Dear Max
by D.J. Lucas, a.k.a. Sally Grindley© 2004, 141 pages Level 3 (all about levels)Learn More on Amazon
"When a world-famous author, D.J. Lucas, gets a letter from Max, a boy with a big imagination, anything can happen." What begins as a fan letter from Max to his favorite author, D.J. Lucas, leads to a correspondence between the two which eventually develops into a sweet friendship.
Max shares his day-to-day life and troubles in his letters to D.J., like the fact that he is being bullied at school because he's smaller than everyone else. He also talks about his ideas for a story he wants to write, and D.J. offers advice and encouragement along the way. In turn, she tells him about a book she's working on, plus a story she's recently been inspired to write...which just so happens to bear a striking resemblance to the life of Max.
I loved the tone of DJ's letters to Max—honest, down-to-earth, wryly humorous, and sympathetic, but never condescending. And Max's letters to D.J. are real, curious, creative and enthusiastic. Plus, they feature great illustrations, courtesy of Max. The characters are both English and just enough of their dialect shows through to add extra charm.
This was my second book in a row that consisted entirely of letters, and I've become a big fan of the format for several reasons: 1) It almost guarantees a quick reading pace, 2) when it's done well, the letters are dialogue, plot, and character development all rolled into one, and 3) you get all the pleasure of eavesdropping with none of the guilt ;)
Two books follow Dear Max and allow us to keep up with his further adventures: Bravo Max, in which Max decides to write a play, and Relax Max, where Max reveals his feelings through poetry.
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