Bad Dog Max!

Going back to school

Recently, Marina had the opportunity to go back to school, when she was invited by the fifth grade English class at The Calvert School in Baltimore to talk about the process of publishing a book.

Although the girls in this class are well beyond the reading level of "Max," they were interested to hear about the trials and travails of writing and pitching a children's book, and the happy ending of getting it produced by a major publisher, Chronicle Books.

In this picture, she can be seen with the girls from the class:

"Food for thought"

Thanks to the Children's Literature web site for reviewing "Bad Dog Max!"

The full review is available on the Barnes and Noble web site at the Bad Dog Max! page, however the full database of Children's Literature reviews are available only by subscription (you can sign up for a free 7-day trial here.)

Children's Literature - Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz

Our young narrator is concerned because Max, the dog, is always getting into trouble. Each double page shows Max doing something else wrong, making mommy, daddy, the neighbors, the mailman, even the cat, call her a "bad dog." But when the vet explains that dogs like Max have "lots of energy" and need long walks and playtime, everyone finds that Max can be a good dog, at least most of the time. Max clearly dominates each scene, with Haskamp supplying just a few contextual details to set the stage for the misbehavior. The acrylic paintings lack detail in their simplicity, but Max's emotions are clearly visible, particularly her eyes. The spare, simple text in large type offers food for thought about misbehavior of more than just young dogs. 2003, Chronicle Books, Ages 3 to 6.

Max is an "Exceptional" Book

According to eparent.com, "Bad Dog Max!" is one of 2003's "Books For All."

eparent.com is the web site of "Exceptional Parent," a magazine with "32 award-winning years of providing
information, support, ideas, encouragement and outreach for parentsand families of children with disabilities."

In their review, eparent.com says of Max:

Children who sometimes find themselves in trouble accidentally will enjoy joining Max as she learns that there are good ways and bad ways to be energetic, and that even when she is in trouble, she is still very much loved just like they are.

Thanks for the kind words from eparent.com!

ihelppets.com likes Max!

A recent review of Bad Dog Max! on ihelppets.com had this to say:

This endearing tale of the rascally Max will delight kids who often find themselves on the receiving end of the word "No!" The vivid illustrations and humorous text work together to reassure children that, even when they are in trouble, they are still loved.

Thanks for the nice review!