Maxine
A coming-of-age story about discovering your identity and being yourself from one of Australia's most revered bookmakers
Age 3+
Picture Storybooks
Max is now a big brother! Fans of the late-blooming superhero will be thrilled to meet super-sibling Maxine, who flies high with style – her own.
Max has a new baby sister – Maxine! Max is there for her first words, her first steps and … her first flight! But as Maxine grows up and starts school, she doesn’t feel like she quite fits in. In fact, she’s not sure if she feels comfortable in her superhero guise at all. Can Maxine convince her family that not all superheroes wear capes?
With a strong, incredibly smart girl at its centre, this is a book to inspire any child to dream big and be exactly who, and how, they want to be.
Resources
Creators
Bob Graham is a Kate Greenaway-winning bookmaker who has written and illustrated many acclaimed children's picture books including Ellie's Dragon, The Poesy Ring, Home in the Rain, How to Heal a Broken Wing, How the Sun Got to Coco's House, Max, Jethro Byrde: Fairy Child and The Underhills. A Bus Called Heaven is endorsed by Amnesty International UK and was the winner of the Children's Book Council of Australia Picture Book of the Year Award – a prize Bob has won an unprecedented seven times. He has been awarded the prestigious Prime Minister's Literary Award in Australia twice, for Silver Buttons and Home in the Rain.
Reviews
Maxine contributes to the ‘it’s okay to be different’ genre, empowering its young female character with her own strengths; she is exceedingly bright, and gently pushes the boundaries of tradition, reminding her mother that ‘things will always be changing’. The book, like many of Graham’s others, features a positive representation of a loving and supportive family of likeable, distinctive characters…Graham is unquestionably Australian picture book royalty
Books and Publishing
Bob Graham infuses a little bit of life’s magic into every one of his books. We first met the Superhero family in Graham’s 2005 picture book, Max. Now Max is about to become a big brother and everyone’s excited. Baby Maxine arrives and she’s born wearing her superhero mask. She’s a perfect fit for the Superhero family. As Maxine grows, she discovers that maybe, just maybe, there’s more to her life than what was expected of her. But can she be true to herself and not let her family down? Accepting change is often challenging, especially when families are concerned. As always, Graham tackles big issues such as this, with loving care. His writing is purposeful and inspires hope and joy. Maxine is a beautiful tale of accepting change and finding your true self.
Reading Time
In Bob Graham’s latest, Max and his parents – Superhero Madam Thunderbolt and Captain Lightning – are a famous crime-fighting family waiting for the arrival of their baby. Maxine, born on the stroke of midnight, is not like other kids, and as she grows up and starts school, she realises just how different she really is. Maxine (Walker Books) is a story about self-empowerment, finding your way and encouraging young readers to stick to it, no matter what.
Sydney Morning Herald
