Mr. Flux

K-Gr 2—Mr. Flux is an agent of change whose mysterious arrival rocks the staid burbs in which very-well-behaved Martin lives. Curiously predictable, the story is devoid of the very plot twists that it seems Mr. Flux would approve of. This is your standard "change-can-be-good" story, but it also seems to push the agenda of the Fluxus movement of the 1960s a little harder than will appeal to most children. (An author's note explains that the story is loosely based on Fluxus artist George Maciunas.) Mr. Flux, for example, inspires the local librarian to throw salad into a wading pool, making change seem more for the sake of wackiness than for anything meaningful or even enjoyable. Stephens's cubist perspectives give Mr. Flux's monocle a curious place on the side of his face, making his oddball art the perfect fit for the story line. The appealing blues and greens, tall size, and thick paper stock will make the book stand out on the shelf, but the text will likely appeal only to adults trying to coax their children out of the safety of routines.—Jenna Boles, Washington-Centerville Public Library, OH