Customer Reviews

Hanging on to Max

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Sam Pettigrew is a senior in high school. And he has a baby. Yes-a baby. His girlfriend got pregnant the previous year, decided that she couldn't handle raising the baby, and Sam felt a need to raise his son. Now, Sam's going to an alternative high school and juggling classes, college hopes...and baby Max. The mix only gets tougher when he meets Claire, a fellow teenage parent who Sam definitely has feelings for. Yet no matter what happens, Sam is determined to prove to the world that he's not a stupid teenage guy and that he CAN hang on to Max.

Like I said, this is definitely a book that needed to be written and needs to be read. Many of us at some point or another have read the typical "pregnant teenage girl" novels and they certainly offer valuable perspectives. Yet it seems that we rarely come into contact with novels that explore a MALE's feelings about the issue. "Hanging Onto Max" definitely corrects this problem.

But "Hanging Onto Max" is more than just a mediocre novel with a rarely-done perspective- its main character is just as memorable as the content. I literally checked this book out from the library, read the first page, and raced through the novel until I finished it.

Sam is just that kind of a character. He is realistically "male" without being a stereotype, and his thoughts and words reverberate with a piercing, understated truth. Flashbacks of Sam's experiences with his girlfriend and of life "before" are also unusually well done. Through them, Bechard managed to perfectly capture Sam's previous experiences and thus allow the reader to understand his current situation better. As I read, I felt like Sam was really a person-he is one of those characters you literally feel a "warmth" and empathy toward. The writing is blunt, quick, and free of pretentious prose. This only makes Sam better.

Without a doubt, "Hanging Onto Max" succeeds at exploring one of the toughest issues. Not only is it from an intriguing male perspective, it deals with the issue of teen pregnancy with realism, empathy, and a fearlessness when it comes to exploring the gut-wrenching choices that those involved must make.

When I started reading this book " Hanging on to Max" I became intersted very quickly. At first I know it had to do with a baby. So I read the back of the book to find out more. After reading that I know I had to buy this book and start reading right away.

Hanging on to Max is about a young teen named Sam who has a girlfriend named Brittany. As the relationship moves on Brittany becomes pregant. After Brittany has her child, she then wants to give her child up for adoption. Sam feels that he can't give his child up, so works hard to take care of his son, Max, and tries his best to stay in school. Now Sam is raising his son on his own. So Sam gets his SAT scores back and since they are high scores Sam can go to college, but Sam has a big decision to back. Will Sam give up Max so he can go to college?

I believe that this book can relate to alot of teens who have a child and are raising their baby on their own.

17-year-old Sam has taken custody of his newborn son and with the help of his own father, is adjusting to fatherhood while trying to maintain life as a high school senior.

The novel explores the emotional rollercoasters teen parents might face without glorifying or simplifying it. This book is a refreshing one, not only for its teen male perspective, but for its lack of propaganda against teen sex.

Bechard acknowledges that teenagers have sex and become parents without adopting a scolding tone in what could have easily become a 200-page advertisement for abstinence. Instead, she depicts a realistic look at teenagers struggling to find themselves in their new roles as parents. They've become parents, a situation that cannot be reversed. What to do now? Only Sam can answer that question for himself and Max. This book takes you on the journey as Sam and his peers try to find their answers.

Since the book's core themes relate to daily life, not just teen parenting, the book is really for anyone who's ever struggled (or is currently struggling) with a sense of a lost identity. It made me think about who I am as a person, and how I came to be the way I am.

I just finished this book today and was very impressed.

This is the story of Sam. A high school student who got his girlfriend Brittany pregnant. She had the baby, then deciding she wasn't ready to be a mother, decided to give him up for adoption. Sam isn't ready to let go of his newborn son and decides to become custodial parent of young Max, waving farewell to Brittany as she and her family leave Oregon for Boise, Idaho where she can start a new life.

However, Sam is just beginning his new existence while he tries to juggle school, his friends, his love interests, family, and Max. Everyone admires him for accepting the responsibility although he feels awkward at his alternative school with the daycare program where he's the only MALE single parent.

Max is prepared to give up any hopes of college or a life of his own, agreeing to become a construction worker after he graduates this, his senior year, of high school to pay back his dad for all the baby expenses. Then, she comes along.

He never forgot Claire, the girl he'd had a crush on since the 6th grade who he left behind at his regular high school along with his best friend Andy. Now she reappears in his life with her infant daughter Emily. As they adjust to newfound parenthood together while trying to forge a relationship, Sam tries to become used to this new routine although a part in him cries out for something more, that will lead to the ultimate life-changing decision: can he keep Max?

This sad, but sweet tale will leave you pitying the main characters and wondering what you'd do in Sam's place. Great read.

Hanging on to Max by Margaret Bachard is a book about a boy named Sam Pettigrow living through his senior year as a parent. Sam was no typical 17-year boy. At this stage of the game Sam was already changing diapers and pushing around strollers. Sam was a teenage father balancing parenting duties and schoolwork. His former girlfriend Brittney couldn?t handle being a teenage mother and was going to give up her new baby boy, Max. Sam couldn?t let this happen so he took over the roll of being a father.
Sam started to go to an alternative school that had a day care built into it for teenage mothers and fathers. Sam was so busy juggling schoolwork and taking care of Max and never had anytime for himself. Sam meets a former friend Emily from his old high school who also is a parent. Emily shows Sam that things aren?t as easy as they should be.
This story was heartbreaking, humorous, you can relate to this story and was very realistic. I really enjoyed reading this story and I think you would enjoy reading this story also if your a boy or girl anyone can benefit from reading this and you can learn many things from reading this story.

Margaret Bechard's book Hanging On To Max teaches teenagers the consequences of their actions. The main character, Sam, learns how to deal with his own consequences when he finds out that his girlfriend is pregnant and wants to give up the baby for adoption. On impulse, he decides that he doesn't want to see his child be raised by strangers. He gets custody of his son and has to cope with the reality of raising a newborn.

Throughout the book, Sam has to deal with the everyday hardships that come along with having a baby. At such a young age, he struggles with balancing school, studying for the SATs, and falling in love again.

The book Hanging on to Max has many significant lessons that can be learned throughout it. One important message the author tries to send out to young teens is to think about the consequences that could happen before acting on impulse. This is suddenly a problem for Sam and Brittany when they find out that she is going to have a baby. Suddenly, they have a bigger problem that they could've imagined. When Brittany decides to give up the baby for adoption, Sam has to deal with even more, because he makes the tough decision of keeping the baby. Sam's whole world will soon be all about Max and being a good father. Instead of worrying of making varsity basketball and his plans for Friday night, he has to worry about midnight feedings and making ends meet.

Though the book sends a strong and realistic message, some teens may find it to be unrealistic. Just when Sam seems to be coping with the responsibility that comes with the baby, he makes the decision to give him up. Most readers see this as a shock because adoption never really seemed to be a choice. Another thing that might be unappealing about this book is that it moves somewhat slowly. Readers might see Sam's reality as uneventful and dull, but the fact is that having a baby changes your life dramatically.

Overall this book is a great way to show just how realistic this situation is, and how it can happen if you don't take responsibility for your actions. This book teaches teenagers to take a step back and look at what could possibly happen to them or someone they love.

Hanging on to Max was an awesome story. It held my atttition the whole time. I would definitly reccomend this book to all teenagers.

Ages 16-18. Sam is an ordinary senior student who likes to play sports and hangout with his bestfriend Andy. Hanging on to Max is a title that fits the book because it describes a big obstacle that Sam must overcome. Sam and his girlfriend Brittiany becomes very serious and Brittiany winds up pregant. Brittiany soon after her delievery decided to move to Boise, Idaho. Here's the catch, Brittiany wants to give up Max for adoption. So she can start a neew life. Sam feels hurt but he works hard to keep Max and stay in school. Sam raises Max and gets attached to him but ironically makes a decision that will affect both of their lifes. Since Sam had high SAT scores he probably decided to go to college.

Many situation throughout, Hanging on to Max, can be realated to many teens. As the more you get to learn about Sam thee more interesting he becomes. This is not a long book it is worth your time reading because in the end it could help you in the long run. It seemed as if Sam was a person that I actually knew since his thoughts and situation were rea. The decision that he made kept me thinking, so will you.

I was never into reading--this book helped me get back into it. I loved the characters of Sam and Claire and the book showed how hard it must be to be a teenaged parent! Very well written book..5 stars

also recommended: Jake Reinvented by Gordon Korman

I just picked this book up from the library cause I needed a book to read and it blew me away! And you can't help feeling emotionally tied to Sam (father) and Max(baby). And I love how the author would sometimes have "memory clips" but wouldn't make you confused. I would suggest this book to anyone! I made my mom and sister read it after me and they loved it too. If I could, it'd be 10 stars instead of a crummy 5.