How can I resist a young adult book with that title, that cover, and blurbs by Jon Stewart AND Judd Apatow? 

Oliver Watson is the titular Evil Genius.  He runs an evil corporation from his secret lair located below his parent’s suburban home.  When dwelling in his lair and plotting his world takeover, he is attending class at his local public middle school.  In class and at home, Oliver pretends to be a below average student, skating by with passing grades and falling all over himself in the hallways.  No one would suspect that he is the fourth richest person in the world. 

From infanthood, Oliver has had nothing but disdain for his father.  So when his dad talks about how one of the biggest milestones in his young life was to be elected student-body president, Oliver decides he will be class president – not because he wants his father’s acceptance (because he denies that vehemently throughout the book) but to show his father that anything he did, his buffoonish son can do too, diminishing the value of the accomplishment.

If you like the snarky humor of “The Daily Show” (which the author works on) then you’ll probably enjoy this book.  Oliver mocks his fellow students, tortures teachers, and generally abuses anyone who works for him.  While some of the jokes might go over a kid’s head (will 7th graders know who Machiavelli was?), I think they will get a kick out of it.  It might be good for reluctant boy readers who enjoy the antics of Stewie on “The Family Guy” since the book is full of satire and fart jokes. 

A quick read that will make you giggle, even if the ending is a bit cheesy.  3.5 stars.