaffected.  While the rest of the world remains frozen around them, Max—and Casey, Ian and Sasha—find that it is up to them to discover how this has happened and reverse it. Along the way, they encounter ‘magic’ books, ancient artifacts and other clues to the riddle of stopped time.  And Max finds that his own true identity may not be what he once believed.  Now he must embrace his past to save the future and prevent the very world from being altered forever…

The” podiobook” version of Max Quick: The Pocket and the Pendant has received over 2.4 million downloads to date.  If reading to your children is a nightly habit and they like things like Harry Potter, The Hunger Games or His Dark Materials—which is to say, YA book series that are smart enough that you might also enjoy them—then the Max Quick series is probably worth a look when you’re trying to decide on the next book. You can read the first chapter here.

When not writing books, Mark is CEO & cofounder of ThisWeekIn.com, a new web TV venture with Jason Calacanis and actor/comedian Kevin Pollak. (The Dangerous Minds talkshow is recorded there thanks to the generous patronage of these gentlemen and the fab Mr. Kenny Chen, who produces the show).
 

 
The Official Max Quick website, run by the author