Customer Reviews

Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little

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Starting tomorrow, Moxy Maxwell will be in the fourth grade. That means tonight is her last chance to finish her summer reading assignment: all 144 pages of E. B. White's classic adventure story "Stuart Little." And since Moxy is a great reader--she really does LOVE to read--it shouldn't be a problem, right? Wrong. Because Moxy, like many young kids, is not so good at focusing: she can always find something other than homework that she would rather be doing. And so her hilarious, gregarious, and often precarious struggle to complete (or maybe just avoid) her summer homework is the subject of this winning new chapter book for elementary-age readers.

In quick, funny chapters, Peggy Gifford tells how Moxy's situation slides from serious to nearly cataclysmic in the waning hours of her summer vacation. Parental deadlines are set. Punishments are discussed. When the five-dollar word "consequences" is bandied about, Moxy gets right on the ball... cleaning her room... planting a peach orchard... inventing a backyard hammock stabilizer. In short, doing nearly anything and everything except actually digging in and reading "Stuart Little."

Throughout the book, Valorie Fisher's photographs (taken by Moxy's shutterbug brother Mark in the story) comically illustrate Moxy's widening spiral of procrastination and distraction: There's one of "Stuart Little" soaked in lemonade--and a follow-up shot as ants dog-pile onto the book. We get to see the intended site for Moxy's peach orchard dreams (a.k.a. her mom's flower garden), and we also get a reaction shot as her mom stumbles onto the scene of arboricultural mayhem. Each photo is priceless and perfectly woven into the story. Together, words and pictures relate all the furious, fateful events surrounding Moxy's last precious day of summer.

Rest assured that after much hemming and hawing, and following a complete breakdown in family unity and backyard landscaping, Moxy Maxwell does indeed sit down and read "Stuart Little"--all 144 pages. And, not surprisingly, she loves it.

Moxy Maxwell likes to read. The thing is, she likes to read what she wants to read, and not what someone else tells her to. Now it's almost time for school to start back up, and Moxy has STILL not read her assigned book, Stuart Little. But it's not as if she hasn't been trying to - the book's been everywhere with her all summer. She just hasn't found a good time to actually get to it.

Short, simple, and sweet, Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little is an adorable story. Moxy is a winning heroine who you can't help but laugh at and with. The book revolves around one day, August 23rd, and is accented with photos (taken by Moxy's brother) that give the story a nice touch. I would highly recommend this as a fun, easy read for early readers. It would also make a good read-aloud.

Moxy Maxwell is the most delightful character to come along since Junie B. Peggy Gifford uses a charming, humorous, poignant and insightful way of introducing us to Moxy. This is a wonderful book to use to teach vocabulary and for writing lessons. I hope Ms. Gifford continues to delight us with tales of Moxy and her adventures. Well done!!

Reluctant or struggling readers may enjoy this ninety-two page book because the chapters are short (ranging from one word to only four pages long) and allow the use of white space to relieve the anxiety these particular readers may usually feel. Full and half-page black and white photographs are also included in about every third chapter.

These readers may also enjoy the chapter titles which are seamlessly part of the narration. The font of these titles is larger and (depending on the chapter) may cover half of the page.

Lastly, readers may identify with Moxy's perpetual, humorous diversions as she procrastinates from ... reading a book for class ...

Moxy Maxwell has had all summer to read Stuart Little. There's going to be a quiz on it tomorrow, the first day of school. But has Moxy read the book? Of course not. She's been too busy reading what she has chosen and doing other fun things. Now Moxy needs to get it read today before she is part of a swimming show tonight. And she plans to, too. Just as soon as she cleans her room and comes up with a way to pay for college. Will she ever get it read?

I am something of a procrastinator myself, so I found this book highly amusing. The lengths Moxy went through to put off reading the book were pretty funny. And the results were even funnier. I didn't quite like the way Moxy interacted with her younger sister and a younger friend, but I did find it realistic as well. The black and white photo illustrations greatly added to the charm of the book.

My biggest complaint was the chapter lengths. Most of them were fine, but a couple were only a sentence or two long. I found those more annoying than funny.

Still, this book was a fun read for those time when you want a distraction from what you should be doing.

This amusing, refreshing, and speedy summer read is perfect with a glass of lemonade!

With only one day left of summer vacation, Moxy Maxwell, is down to the last minute to finish her summer reading before starting the 4th grade. And though Moxy had planned all along to read, Stuart Little, there just never were enough "in-between" times during the summer!

This means that Moxy not only has one day left to finish AND start the book, but her mother has also given her an ultimatum. Moxy must finish all 144 pages of, Stuart Little, by 6:00 PM, or Moxy will not be allowed to attend and perform at the, "Goodbye to Summer Splash," program!

But with a room to clean, a word to invent, a dog to train, and a peach orchard to grow, will Moxy find the time to finish all 144 pages of, Stuart Little?

Pefectly written, so that the words come off of the page like they are coming right out of Moxy Maxwell's head! Combine that with rich vocabulary and poignant black and white photographs to create a memorable read that will make you want to smile.

Perfect for a mother/daughter nighttime read or for a teacher read-aloud during the first week of school!

Reviewed by Three Silly Chicks - Readers, Writers, and Reviewers of funny books for kids.


Moxy Maxwell is a perfectly named kid. The only thing this soon-to-be fourth grader has more of than moxy is ideas. She's full of them. Mostly ideas on how to avoid reading STUART LITTLE. Unfortunately, STUART LITTLE Is required summer reading and summer is almost over. It's not that Moxy has anything against convertible-driving mice. Or reading. Moxy LOVES reading. But she hates being told WHAT to read.

Moxy has tried all summer to read the book. Really she has! She has taken it everywhere: In the car, in the hammock, under her spilled glass of lemonade, into the swimming pool. Can Moxy help it that more important things pop up every time she opens that darned book? Who will plant the new peach orchard in her yard if she doesn't do it? Who will invent the automatic hammock stopper if not Moxy? And really folks, rooms don't clean themselves! MOXY MAXWELL DOES NOT LOVE STUART LITTLE is a great, fun read full of charm and humor told in simple, spunky language and documented by photographs taken by Moxy's twin brother (AKA Valorie Fisher). We love Moxy Maxwell and can't wait to hear more from her in the future!

After being assigned the book Stuart Little for summer reading, Moxy Maxwell tries every excuse to avoid reading it right up until the day before the start of school.

I'm sorry to say that I didn't enjoy reading this book and would not recommend it. I don't think that it was captivating enough; it didn't really keep my interest. By the time that Moxy decided it was time to start reading Stuart Little, I had completely lost interest in reading about her.

I was surprised to find myself reading this book and enjoying it so much, moreover relishing pages and lines and often chuckling out loud ... for I am close to five times the age-max they say this book is geared to. And I am myself an author, a best-selling one for Penguin. I hear tell my living-pen is one of the most successful in the world in the poetry department; thus, I am no easy sell. And if a genie came to me tonight and asked if I wanted to replace our current president with someone who might do better, but with someone (a replacement, the genie said) who had to have a dog named Mud and a sweetheart named Sam ... well, even if I knew 10,000 people who had a dog named Mud and a sweetpie named Sam -- I think I would still have to go with Moxy and her luminous mind. For indeed, that is what our president and many senators seem to lack ... enlightenment, wisdom. A great thanks to Peggy Gifford and her wonderful heart and talents that bring Moxy Maxwell so to life for us. And a great thanks to all who helped P.G. with this fine, fine, fine book.

P.S. Moxy never talks of politics, though I just couldn't help to work some in ... what to do with an election coming up.

Daniel Ladinsky
Author, translator/renderer of many things