When Max Wigglesworth announces he wants to be “stinking rich,” his father naturally asks why. That key question about Max’s motivation, however, is never satisfactorily answered in the first book of B.C. author Trina Wiebe’s latest chapter book series, Max-a-million. The vague characterization weakens the whole concept of the series. A vividly created character wanting something (the more desperately, the better) is the driving heart of all absorbing tales. Without that, Max the Magnificent merely putters along in amiable but lacklustre fashion.

Max enlists the aid of his best friend, Sid. Sid is the liveliest character in the novel, and her relationship with Max is that classic comic partnership between quintessential opposites: the dreamer/schemer and the down-to-earth deflater. Max believes he can become a millionaire as a famous magician. But first he needs a spectacular trick of the trade to jump-start his career. And where better than from the Amazing Albertini, whom his freelance writer father happens to be interviewing for an article. When Albertini gently refuses to share his secrets, Max’s next step is to borrow one of his props to figure it out himself.

Fuzzily executed, Max’s schemes lack sharp descriptive comic detail and dramatic zeal. There are some well-done episodes involving Albertini’s nasty-tempered monkey Shimmy and his lovely (only at a distance, though) assistant Lola, and mild suspense involving robbed audience members. But for the most part the writing is flavourless and the plotting uninspired. In contrast, Helen Flook’s animated illustrations are brimming with comic attitude and energy.