Mister Max: The Book of Lost Things (Mister Max, #1)

by Cynthia Voigt

Other authorsIacopo Bruno (Illustrator)

Paperback, 2013

Status

Available

Call number

J4B.Voi

Publication

Alfred A. Knopf [First Edition, Advance Reader's Copy]

Pages

367

Description

When Max's parents leave the country without him, he must rely on his wits to get by, and before long he is running his own--rather unusual--business.

Description

Max Starling's theatrical father likes to say that at twelve a boy is independent. He also likes to boast (about his acting skills, his wife's acting skills, a fortune only his family knows is metaphorical), but more than anything he likes to have adventures. Max Starling's equally theatrical mother is not a boaster but she enjoys a good adventure as much as her husband. When these two disappear, what can sort-of-theatrical Max and his not-at-all theatrical grandmother do? They have to wait to find out something, anything, and to worry, and, in Max's case, to figure out how to earn a living at the same time as he maintains his independence. This is the first of three books, all featuring the mysterious Mister Max.

Series

Mister Max (1)

Collection

Juvenile

Barcode

7103

Language

English

Original language

English

Original publication date

2013-09

Physical description

367 p.; 7.8 inches

ISBN

0307976815 / 9780307976819

Lexile

890L

User reviews

LibraryThing member Jenn.S

Aside from needing a through editing (Read: Remove commas) I found this one a bit too far down the far-fetched scale to be enjoyable. To verify my feelings I had a middle school child read part of the book. They agreed and did not want to continue reading the book. The characters didn't feel

believable or fleshed out. Too many strings felt abandoned in the plot, which didn't reach any sort of conclusion.

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LibraryThing member hrose2931

I have been reading some fabulous Middle Grade fiction and this book continues that trend! I don't even remember requesting this book but it was in my NetGalley books so if it's still available and you read Middle Grade fiction, this is a great book! It even had illustrations in it and even on my

old Kindle they were amazing. The chapters were all titled, some with funny names like "In which Max doesn't want to get out of bed, Grammie is bossy, and Madame Olenka enters the scene". And the chapters were manageable so that even a reader that isn't that comfortable with chapter books could easily read a chapter and come back to it later or mom or dad could read it at night, a chapter or two before bedtime.

Max is on the verge of being independent or so his dad has always said he is at the age of twelve. He doesn't feel that way, at least not as Max. But then he adopts the personnas of some of the characters in the plays he's seen his parents act in. Thankfully Max is a bit unremarkable and is able to pull off the chameleon like attitude and looks he needs to, and he's tall for his age. He becomes a detective of sorts, though he's quick to say he isn't one. He's a substitute teacher. A dog catcher. A gardener. A painter. But deep down, he's a very worried twelve year old boy.

His Grammie lives in a house right behind him and she wants him to live with her, but he can't stand that. He doesn't want to give up his independence and is very creative, resourceful and lucky in finding ways to make money to stay independent. He even gets an unwanted partner in his business, finder of lost things or "solutioneer" as he decides to call himself. But he isn't able to solve the biggest question. Where are his parents and why did they leave without him? What do his father's cryptic notes mean? And what's with that picture in the newspaper? And a very small part worries that they left him behind on purpose.

The characters in this novel are wonderful from the lost heir, to the stern but lovable Grammie to the annoying Pia. Their personalities are distinctive and you come to know them well. The setting is in the past as Max doesn't have a telephone and automobiles are scarce. I think it takes place in England. Max rides everywhere on his bike and you'll applaud Max for his fair decision making and his attempts to make life better for those around him.

I can't wait for the next book in this series and I think I'll buy my own copy of this novel. I believe it will become a favorite that I will read to future generations.

Thanks to the publishers who provided a copy for review through NetGalley for review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. I was not compensated for my review.

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LibraryThing member 68papyrus

When Max Starlings' parents disappear under suspicious circumstances it's up to Max and his Grammie to figure out what happened. Although, Grammie lives next door 12 year old Max decides to become more independent and takes on detective work. I was excited to read this book which has a suspenseful

premise. The book was well written but the pace was extremely slow. I'm not sure that this book will resonate well with its intended audience because of the lack of action throughout most of the book. This book is part of a planned series and a sneak peek is provided at the end of this book. Unfortunately, the second installment appears to be no more exciting than the first. I do want to see how the disappearance of Max's parents is solved and may read the second book to find out more.

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LibraryThing member LaurenAileen

Mister Max, age 12, has recently lost his parents on a mysterious boat that never existed. Together with his Grammie and a cast of other characters, he sets out to find out what happened to them while struggling to earn his independence.

I really liked the premise of the book, but agree with a

previous reviewer that the lack of proofreading made getting through it a lot more difficult There were some sentences that I read over and over again and still didn't understand what they were meant to say. Aside from that, I found the story to be a bit outlandish (he's 12 - people wouldn't constantly think he's an adult, and also - his parents are missing and he spends about 30 seconds trying to "solve" that problem then neglects it for the rest of the book), but that's to be expected. The plot moved quickly and I actually found Max to be a likeable character. I think those who are interested in historical fiction that's heavy handed on the fiction and light on history will enjoy Max's adventures. There's a second book coming and I'll be interested to see where this plot goes.

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LibraryThing member sallyawolf

When Max’s parents mysteriously go missing, can Max rise to the challenge or will he crumble under the weight of it all? You will just have to read this fantastic book to find out. To tell you the truth I finished this book some time ago, but have been unable to review it. Not because it was bad

in any way; on the contrary, it is so good I was afraid that I would not do justice to another wonderful book by one of my favorite authors of all time. It is funny, as an avid reader, I have read many wonderful books, several of them are in my top ten, but for some reason I have been apprehensive about writing this review. When I was little, I was abused by my stepmother and her son. At age ten I was taken out of my home and placed in the care of my aunt and uncle. I was lost and unsure of myself so I went to the only place I have ever felt fully at home: the library. The librarian saw me sitting alone at a table reading and approached me. She asked what kind of books I like to read. I promptly told her that I read whatever I could get my hands on. She smiled and led me to a section where all of Cynthia Voigt books were kept. I started with Homecoming and worked my way through all the books they had by her. When I finished, I re-read them all. I even got the privilege to give a vote to A Solitary Blue, and Dicey's Song for their reader rewards. I am now 35 years old and I have shared Cynthia Voigt’s work with my children. She is now their favorite author as well.
I recently I got the privilege of reading the pre-review copy of Mister Max And The Book of Lost things through NET Galley. This honor was so overwhelming I will be forever grateful for it. If the author ever reads this review I wanted to tell you that you have not lost the ability to touch my heart. I would recommend this book to everyone and as soon I can I will be adding it to my library.
I received this book as an early review copy for my honest review and I have given it. The opinions expressed herein are my own.

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LibraryThing member sallyawolf

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LibraryThing member PatienceFortitude

Fun, funny and sweet. I would recommend it to middle grade readers. I saw a few of the plot twists coming, but I think that was a flaw of reading it as a grown up rather than a flaw of the book. And I stayed up too late because I wanted to finish it.

LibraryThing member PatienceFortitude

LibraryThing member amysisson

I'm assuming this is a middle grade reader, and the cover (this was an advance reading copy) says that it's the first of a trilogy. Max is the son of theatrical parents in London at some time period.... earlier than now. (I'm not very good at identifying specific historical time periods unless

there's a major indicator, such as WWII, I'm afraid.) His parents receive an offer to travel to India to found a theater company for a member of royalty there, but they disappear from the docks and Max and his librarian grandmother discover that the Indian ruler does not actually exist. Max must try to discover what happened to his parents and find a way to make a living while they're gone. He ends up as a detective of sorts, a finder of lost things and a problem-solver.

This book is cute and I'm not sorry I read it, but it didn't blow me away or anything. It didn't have quite as much charm for me as, say, the Theodosia books by R. L. LaFevers, which are a middle-grade cross between Nancy Drew and Indiana Jones. With Max, there were a few too many coincidences, in that many of the problems Max stumbles across end up being highly interconnected in an unrealistic way. But it's fairly clever and well-written, and I enjoyed the way that every character described the color of Max's eyes very specifically, yet completely differently.

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LibraryThing member Pabkins

The premise given for The Book of Lost Things sounded so promising I couldn’t resist swooping up this middle grade title. As expected with a number of MG books I had to suspend belief / disbelief and just roll with things no matter how silly I felt things were getting. In this respect, I

definitely believe this one a title for children, and not one that would work well as a cross over. At least not for me personally. When I read middle grade fiction I approach it trying to put myself into a preteen mindset of – will my nephews enjoy this? Will I enjoy reading this with my child? In this case I would say kids would likely enjoy this, but an adult would be less likely to.

Unfortunately, The Book of Lost Things falls into the very small realm of books I can’t bring myself to continue. We start off with Max’s parents getting kidnapped and he is determined to save them. But he gets so completely sidetracked constantly that it makes me wonder what was really the main point. Finally I decided it just wasn’t for me because I found myself not caring.

But here are a few people that I know either loved or seriously enjoyed the book. So you don’t have to take my word for it.

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LibraryThing member Mirandalg14

Thanks to netgalley.com and Random House Children's for allowing me access to this title.

I have always loved Cynthia Voight ever since I read the Tillman Cycle when I was young. Her wonderful writing and storytelling continues here.

I loved the world building and the characters were fantastic.

Overall, I thought this was a great book. My only issue was that I didn't see a 12 year-old being able to pull of the character changes that Max does. There are few boys his age that would be able to look older at all, let alone as middle-aged men. Perhaps 14 would have fit better.

A great read I will definitely recommend for those who love a good mystery in a historical setting.

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LibraryThing member mfdavis

Enjoyable read -- reminiscent of "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" (a child is left alone to fend for himself in the world & must figure out how to survive & solve the mystery of his parents' disappearance without alerting the dreaded "authorities.")

LibraryThing member jen.e.moore

This was utterly, absolutely charming, and I look forward to reading a lot more.

LibraryThing member rretzler

Mister Max: The Book of Lost Things is the first book in the Mister Max series by Cynthia Voigt. Ms. Voigt is the author of Dicey’s Song, which won the Newbery Medal in 1983, and A Solitary Blue, which was a Newbery Honor Book in 1984. Her book, The Callender Papers, won the Edgar Award in

1984.

Max Starling is a twelve-year-old boy, who lives with his parents, William and Mary, in the Old City part of Queensbridge in the early years of the last century. His grandmother, the town’s librarian, lives in the house next door. William and Mary Starling are actors, and they own the Starling Theatrical Company. One Sunday, the Starlings receive a letter from the Maharajah of Kashmir inviting them to come to India and teach his subjects how to act and perform plays. On the day that they are to leave, Max wants to have one last lesson with his art teacher, so he asks to meet his parents at the harbor before the ship is to sail. After his lesson, Max arrives at the docks early, but can find no trace of the ship he is to board or his parents. Discouraged, Max receives a note from his father indicating that he is to return home and wait with his grandmother for his parents’ return. Grammie does some research and finds that there is no such person as the Maharajah of Kashmir in India and that there is no ship with the name on which Max’s parents were to sail. As they do not know where Max’s parents are, nor when they are to return, Max and Grammie soon realize that Max must earn some money for food and other necessities. Max finds a young boy in the park, whom he accidentally returns to his mother, and she recommends him to others. Dressing up using his family’s theatrical clothing, Max quickly starts to get jobs such as finding a lost dog, a lost priceless spoon, and other things. But can he find his lost parents?

This book is recommended for grades five through eight. I found it to be a fun and easy read. The illustrations by Iacopo Bruno were very nicely done and added to my enjoyment of the book. I felt that the author showed a lot of imagination in the different activities that Max took on and the various costumes that he wore for each. A few major plot themes had some synchronicity to them, which an aware reader would soon connect, but which took Max nearly the length of the book to do so. That does not mean that Max was unintelligent. He called himself a “Solutioneer” and worked out most things in an intelligent manner, without much outside help, but sometimes with a little bit of luck. The book had just the right amount of action versus brain work, I thought.

I think this book would be enjoyed by both girls and boys in the 9-12 age range. Although there are two more books in this series, I will probably not read them. However, I will highly recommend them to my 10-year-old son as I think they would be very enjoyable to him.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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LibraryThing member jms001

A fun story about a boy and his search for lost things.

I listened to this on audiobook, and found it to be moderately enjoyable. I'm not sure if it was the narrator or the writing, but my ability to stay focused to the narration while doing other busywork waxed and waned over time. I understood the

overall story, I suppose, but wasn't able to completely appreciate the details. Perhaps I'll give it another try in the future by reading it.

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LibraryThing member roses7184

Ah, Mister Max. What an intriguing young fellow he was. I have to tell you that, although most will list this as Middle Grade, I think it bridges the gap. It's true that our hero is a mere twelve years old. However he's wise well beyond his years and, I won't lie, his personality is infectious. Max

Starling is one of those characters who is going to cause a lot of readers to smile, no matter what their age.

I'm sure you're wondering why, if I loved Max so very much, I rated this book as I did. Let me explain. The characters in this book are superb. Every single one, from Max's grandmother right on down to Pia, Max's would be apprentice, is well fleshed out. Each character has their own set of quirks. Each has their own distinct personality that makes them instantly likable, or unlikable, as the story calls for. I can't deny that I was impressed by Cynthia Voigt's characters. Max and his comrades were great fun to follow.

Sadly, it was the story line itself that fell short for me. Max's back story is fascinating enough. Raised by theatrical parents, left alone due to mysterious circumstances, and trying to manage all by himself at only twelve years old. I was excited by the prospect of what he might get up to. Still, as enjoyable as some of the situations he found himself in were, it all read very slowly. It takes a long time for anything exciting to happen in Max's story. When it did, I read eagerly. Then I'd be left waiting for the next bit of excitement. I can't say for certain, but if I was left wanting I'm sure that a younger reader would be as well.

The ending also threw me for a loop. There isn't so much a cliffhanger as there is an abrupt end to it all. I was happy to glimpse at least some of what was to come, but I really wish more had been tied up. Despite everything though, I know I'll come back for more. Max was able to peak my interest, and I want to see what happens to him, and his family, in the next book.

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LibraryThing member sdramsey

I found this book to be an absolute delight. It was fun and engaging, with real mysteries and intrigues while also being very whimsical. Max was so much fun, with his acting and painting and very real need to "figure things out" on his own, and the supporting characters were just as great. I liked

the almost fairy-tale feeling that overarched the whole story. I sure wish I'd had it to read when I was in grade 4 or 5 because I would have absolutely loved it then, too. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.

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LibraryThing member reader1009

2013 children's newbery hopeful (not a winner, in my opinion); historical fiction adventure/mystery. I know they're not intended to be the most likeable characters, but I was annoyed by Max's parents straight off the bat, and had to skim over the first couple chapters just to get through it. I made

it to page 72 or so (chapter 5) but didn't feel compelled to finish. The characters fall flat, and somewhat humdrum; the setting also feels stale and banal. I might recommend as a read aloud to theatre-loving families, but I tend to stay away from those families, so I probably won't.

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