There's a lot of controversy in the world of literature in general, and children's books in particular, about the Corona pandemic. Should it be addressed or should it be skimmed over? If it's addressed, how thoroughly? Do kids really need to read about it after living through it, or will it just upset them? My opinion - as valid or not valid as anyone else's - is yes, we should be talking about it, for two reasons in particular; one, children can process their own experiences through reading someone else's; and two, these novels will form part of the historical record in years to come. This experience, horrific as it was in some places, deserves and needs to be recorded for the future. And Max Counts to a Million is an important part of that.
There, now the heavy stuff is out of the way...
Max is a really funny, very touching read. Max is very relatable in the ways he experiences and contextualises things - his visual of the virus is perfect and very funny. I cried a couple of times while reading as Max went through highs and lows - I don't want to spoil anything, but there's a couple of really sad moments to balance out the fun of the rest of it!
(Also, the World Record people nitpicking at him feels really authentic for no reason I can really put my finger on...)
This is a fantastic read that I highly recommend; it's going to be really useful to help kids, and it's also just a really good read.
There, now the heavy stuff is out of the way...
Max is a really funny, very touching read. Max is very relatable in the ways he experiences and contextualises things - his visual of the virus is perfect and very funny. I cried a couple of times while reading as Max went through highs and lows - I don't want to spoil anything, but there's a couple of really sad moments to balance out the fun of the rest of it!
(Also, the World Record people nitpicking at him feels really authentic for no reason I can really put my finger on...)
This is a fantastic read that I highly recommend; it's going to be really useful to help kids, and it's also just a really good read.