Review by Booklist Review
Max, a blue-and-black tiger-striped cat, is on alert for all things attackable. Though his ultimate goal is the fishbowl, the frenetic feline is easily distracted by a variety of objects: a lizard on the window screen, a pile of dirty socks, a dangling shoestring. Each captures his attention and sends him off in a different direction, but the fish are never far from his mind. The lively rhyming text is fun to read aloud: Max's paws are made for pounces. / Max's legs are built for trounces. / Like a dozen kitty wishes, midst the bubbles swish the fishes. The large print moves around the pages, adding energy to the tale, and some words are emphasized, enlarged, or highlighted in red, orange, green, blue, or gold. Loosely painted illustrations on crisp white backdrops appear in many sizes and reflect Max's nonstop diversions. Differing perspectives reveal the cat on his short-lived adventures from various angles. One especially humorous picture shows Max's magnified face through the fishbowl: huge eyes and pink tongue licking his kitty lips. The family dog is in awe of the always-on-the-move cat as he follows him around the house, amazed at what the energetic kitty pursues next. A large format, engaging pictures, and enjoyable rhymes create a perfect read-aloud for story time or one-on-one sharing.--Maryann Owen Copyright 2019 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Max the cat lurks under the couch, head to the ground, tail lashing. "This is Max. He attacks." Everything is fair game. He side-eyes the family hound, then leaps for the goldfish bowl. "Max's paws are made for pounces./ Max's legs are built for trounces." "But HOLD ON," now a green lizard on the window screen draws his attention. The casualties pile up-vases knocked over, curtains pulled down on the dog ("Max, one./ Dog, none."), dozens of dirty socks. Appelt (Angel Thieves) writes with catlike flexibility and bounce, appealing to the senses ("His tummy growls. He's got the munchies") as Max turns his domestic surroundings into feline chaos. Newcomer Dullaghan colors Max a dashing blue with scribbly black stripes, a choice that, alongside his red collar, the orange fish, and the pea-green drapes, highlights the action against clean white backdrops. The fun is in watching Max give in to every impulse to wreak havoc-and in the final triumph of the goldfish he plagues throughout: "Max, none/ Fish, six plus one." Ages 4-8. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1--Max is a cat who attacks. His primary target is the fishbowl, but he will attack most anything. Max is drawn toward the fish, tantalizing and very smug in their glass bowl, but a glimpse of something green and scaly on the screen door suddenly compels him elsewhere. On and on it goes. A typical day for any house cat takes a competitive and adventurous turn from Max's perspective as he pounces, attacks, and keeps a silly running tally such as, "Socks, None. Max, Ninety-One." The narrative is written in swinging, rhyming, catty prose with accompanying bright and often zoomed-in illustrations. Some parts of the text are color coordinated ("Max" appears in blue throughout) but this isn't exactly consistent, although it does coordinate nicely with the illustrations. The large images and silly text make this an excellent choice for a pet-themed storytime. VERDICT Slightly distracted but completely enthusiastic, Max is sure to be a hit among young storytime listeners. A first purchase.--Laken Hottle, Providence Community Library, RI
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A pet cat demonstrates typical feline behavior.The orange and pink fish swimming in the fishbowl fascinate Max, pictured as a blue cat with black stripes. He is easily distracted, however, so his first foray to get the fish ends quickly when he takes a detour up the patio-door screen in pursuit of a lizard. The fact that he then pulls the curtains down on the dog's head results in a comical tally: "Max, one. Dog, none." The distractions (and the scorekeeping) continue. Max chases a catnip toy, battles a basket of socks, and pounces on a swinging shoestring. After each diversion, he returns to the fishbowl. His eventual assault appears to be successful, but the final reckoning reassures readers that the fish have survived to swish another day. Rollicking rhymes and playful language create an admiring third-person narrative that perfectly captures Max's energy and charm. The typeface, which mimics painted block printing, adds personality and enhances the humor. Dullaghan's illustrations suggest a spare, mid-20th-century modern home; lots of white space keeps the focus on the bouncy main character's amusing antics. Textured brush strokes add to the sense of movement, while simply drawn features convey a wealth of emotion (even in the case of the unflappable fish).Clearly a paean to the pleasures of having a cat companion, this catalog of Max's actions should win plenty of accolades: Max, a million; readers a million-plus. (Picture book. 5-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
