Max Attacks

by Kathi Appelt, Penelope Dullaghan (Illustrator)

Overview

Fish and birds and lizards and socks...is there anything Max won’t attack? Watch your ankles and find out in this clever, rhyming picture book about a very naughty kitty cat.

Max is a cat. He attacks. From socks to strings to many a fish, attacking, for Max, is most de-lish. But how many of these things can he actually catch? Well, let’s just say it’s no even match.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781481451468
Publisher:	Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
Publication date:	06/11/2019
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	10.00(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD490L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Kathi Appelt is the author of the Newbery Honoree, National Book Award finalist, and bestselling The Underneath as well as the National Book Award finalist The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp, Maybe a Fox (with Alison McGhee), Keeper, and many picture books including Counting Crows and Max Attacks. She has two grown children and lives in College Station, Texas, with her husband. Visit her at KathiAppelt.com.

Penelope Dullaghan is an award-winning artist with an attack-happy cat of her own. The main difference is that Rainy, her cat, is dark gray instead of blue. Penelope and Rainy share many favorite hobbies, including watching activity at the bird feeder, collecting interesting bugs, and outstretched snoozing in sunbeams. Max Attacks is Penelope’s debut picture book. Visit her at PenelopeDullaghan.com.

Editorial Reviews

04/01/2019

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)

Publishers Weekly

"No doubt about it: Readers will be mad about Max."

From the Publisher

*"A perfect read-aloud."

starred review Booklist

06/01/2019

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

School Library Journal

★ 2019-03-17
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)

Kirkus Reviews