Nine Words Max by Dan Bar-El and David Huyck
| Nine Words Max by Dan Bar-El and David Huyck | |
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| Category: For Sharing | |
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Reviewer: Zoe Morris
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| Summary: A hilarious book about a boy who won't shut up, this is bound to amuse and delight. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 32 | Date: May 2014 |
| Publisher: TUNDRA | |
| ISBN: 978-1770495623 | |
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Some children talk lots and some talk quite little. Some jabber away incessantly, while others prefer contemplative reflection. It’s the same the world over, and it’s true whoever you are, from an average Joe to a member of the Royal Family. Prince Max is a talker, full of fun, interesting facts and observations he’s keen to share with everyone around him. His brothers, on the other hand, are boys of fewer words, and don’t have much time for Max’s waffling on.
When the king and queen go on holiday, they leave the kingdom in the hands of their children, and the three older brothers quickly gang up on Max, arranging for a spell to be cast on him that will limit how many words he can use at once. It’s perfect! Max is happy and the brothers are thrilled to be left in peace. But… when surprise visitors show up, the brothers quickly realise that Max’s knowledge is vital to help them avoid offending their guests. How can they get him to help after what they’ve done to him?
This is a really funny book for anyone who’s ever been told to shush up, even for a moment. It’s also a fun way to look at sibling rivalry and teasing, and valuing differences even if they seem a bit annoying to start with. It’s not just fluency of language that sets Max apart from his brothers: the pictures show them as bigger and rowdier than their clearly smart (he wears glasses!) little brother.
This is not an attractive picture book, per se - it’s more of an adventure story than a fairytale, and the illustrations match this as these are not handsome princes, in fact Max looks a bit like a chipmunk. The king and queen have some questionable fashion, and when they all sit down to eat, the table looks plain and the food quite bland, not the luxurious spread you might expect. This works, though, because it makes it all more normal. They may be princes, but they’re boys and brothers too. They’re not that special. They play pranks on each other, tease and joke around.
This is an exciting, fun story that had me laughing out loud. It will have wide appeal to both boys and girls, and I’d like to thank the publishers for sending us a copy.
Queen Victoria's Knickers by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley is more fun with a regal theme for this age group.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Nine Words Max by Dan Bar-El and David Huyck at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Nine Words Max by Dan Bar-El and David Huyck at Amazon.com.
Nine Words Max by Dan Bar-El and David Huyck is in the Top Ten Books For Sharing 2014.
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