Max Explains Everything: Puppy Expert

Illustrated by Deborah Hocking
$7.99 US
Penguin Young Readers | G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
On sale Jul 07, 2020 | 9780399545030
Age 3-7 years
Reading Level: Lexile AD300L | Fountas & Pinnell L
Sales rights: World
In this hilarious, tongue-in-cheek guide, kid-expert Max reveals everything you need to know about getting a new puppy.

Max knows a lot about puppies. After all, he's wanted one his whole life! So he's pretty much an expert. Grown-ups will warn you: Puppies are a lot of work. And they're right! Your puppy will need the perfect bed (which she'll never sleep in), the perfect toys (though she prefers playing with shoes and socks), and the perfect treats (she likes those, but she'll also have whatever you're eating). Dogs aren't good listeners like kids are, and they have a lot to learn. So you might have to take her to doggy school. (Her favorite part will probably be recess.) Yup, a puppy is a big responsiblity--but also a lot of fun, a lot of cute, a lot of cuddle, and a lot of love. Full of humor, energy, and warmth, Max Explains Everything: Puppy Expert is the perfect read aloud for animal lovers everywhere.
"A kid’s entitled to more than one enthusiasm, and, as his bedroom decor attests, Max (of Max Explains Everything: Soccer Expert) still loves soccer but is now building a relationship with his longed-for new puppy. Getting the dog was surprisingly easy: Mom took the bait upon seeing a pet event in the paper, and Max brought home his choice from the Pet Adoption Fair. Getting this pup acclimated and disciplined—or even named—is no cinch; in fact, as alert listeners will probably discern, it’s pretty similar to bringing a child to heel. As Max describes necessary benchmarks, illustrator Hocking again supplies with visuals what Max leaves out. Take, for instance, Step Three, “Your puppy will need the perfect bed.” True, as far as it goes, but a peek at Max at night shows him sprawled on the mattress, the puppy sprawled in his pillow, and the dog bed lying empty on the floor. Or Step Five, which we’ll never know, because the puppy has torn it to shreds. By book’s end, though, Max has himself a real pet to love, and after observing that dogs are “a lot of fun,” “a lot of cute,” “a lot of cuddle,” and “a lot of love,” he also has a name for his puppy—“Alotta.” And who could ask for a better ending than that?" —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

About

In this hilarious, tongue-in-cheek guide, kid-expert Max reveals everything you need to know about getting a new puppy.

Max knows a lot about puppies. After all, he's wanted one his whole life! So he's pretty much an expert. Grown-ups will warn you: Puppies are a lot of work. And they're right! Your puppy will need the perfect bed (which she'll never sleep in), the perfect toys (though she prefers playing with shoes and socks), and the perfect treats (she likes those, but she'll also have whatever you're eating). Dogs aren't good listeners like kids are, and they have a lot to learn. So you might have to take her to doggy school. (Her favorite part will probably be recess.) Yup, a puppy is a big responsiblity--but also a lot of fun, a lot of cute, a lot of cuddle, and a lot of love. Full of humor, energy, and warmth, Max Explains Everything: Puppy Expert is the perfect read aloud for animal lovers everywhere.

Praise

"A kid’s entitled to more than one enthusiasm, and, as his bedroom decor attests, Max (of Max Explains Everything: Soccer Expert) still loves soccer but is now building a relationship with his longed-for new puppy. Getting the dog was surprisingly easy: Mom took the bait upon seeing a pet event in the paper, and Max brought home his choice from the Pet Adoption Fair. Getting this pup acclimated and disciplined—or even named—is no cinch; in fact, as alert listeners will probably discern, it’s pretty similar to bringing a child to heel. As Max describes necessary benchmarks, illustrator Hocking again supplies with visuals what Max leaves out. Take, for instance, Step Three, “Your puppy will need the perfect bed.” True, as far as it goes, but a peek at Max at night shows him sprawled on the mattress, the puppy sprawled in his pillow, and the dog bed lying empty on the floor. Or Step Five, which we’ll never know, because the puppy has torn it to shreds. By book’s end, though, Max has himself a real pet to love, and after observing that dogs are “a lot of fun,” “a lot of cute,” “a lot of cuddle,” and “a lot of love,” he also has a name for his puppy—“Alotta.” And who could ask for a better ending than that?" —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books