The New York Times Book Review - Marjorie Ingall
Max is an expressive huge-eyed black ball of kinetic kittenness who pops against each page's bright, differently colored background. Kids will be tickled that they can distinguish a mouse and a monster while Max doesn't, and—spoiler alert—the monster is more funny than scary.
Publishers Weekly
06/22/2015
Vere (Bedtime for Monsters) introduces a small but brave black kitten who is ready to chase some mice. The problem? “Max the Brave just needs to find out what a mouse looks like.” So begins a long chain of interactions with a fly, fish, flock of birds, and other animals, all of whom explain that they are not the mouse Max is looking for and send him on his way. When Max does meet a mouse, the rodent proves to be a quick thinker: “Who me?” he says. “I’m Monster!... But I did just see Mouse asleep over there.” After an unpleasant run-in with a giant green creature that resembles a mutant pickle, Max decides that chasing monsters may be preferable to chasing mice. Vere sets the action against empty, construction-paper-colored backdrops that keep a tight focus on Max and the animals he meets. Both the punchy text and illustrations command attention, and plenty of readers will get a kick out of feeling superior to Max, whose bravery is surpassed only by his gullibility and naiveté. Ages 3–6. (Sept.)
From the Publisher
"Another snazzy book that will appeal to design-savvy parents is Max the Brave...Max is an expressive huge-eyed black ball of kinetic kittenness who pops against each page’s bright, differently colored background. Kids will be tickled that they can distinguish a mouse and a monster while Max doesn’t, and — spoiler alert — the monster is more funny than scary." — The New York Times Sunday Book Review
"Max's guileless personality and single-minded pursuit of his goal make him the perfect stand-in for toddlers, and older children will appreciate Vere's playful wit and wish for Max's return." — Shelf Awareness for Readers-STARRED Review
"Minimalist illustrations and expressive fonts are set against colorful pages to sharpen the reader’s focus on Max and the other animals… Max should find himself chasing Mouse into storytimes again and again." — Booklist
"An instant readaloud hit...Max the Brave has it all: a bold, bumbling superhero; laugh-out-loud preschool humor; eye-catching illustrations; and a fun twist at the end. Kids will ask immediately to hear this one again." — BookPage
"Both the punchy text and illustrations command attention, and plenty of readers will get a kick out of feeling superior to Max" — Publishers Weekly
" A cat-and-mouse game to be laughed at and reread." — Kirkus Reviews
"Full of playful humor...enhanced by the humorous text, character expressions, and a not-scary monster to boot. VERDICT Highly recommended." — School Library Journal
"This great read feels like a classic cartoon where we, as the audience, may know the outcome, but delight in the journey.Bright artwork, fabulous facial expressions on every cute creature Max encounters, along with short sentences placed pleasingly on every page work together making Max the Brave a picture book worthy of multiple reads and huge smiles." — Good Reads With Ronna
" I work with young children and I appreciate a good read aloud. Though good read alouds may be harder to come by, Max the Brave works well in this category too." — Kid Lit Frenzy
"Every kid needs a dose of bravery now and then, and "Max the Brave" by Ed Vere is the gift to wrap and give it. It’s the story of a fearless kitten in a not-so-fearless search for a mouse. I loved the illustrations! " — Bookworm Sez
"Max the Brave is a great storytime book!" — Reading Is Better With Cupcakes
"Funny, simple to read, and colorful, it is a book that will have many kids running around in their own capes soon." — Boricuan Bookworms
"Not only did both of my kids fall in love with this book and this character, but so did I. " — Mamapotamus
"Not only did my cat love the book, but so did I! Tell all your friends about this book; shout it from the roof tops. It is the perfect combination of story, illustration, and humor! " — She Reads Books
"An amusing story with sight gags similar to John Klassen’s "hat" books, this one is sure to have lots of appeal with readers of all ages." — Miss Print
"Ed Vere's book seems minimalist compared to the other works, but just as fun...children will enjoy Max's confusion." — Dubuque Herald
"Max the kitten is so cute and I think this is a story your kids will love too. This is sure to be a classic children’s story. " — Creative House
"With echoes of ARE YOU MY MOTHER in pacing and adorable use of mistaken identity, and a nod to THE GRUFFALO in the twist (two of my favorite classics, BTW) the story isn't about HOW to be brave, but rather what happens when a brave but naif character explores his world. " — Noodling with Words
"Overall, highly recommended. This should DEFINITELY be on your Christmas shopping list for the preschool crowd." — Confessions of a Book Habitue
"This is one of the best picture books I have seen in a while...an awesome book on so many levels don't miss out. " — Mindjacked
"The mix-up is bound to inspire giggles from young readers, and the twist at the end is funny as well. This is a book that is definitely going on my favorites shelf" — Geo Librarian
"This book was good because it was silly. My favorite part was when [ED: spoiler alert!] the mouse played a trick on Max. The pictures of Max were cute and I want to read about him again tomorrow and the day after that." — Watermelons Grow
"This story is funny and creative. I am sure all kids would like this story, and I will tell my friends to read it too. " — Kids’ Book Buzz
"I feel that this will definitely appeal to young kids and maybe even kids first learning to read by themselves. Overall I would recommend it to anyone with kids under 9." — No Books, No Life
"Every kid needs a dose of bravery now and then, and "Max the Brave," by Ed Vere, is the gift to wrap and give it. It’s the story of a fearless kitten in a not-so-fearless search for a mouse. I loved the illustrations! " — Crow River Media
"This is the first book we have read from author Ed Vere and after this, it certainly won’t be our last! This is such a fun book. My boys (ages 4 & 8) laughed the entire time I read it" — As They Grow Up
"If you're looking for a cute and entertaining story to share with a little one, I highly recommend this. My little monster has re-read this book 4 times in one day, so if Max The Brave can grab his attention and KEEP it, he's definitely a winner!" — Fangirl Confessions
"Youngsters will fall in love with Max, the wide-eyed, jet-black kitten with an insatiable curiosity, and the mouse who outsmarts him… The furry fellow's guileless personality and singleminded pursuit of his goal make him the perfect stand-in for toddlers, and older children will appreciate Vere's playful wit and wish for Max's return." — Shelf Awareness
School Library Journal
06/01/2015
PreS-Gr 2—Max is cute and sweet-looking. So cute and sweet, as a matter of fact, that people sometimes dress him up with pink bows. But Max does not like pink bows. He is a fearless, black kitten. A very brave black kitten, and one who chases mice, he'll have you know. He just needs to find out what a mouse actually looks like. So, Max is on the hunt. Is there a mouse in that can? No, but a fly is. Fly says he saw Mouse scurry by just moments ago. Next Max tries the fish bowl. "Excuse me, are you Mouse?" asks Max. No, says Fish, but he just saw Mouse dash outside. Max checks with the birds in the trees, the neighborhood pink elephant, and Rabbit. They all insist that Mouse just went that-a-way. Max finally does find a creature who looks suspiciously like a mouse, but he claims to be a MONSTER and points him in the direction of said mouse, who is sleeping nearby. Of course, the big, green, homely thing IS a monster and is much bigger than Max. One gulp is all it takes, and Max is in the dark pit of Monster's stomach. Fortunately, the monster sneezes and Max flies out. Maybe "chasing mice is not all it's cracked up to be," he says. He doesn't have to be Max the Brave all the time, except when chasing small monsters with big ears and long tails that just happen to look suspiciously like mice. Full of playful humor, this book's cartoonlike illustrations are created digitally with some crayon. The individual pages are bright yellow, orange, green, and salmon. A nice layout, enhanced by the humorous text, character expressions, and a not-scary monster to boot. VERDICT Highly recommended.—Roxanne Burg, Orange County Public Library, CA
Kirkus Reviews
2015-06-06
The time-worn scenario in which mouse outwits cat gets a fresh new spin. Max, a brave, fearless kitten who prefers a superhero cape to cutesy bows, chases mice. There's just one little problem: he doesn't know what a mouse looks like. Going in search of one, Max encounters various unfamiliar creatures and asks who they are; each identifies itself in turn and reports on the real mouse's whereabouts close at hand. When Max eventually meets up with Mouse, he naturally doesn't recognize it, making it easy for the tiny would-be prey to flummox his nemesis completely by claiming to be Monster—and pointing the way to a sleeping "mouse" nearby who—surprise!—turns out to be the real monster. The narrator's voice, expertly pulled off with dry British wit, and the childlike, quirky illustrations are the real humorous draws here. Kids will chuckle at Max's bravado, the mouse's blithe deception, and the intrepid hero's antics battling the laughable monster. The short sentences move the pace along at a steady clip; the artwork, rendered mostly in black but with some splashes of bold color, is set against bright pastel-hued pages with sparse background details, keeping readers tightly focused on the action and growing tension. Both the ending and Max's realization that bravery is only occasionally necessary are comically satisfying. A cat-and-mouse game to be laughed at and reread. (Picture book. 3-5)
