Max the Brave by Ed Vere

Max the Brave by Ed Vere
Buy Max the Brave by Ed Vere at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: Emerging Readers
Reviewer: Sam Tyler
Summary: Max is a brave cat, but he does not know what a mouse is, so when he heads out and asks different animals if they are a mouse, he may not get the truthful answer.
Buy? Maybe	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 32	Date: June 2014
Publisher: Puffin
External links: Author's website
ISBN: 9780723286691
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I can truly believe that Curiosity Killed the Cat, if the cat is anything like Max from ‘Max the Brave’ by Ed Vere. Thankfully, as well as being curious, cats are also known for having several lives, Max uses some of them up in this adventure. Being an cat of action Max wishes to go out in the big world and chase some mice, but he is also young so does not know what a mouse is. After asking several animals if they are a mouse (including one with big ears, whiskers and a penchant for cheese), Max is pointed in the direction of something a little larger and greener than your average rodent.

‘Max the Brave’ is a charming book that explores curiosity and also has a funny joke at the end. The use of mice and monsters does give it a slight ‘The Gruffalo’ feel, but apart from a sense of misdirection the two books are quite different. There is simplicity to ‘Max’ that I found drew me in. The illustrations are very basic, but Vere is able to achieve a lot with very little – seeing Max’s disgruntled face as he is forced to wear a ribbon is a particular treat.

The use of simplicity and bold colours is seen throughout; backgrounds are usually a striking colour choice that allows the words to stand out well. This does mean that there is not that much to see apart from the main story (no searching the background for fun little jokes). What you do gain is directness to the story that should keep your child’s attention. This is a very simple tale told in a couple of sentences a page; it is a perfect length for a toddler just starting to read some words for themselves.

The fact that there is not a huge amount going on in the book other than the story does mean that it is left to the narrative to keep a child coming back again and again. The joke at the end is a funny one, which will tickle the first few times, but may not after a while. There is no ‘moral’ as such, but the book will introduce your child to a few familiar animals. The important thing is that ‘Max the Brave’ is simple and charming, a great story for a little one just starting to want to read with their parent.

If this book appeals then we can recommend:

Banana by Ed Vere

The Brave Beast by Chris Judge

The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson

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You can read more book reviews or buy Max the Brave by Ed Vere at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.

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