Customer Reviews

Maxwell's Mountain

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
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I am seven and a half years old, and i really like this book. i think it is a good book because it teaches kids how to be a mountaun climber. my brother who is 3 liked it too. we liked the ending, and i thought it was funny.

I am a Kindergarten teacher who was thrilled to read Maxwell's Mountain to my class. This year (5 years old) is all about gaining a sense of sense, individuality, confidence, risk-taking, and independent problem-solving. Maxwell's Mountain fit right into our All About Me social studies curriculum. My students loved it. Some reactions were: "It's important because it teaches you how to climb a mountain!" "You can do it if you really try hard," "It tells you to listen to your heart," "It reminds me of Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel." The children really like the illustrations - especially the two page verticle spread. I'm sure we'll be reading it again soon.

This is a great book, with an inspiring and educational lesson: work hard and prepare and you will succeed. In contrast to books like "Frederick," this book teaches kids what it really takes to succeed in life, and does it with a charming story and great illustrations. And, with all due respect to the reviewer from Durango, unless you live in the Rockies, the mountain is tall enough. We live in New York City, and it seemed like an accomplishment to me.

Written by Shari Becker and illustrated by Nicole Wong, Maxwell's Mountain (a Junior Library Guild Selection) is the story of a young boy who prepares and trains himself to climb to the top of a rocky mountain near his home. Though the mountain doesn't have snow-capped peaks in the stratosphere, it nonetheless poses its share of dangers that Maxwell must study for. Buildinig up his physical endurance, and learning the strategy of an outdoorsman, Maxwell puts his preparations to good use, and must face challenges one step at a time as he climbs to the top. A rewarding storoy about dedication and perseverance, and the importance of balancing commitment to a goal with responsibility and keeping a cool head.

All of the other reviews are right on but the true test of time is what makes a good children's book, a classic for your family. This is one of those books that your children will want to read to their children. Hang on to this one...a great message with beautiful illustrations.

This is a great book for children. Does a nice job of showing the values of planning and training for a goal/adventure. It does this without taking away the excitment of the goal/adventure itself. I bought 3 more to share with children of friends.

Maxwell's Mountain is a fabulous story of a little boy who is so intrigued by the mountain near his park, that he sets his sights on climbing, by himself, all the way to the top. His determination eventually wins over his parents, who reluctantly support the thoughtful and very hard work Maxwell does in preparation for his great adventure. This is a book chock full of lessons worthy of aspiring to for any young child. Maxwell follows his heart, with hard work and commitment overcomes the objections of his parents, and, when his climb does not go exactly as planned, he uses great problem solving skills to realize his dream. This is a great story by Shari Becker, complimented by Nicole E. Wong's beautiful watercolor illustrations. I highly recommend this book.

Laurie Lasky, M.S.W., Early Childhood Educator
Brookline, Massachusetts

My son loves hearing this story about Maxwell climbing the mountain over and over. This is a well written book that teaches children to be prepared before setting out on an adventure, a lesson that all parents want their children to learn. Buy a copy for your preschooler, especially if you love the outdoors.

My 4 year old son was intrigued with Maxwell from the start and it has become one of his very favorite books! He loves the outdoors and is interested in hiking and this lovely story about perseverance, overcoming obstacles and challenging yourself has some great lessons for adults and children alike. This book sparked my son's interest in drawing maps, learning the cardinal points and playing with compasses. We've also introduced him to geocaching so this was a great introduction. We eagerly await the next one :-)