Maximillian Villainous

by Margaret Chiu Greanias

Overview

For anyone who loved Leonardo, the Terrible Monster,this is a humorous and important book about learning to follow your heart and proving that kindness can outweigh villainy any day.

Maximillian Villainous is a monster who doesn't have the heart to be a villain. His famous family pulls pranks on the likes of Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy, and Max spends his time undoing them. So when he brings home a bunny to be his sidekick, Max's disapproving mother hatches a plan. She challenges Max and the bunny to become a devious duo; otherwise . . . the bunny hops. If they want to stay together, Max and the bunny have no choice but to go against their nature. They blunder into villainy with comical effect until Max discovers that embracing his good heart may just be the key to pulling off the most devious deed of all and winning his family's acceptance.

Delightfully fun and irreverent, Maximillian Villainous is an empowering story about embracing one's true self and finding acceptance. Up and coming illustrator Lesley Breen Withrow brings the characters to life with bold and colorful illustrations in a style reminiscent of Richard Scarry.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780762462971
Publisher:	Running Press Book Publishers
Publication date:	08/28/2018
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	10.20(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Margaret Greanias was inspired by her children's love of the Despicable Me movies and all things Minion when writing Maximillian Villainous, her debut picture book. She lives with her husband, three children, and a fluffle of dust bunnies in the San Francisco Bay area.

Lesley Breen Withrow is the illustrator of several picture books, including You're My Boo by Kate Dopirak and Bunny Bus by Ammi-Joan Paquette. Her artwork can also be seen on many products, including stationery collections and children's games, toys, and apps. Lesley lives on beautiful Cape Cod with her family, a couple of crazy cats, and her daughters' large and ever-growing collection of stuffed animals.

Editorial Reviews

06/11/2018
Greanias makes her debut with crackling dialogue in this story about being different. As his name suggests, monster Maximillian Villainous comes from a family famous for their villainy. But to the family’s chagrin, Max is not like the others. While his relations enjoy playing tricks on Santa Claus, Mother Nature, and the like, Maximillian counters their mischief with helpfulness and kindness, even writing the Tooth Fairy an apology note after one grievous incident. When Max brings home the most unsuitable of sidekicks—a bunny—his mother is firm: he can only keep the animal if the pair can succeed at a devious task. Max sincerely attempts to meet these demands (“Should be easy to make a baby cry,” he thinks while plotting against Cupid), but his sensitive nature wins out every time. Childlike mixed-media illustrations by Withrow (Bunny Bus) playfully depict monster life (eyeballs for dinner, anyone?), while Max’s conflicting emotions play expressively across his features. A clever, surprising ending emphasizes that different isn’t always so different after all. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Rick Richter, Aevitas Creative Management. Illustrator’s agent: Christina Tugeau, Catugeau Agency. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

"Withrow presents Max and his family as colorful, mismatched, Where the Wild Things Are-style monsters. Despite their fearsome reputations, they're more cuddly than scary, making this tale a treat for all ages.—Booklist

"It is pretty silly to see how Max's latest attempts at villainy fail.... Pair with Amy Dixon's Maurice the Unbeastly or Mo Willem's Leonardo the Terrible Monster for a fun storytime about misunderstood monsters."—School Library Journal

"This is a great story for younger student to encourage good deeds and show how these deeds can lead to a reward. Older students would also benefit from this lesson being delivered in such a fun way."—School Library Connection

From the Publisher

07/01/2018
PreS-Gr 2—Maximillian comes from a long line of villains. His father stole Santa's sleigh and his grandfather robbed the Tooth Fairy. But Max can't seem to do anything evil at all! After several failed attempts, he and his pet rabbit hatch a plan to give all the children a pet bunny of their own, which "steals hearts" and makes all the kids cry (tears of joy.) Through his scheme, Max's family learns to accept him for who he is. Though the concept is certainly nothing new, it is pretty silly to see how Max's latest attempts at villainy fail—like when he tries to steal the Sandman's sleeping dust, but his bunny minions just end up falling asleep. Withrow's illustrations definitely make the piece; pencil outlines and scribbled shading helps give the artwork a kid-made look and feel. VERDICT A good addition to most collections. Pair with Amy Dixon's Maurice the Unbeastly or Mo Willems's Leonardo the Terrible Monster for a fun storytime about misunderstood monsters.—Peter Blenski, Greenfield Public Library, WI

School Library Journal