Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Writing Thank-you Notes [Hardcover]

Peggy Gifford (Author), Valorie Fisher (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 12, 2008 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Moxy Maxwell

IT ISN’T AS though Moxy isn’t grateful for her Christmas presents. She is. She’s just not thrilled that she has to write a thank-you note for each one by tomorrow . . . or she will not be allowed to fly to Hollywood to attend a starstudded
Hollywood bash with the father she hasn’t seen in three years. And writing thank-you notes is not something that a world-class Creative Type relishes doing. But it is more than writing thank-you notes that finally prevents Moxy from taking her trip. When her father cancels at the last minute, Moxy is forced to deal with the reality of a situation she doesn’t want to accept, and can’t change. But, not surprisingly, she rises to the occasion brilliantly.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3–5—Eager to avoid the procrastination problems that occurred in Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little (Random, 2007), this resourceful protagonist has promised her mother that she'll finish her holiday thank-you notes by the day after Christmas. Part of the rush is due to the fact that she and her twin, Mark, have been invited to visit their father in California and to attend a Big New Year's Eve Star-Studded Hollywood Bash. Moxy is a year older, but not necessarily wiser, than in the first book, and finds plenty of activities to distract her from her task. As time grows short, she concocts a wild plan to get the notes done on time—one involving her stepfather's brand-new copy machine and a can of gold spray paint. Understandably, disaster ensues, and Moxy must face the consequences, as well as handle some disappointing news. Through it all, the spunky heroine perseveres and even gains a new appreciation for her mother. This sequel continues in the same unusual format as the first book: humorous chapter titles, some chapters with little or no text, and photographs (purportedly taken by Mark). The short chapters, which jump from topic to topic just like Moxy's thoughts, help establish the frenetic mood. Give this to students who are fans of the first book (though it stands on its own) or those who enjoy stories of spirited girls like Sara Pennypacker's Clementine (Hyperion).—Jackie Partch, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Ten-year-old Moxy, a champion procrastinator who put off her summer reading in Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little (2007), here avoids the chore of writing thank-you notes. While laugh-aloud funny in places and blink-back-the-tears sad in others, the book’s humor and pathos may appeal more to adults than to kids. Still, all will enjoy the story’s fresh narration and flawed heroine. And the good-size type, generous line spacing, short chapters, and use of photos will please other procrastinators looking for a read that is at least 150 pages long and doesn’t look babyish. Grades 2-4. --Carolyn Phelan

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Schwartz & Wade (August 12, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375842705
• ISBN-13: 978-0375842702
• Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 0.7 x 8.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,562,764 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, August 27, 2008

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Writing Thank-you Notes (Hardcover)

If you hate writing thank-you notes, then you will want to read about Moxy Maxwell. She is under the pressure of a deadline to write her Christmas thank yous, and it's driving her crazy.

Moxy and her twin brother, Mark, are excited about their upcoming trip to Hollywood. They are going to visit their father, who is considered to be a "big mover and shaker" in the Hollywood scene. They haven't seen him in three years, a fact that greatly distresses their mother. That's sort of what has Moxy confused. Her mother wants them to make this important visit, but at the same time, she is insisting that Moxy write all her Christmas thank yous in one day before she leaves.

Thank-you notes seem incredibly pointless to Moxy. Since Granny George lives with them, she sees her every day, but when Moxy tells Granny thank you verbally, her mother says she will still need to write a thank-you note. She says it is the polite thing to do. So Moxy starts the tedious process, but she soon begins to get ideas about ways to make the job easier.

Some of those time-saving ways involve her little sister, Pansy, an off-limits, brand-new copy machine her step-father got for Christmas, a broken La-Z-Boy chair, and a can of gold spray paint. Moxy's creative ideas wreck havoc on the entire household, and surprisingly don't accomplish much in the way of completed thank-you notes.

Readers will have great fun observing Moxy's crazy schemes and shortcuts. Just as most of us feel, her ideas seem like a good idea at the time, but good ideas don't always come with good results. Author Peggy Gifford has captured the frustration of the 9-12 age group. They will easily relate to Moxy's desires and emotions as she struggles to meet the demands of the adult world and satisfy her own wants as well.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

5.0 out of 5 stars Moxy's hilarious!, November 16, 2008

By 

Kim Baccellia, "YA Books Central reviewer... (Southern California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Writing Thank-you Notes (Hardcover)

Moxy has a problem. She has to write twelve thank you notes or else she won't get to go to Hollywood to see her father. She's been looking forward to this trip but has one little problem. She HATES writing thank you notes. Why can't her mother realize this? When her mother goes to the mall to exchange a dress in time for Moxy's trip, well, let's just Moxy's got some ideas on how to speed this process up.

This book is hilarious!!! I was laughing throughout the story and at Moxy's attics. Also included are photographs of what goes on in Moxy's house. From spray painting HANK YOU on the wall( hey, it wasn't Moxy's fault the paint went over the paper!) to the photo of the macaroni decorated pencil cup holder(who didn't make one of these as a kid?). Funny stuff! I highly recommend this!

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent leisure read for middle school readers, October 11, 2008

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Writing Thank-you Notes (Hardcover)

Peggy Gifford's MOXY MAXWELL DOES NOT LOVE WRITING THANK-YOU NOTES tells of a girl who doesn't want to write twelve thank-you notes to each person who has given her a Christmas gift. And if she doesn't, she won't get to leave for her coveted California vacation the next day. Her schemes to get her thank-you notes done in time are hilarious in this fine story for ages 8-12. An excellent leisure read for middle school readers.