Max Found Two Sticks (Reading Rainbow Book) [Hardcover]

Brian Pinkney (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Reading Rainbow Book

It was a day when Max didn't feel like talking to anyone. He just sat on his front steps and watched the clouds gather in the sky.

A strong breeze shook the tree in front of his house, and Max saw two heavy twigs fall to the ground.

So begins this story of a young boy's introduction to the joys of making music.

Max picks up the sticks and begins tapping out the rhythms of everything he sees and hears around him...the sound of pigeons startled into flight, of rain against the windows, of distant church bells and the rumble of a subway. And then, when a marching band rounds Max's corner, something wonderful happens.

Brian Pinkney's rhythmic text and lively pictures are certain to get many a child's foot tapping, many a youngster drumming.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Max doesn't much feel like talking, so he lets his drumsticks (two twigs, actually) respond to questions and imitate the sounds of his city neighborhood--pigeons startled into flight, rain tapping against a window, a train thundering down the elevated track. By linking Max's "drums" to activities from each previous page (for example, his grandfather is seen washing windows on one page, and in the next, Max is drumming on the cleaning bucket), Pinkney unobtrusively tugs the story forward. The fluid lines of his distinctive scratchboard illustrations fairly swirl with energy, visually translating Max's joy in creating rhythm and sound (Pinkney is well suited to the task, having been a drummer since the age of eight). A serendipitous ending finds the drummer from a passing marching band tossing a spare set of real drumsticks to the delighted Max. Ages 4-8. Children's BOMC alternate.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3-On a day when Max doesn't feel like talking to anyone, a strong breeze shakes two heavy twigs to the ground in front of his brownstone home. Picking them up, the young African-American boy begins to beat out a rhythm that imitates the sound of pigeons startled into flight. Soon he is tapping out the beat of everything around him-rain against the windows, the chiming of church bells, and the thundering sound of a train on its tracks. The snappy text reverberates with the rhythmic song of the city, and Pinkney's swirling, scratchboard-oil paintings have a music of their own. This is an effective depiction of the way in which self-expression takes on momentum, as Max's quiet introspection turns into an exuberant celebration of the world around him.
Anna DeWind, Milwaukee Public Library
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers; 1 edition (February 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671787764
• ISBN-13: 978-0671787769
• Product Dimensions: 0.5 x 8.8 x 11.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,093,210 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully Rhythmic!, May 19, 2002

By 

Cathie B "Smiling Heart" (Malone, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Max Found Two Sticks (Reading Rainbow Books) (Paperback)

I have used this book for several years in my music classroom. I've used it to introduce percussion family, marching band,self-expression and creative compositions. The story itself is wonderfully done, but the illustrations make the book a treasure. My students ask to read this one during Read Aloud Week.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kid in the City, March 21, 2006

By 

L (portland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Max Found Two Sticks (Reading Rainbow Books) (Paperback)

I'm biased because of emotional ties to Brooklyn, but since we moved after my son was born, I was very happy to find and read him this book. It reminds me of the kids on our street there, playing games with what they find - and sticks are pretty harmless as far as city finds go. The illustrations are BEAUTIFUL.

Max consistently answers "what are you doing with those sticks?" musically, not verbally - which isn't necessarily how I want my son to communicate with me, but since we listen to and play a lot of music here, I think it's a good book to show the range of communication, and to show that it's ok to do your own thing without constantly explaining yourself.

While it might be strange to some that Max answers their questions with music, it's actually stranger that people ask absent-mindedly what he's doing when they can see and hear what he's doing - playing music!!
Max has his head on straight, and in the end is rewarded by a parade of musicians passing by, with one passing a pair of "real" drumsticks to him. It's a nice touch, that while his family doesn't get him, other musicians do. Again, I think this encourages kids to have confidence in doing their own thing. (Can you tell this is a resounding value with me?!)

While I'm writing about the plot, I think a serious asset to this book is with the illustrations. My 3 year old doesn't rush to turn pages, he really takes in the drawings. He is very verbal and communicative, but I think this book adds another dimension to his book collection.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is incredible!, February 23, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Max Found Two Sticks (Reading Rainbow Books) (Paperback)

This story is about a boy who loves music and rhythms. He has some drumsticks so he plays music. We loved his music the best! I think people should read this book because people get an idea to be in a band. We would too.