Children’s Book Characters Named Max

 

Here are just a few children’s books with characters named Max. Please comment below if you know of one I missed. I hope this encourages your kiddo to read!      

 

A Place in my Heart by Mary Grossnickle

A Place in My Heart tells the simple story of Charlie, a chipmunk adopted by a family of squirrels, who starts to wonder about his birthparents. At first he is scared that this might upset his family but feels much better when he talks to his mother. The story reassures children that it is okay to ask questions about their birthparents without upsetting their “forever” (adoptive) parents.

• Other characters: Abby, Libby, Sophie, Chester, & Max
• Rating: Amazon-4.8  Goodreads-4.67
• 2-5 year olds or Preschool-Kindergarten

 

 

 

 

Art & Max by David Wiesner

Max and Arthur are friends who share an interest in painting. Arthur is an accomplished painter; Max is a beginner. Max’s first attempt at using a paintbrush sends the two friends on a whirlwind trip through various artistic media, which turn out to have unexpected pitfalls. Although Max is inexperienced, he’s courageous and a quick learner. 

• No other characters
• Ratings: Amazon-4.7  Goodreads-4.1
• 3-7 year olds or Preschool-3rd grade
• Lexile Measure: 310L

 

 

 

 

Bunny Cakes (Max and Ruby series) by Rosemary Wells

It’s Grandma’s birthday, and Max wants to make her an icky, worm-infested cake. But Ruby says, “No, Max. We are going to make Grandma an angel surprise cake, with raspberry-fluff icing.” Will Max let his bossy older sister keep him out of the kitchen? Or will they both become bunnies who bake?

• Ratings: Amazon- 4.9  Goodreads- 4.05
• 2-5 year olds

 

 

 

 

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes

Chrysanthemum thinks her name is absolutely perfect—until her first day of school. “You’re named after a flower!” teases Victoria. “Let’s smell her,” says Jo. Chrysanthemum wilts. What will it take to make her blossom again?

• Includes characters: Mrs. Chud, Mrs. Twinkle,  Don, Eve, Lois, Al, Les, Kay, Max, Sue, Bill, Pat, Tom, Sam, Ken, Jo, Rita, & Victoria
• Ratings: Amazon- 4.9  Goodreads-4.3
• 2-6 year olds or Preschool-3rd grade
• Lexile Measure: 570L

 

 

A Good Home for Max by Junzo Terada

In a little shop in a little town, lives a little mouse named Tabi. Each night Tabi tidies the shop, puts out new merchandise, and plays with his animal friends. But when, day after day, Tabi’s best friend Max the Dog doesn’t find a good home, Tabi realizes he has a bigger job to do.

• Other characters: Barnaby, Gemma, Clarence, Regal, Zoe, Flipper, and Puffer
• Ratings: Amazon- 4.8  Goodreads- 3.2
• 3-5 year olds or Preschool-Kindergarten

 

 

Got Your Nose! by Alan Katz, Illustrator: Alex Willan

Becky loves Grandpa Max. When he visits, they have a lot of fun together. But when Grandpa Max pulls his favorite prank on Becky, he accidentally takes her nose—for real! OH NO! Now Becky and Grandpa Max have to chase Becky’s runny nose all over town—or else, who nose what will happen?

• Ratings: Amazon- 4.6  Goodreads- 3.6
• 4-8 year olds or Preschool- 3rd grade

 

 

 

 

Here Come Poppy and Max by Lindsey Gardiner

Poppy imitates a host of animals, splashing like a duck, roaring like a tiger, and bouncing like a kangaroo, and her dog Max joins in the fun.

• Ratings: Amazon- 4.8  Goodreads- 3.7
• Preschool-Kindergarten

 

 

 

 

 

Immortal Max by Lutricia Clifton

Twelve-year-old Sam dreams of owning a purebred puppy, convinced they are superior to a mongrel like Max, the family’s ancient pet. Smelly, disheveled, and affectionate, Max is a walking miracle. Near death’s door when Sam’s sister rescued him, Max survived and seems immortal. That’s too bad, for Sam’s mother says no new dog if it’s going to bother Max. Undaunted, Sam decides to save enough money to buy a puppy anyway and takes a job walking dogs in CountryWood, the fancy gated community in his rural town. There he clashes with Justin, a rich, pampered “burbie” who owns just the kind of dog Sam wants. Justin is determined to get Sam fired and destroy his dream. Their feud, echoing the conflict between rich city transplants and the townies, escalates into violence. This heartwarming story of a boy and his dogs is filled with memorable characters–both human and canine.

• Other characters: Elizabeth aka Beth, Mrs. Kellogg,  Roseanne aka Rosie, Sid, Bailey, Justin, Spammy, Chief Beaumont, Birdie, Patty, Sid, Callahan, Professor Muller, Anise, Sam, Mrs. Kendall, & Yee Haan
• Ratings: Amazon- 3.8  Goodreads-3.5
• 8-12 year olds or 3rd-7th grade
• Lexile Measure: 540L

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s Get Invisible (Goosebumps) by R.L. Stine

On Max’s birthday, he finds a kind of magic mirror in the attic. It can make him invisible. So Max and his friends start playing “now you see me, now you don’t.” Until Max realizes that he’s losing control. Staying invisible a little too long. Having a harder and harder time coming back. Getting invisible is turning into a very dangerous game. The next time Max gets invisible, will it be…forever?

• Ratings: Amazon- 4.6  Goodreads-3.6
• 8-12 year olds or 3rd-7th grade

 

 

 

 

 

Maggie and Max (Puppy Palace series) by Ellen Miles

Charles and Lizzie have helped lots of puppies find homes. But then they meet a Saint Bernard puppy with an unusual friend: a helpless kitten! And this pair needs to stick together. Will Charles and Lizzie find a way to keep these two together forever?

• Other characters: Maggie, Max, Bean, Mr. Baker, Sammy, Ms, Dobbins, Peterson family, Mrs. Peabody, Evan, Beverly, Danny, & Miranda
• Goodreads- Amazon-4.8  Goodreads-4.3
• 7-10 year olds or 2nd-5th grade
• Lexile Measure: 680L

 

 

 

 

 

Max and Moonbean by Rob Scotton

It’s the night before the big show-and-tell, and Max isn’t sure what to bring. He’s shy and worried that it will all go all wrong. But when a space creature named Moonbean crashes into his room, Max discovers all he needed was a friend to help him find his confidence.

• Other characters: Mr. Whisker and Mr. Ted
• Ratings: Amazon- 5.0  Goodreads- 3.5
• 4-8 year olds or Preschool-3rd grade

 

 

Max and the Purple Worry by Kitty Black, Illustrator: Jesse Rose

When Max has a hard time starting his math, he’s joined by someone new: Worry. Worry is no help. Worry doesn’t listen. Max begins to think that Worry will never leave! Will Max ever be able to escape Worry?

• Other characters: Worry and Resilience
• Ratings: Amazon- 4.8  Goodreads- 4.4
• 3-7 year olds

 

 

 

 

Max and the Superheroes by Rocio Bonilla, Illustrated by Oriol Malet

Max and his friends are crazy about playing and learning about superheroes and their superpowers. Everyone has a favorite, and Max’s is Megapower, even though his friends aren’t sure that a girl superhero can be that strong. Megapower is cool for so many reasons. She’s brave, tames animals, has x-ray vision, is super smart, and she can fly. She also happens to be Max’s mom (which might be why she’s Max’s favorite!). 

• Ratings: Amazon- 4.9  Goodreads- 3.9
• 4-8 year olds or Preschool-3rd grade
• Lexile Measure: 690L

 

 

Max and the Won’t Go to Bed Show by Mark Sperring and Sarah Warburton

Join Max and his dazzling show! But in the end, even great magicians need to go to sleep. Max the Magnificent is a daring magician. He can make cookies disappear, make animals appear, and even tame savage beasts! Cheer as he makes a cookie disappear (very slowly)! Gasp as he asks for ten (yes, ten) bedtime stories! Will he be able to accomplish the most difficult trick and put off bedtime?

• Other characters- Dog- Brian, 
• Ratings: Amazon- 5.0  Goodreads- 3.9
• 3-5 year olds or Preschool-Kindergarten
• Lexile Measure: AD590L

 

 

 

 

Max the Brave (series) by Ed Vere

Max is a brave kitten. Max is a kitten who chases mice. There’s only one problem-Max doesn’t know what a mouse looks like! With a little bit of bad advice, Max finds himself facing a much bigger challenge. Maybe Max doesn’t have to be Max the Brave all the time

• Ratings: Amazon-4.8  Goodreads-4.1
• 2-5 year olds

 

 

 

 

Max Finds an Egg by Wiley Blevins, Illustrated by Ben Clanton

Max has found an egg—a dinosaur egg, he hopes. He builds a nest for the egg, shines a light on the egg, and dances around the egg in anticipation. Crack, crack, crack—out pops a. . . !

• No other character names.
• Penguin Young Readers Level 1
• Ratings: Amazon-4.8  Goodreads-3.6
• 5-6 year olds or Kindergarten-1st grade
• Lexile Measure: 170L

 

 

 

Max for President by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Max thinks that he would like to be class president. So does Kelly. But there can only be one president! Who will the class elect?

• Other characters: Mrs. Antonio
• Ratings: Amazon- 4.4  Goodreads- 3.7
• 4-8 year olds or Preschool-3rd grade

 

 

Max Makes a Million by Maira Kalman

Max’s dream is to live in Paris and be a poet. But do you think it is easy for a dog to pack a small brown suitcase, put on a beret, and hop on a plane? Ha! No one will buy Max’s poems, so without money he must stay put. But living in New York City isn’t so bad. Where else could he have friends like Bruno, with his invisible paintings, or Marcello, who builds upside down houses? And where else could he drop in at Baby Henry’s Candy Shop? It’s all possible in New York, a jumping jazzy city.

• Ratings: Amazon- 4.8  Goodreads- 4.1
• 5- 8 year olds or Kindergarten-3rd

 

 

 

 

Max on His Tricycle by Guido Van Genechten

Max is very proud of his new tricycle. It has three wheels, two pedals, handlebars, and a loud horn. When Max toots his horn, everyone looks his way. Going fast is fun . . . but sometimes it can be a bit dangerous too.

• Ratings: Amazon- 3.3  Goodreads-3.75
• 2+ year olds or Preschool

 

 

 

Max Speed by Stephen Shaskan

As soon as Max has finished cleaning his room, he’s off racing his super-secret car at incredible speeds, soaring over rivers of lava, sky diving, and swimming with sharks. 

• No other character names
• Ratings: Amazon- 4.8  Goodreads- 3.7
• 4-9 year olds or Preschool-3rd grade
• Lexile Measure: AD530L

 

 

 

 

 

 

Max’s Magic Seeds by Jean-Pierre Corderoch

Wanting to liven up his boring existence, Max receives a special bag of seeds from his uncle who instructs him on what to do, so following his instructions, Max begins to see amazing changes as magical events suddenly begin to happen all about the town!

• Other characters: Aunt Betty, Uncle Bill, and Mrs. Cummings
• Ratings: Goodreads-3.9
• 4-8 year olds or Preschool-3rd grade

 

 

 

Max’s Story (A Puppy Tale) by Bruce W. Cameron

As soon as he sets eyes on CJ, Max knows that she’s his girl and quickly figures out his purpose: to show her how to navigate the big city. Being a native New Yorker, Max knows how to take charge, even though he’s the smallest dog at the park. At the same time, with CJ’s help, Max learns that he doesn’t always have to be ferocious? Sometimes, he can be “gentle Max” and make friends.

• Ratings: Amazon- 4.8  Goodreads-4.2
• 8-12 year olds or Preschool-1st grade
• Lexile Measure: 670L

 

 

 

Max’s Words by Kate Banks, Illustrator: Boris Kulikov

Max’s brothers have grand collections that everyone makes a big fuss over. Benjamin collects stamps and Karl collects coins, and neither one will share with their little brother. So Max decides to start a collection of his own. He’s going to collect words. He starts with small words that he cuts out of newspapers and magazines, but soon his collection has spilled out into the hall.

• No other character names.
• Ratings: Amazon- 4.7  Goodreads-4.2
• 4-8 year olds or Preschool-3rd grade
• Lexile Measure: 510L

 

 

 

 

Millions of Maxes by Meg Wolitzer

Max’s room has his name all over it–on his blanket and night light and wall. His parents call him The One and Only Max. And so, he is in for a big surprise at the playground one day, when he hears “Max, time to go home!” and two other kids come running. He’s not the one and only after all! How many Maxes are in the world?! Millions of Maxes? But when he decides to help one of the other Maxes find her missing toy, he discovers that there are other ways to be special, and that he can appreciate the specialness of his new Max friends just as much as his own. That night he dreams of the future adventures he’ll have with all of the Maxes he has yet to meet.

• No other character names.
• Ratings: Amazon- 5.0  Goodreads-3.6
• 3-5 year olds or Preschool-1st grade
• Lexile Measure: AD500L

 

 

 

 

The Misadventures of Max Crumbly by Rachel Renee Russell

There’s a lot that’s great about his new school, but there’s also one big problem—Doug, the school bully whose hobby is stuffing Max in his locker. If only Max could be like the hero in his favorite comics. Unfortunately, Max’s uncanny, almost superhuman ability to smell pizza from a block away won’t exactly save any lives or foil bad guys.

• Ratings: Amazon- 4.6  Goodreads-4.1
• 8-11 year olds or 4th-8th grade
• Lexile Measure: 660L

 

 

 

 

The Mission to Find Max by Elizabeth Singer Hunt

An ancient and terrible curse of the pharaohs is set to wreak havoc in Egypt. Can Secret Agent Jack Stalwart save the day and finally solve the mystery of his missing brother, Max?

• Ratings: Amazon-4.6  Goodreads-4.5
• 8-12 year olds 

 

 

 

 

Mister Max The Book of Lost Things by Cynthia Voigt

Max’s parents are missing. They are actors, and thus unpredictable, but sailing away, leaving Max with only a cryptic note, is unusual even for them. Did they intend to leave him behind? Have they been kidnapped? 

• Other Characters: Mary Starling, William Starling, Mrs. Nives, & Carlo
• Ratings: Amazon- 4.3  Goodreads- 3.7
• 10-12 year olds or 3rd-7th grade
• Lexile Measure: 890L

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The School of Whatnots by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Ever since they met in kindergarten, Max and Josie have been inseparable. Until the summer after fifth grade, when Josie disappears, leaving only a note, and whispering something about “whatnot rules. But why would Max ever think that Josie wasn’t real? And what are whatnots? As Max sets to uncover what happened to Josie—and what she is or isn’t—little does he know that she’s fighting to find him again, too. But there are forces trying to keep Max and Josie from ever seeing each other again. Because Josie wasn’t supposed to be real.

• Ratings: Amazon- 4.5  Goodreads- 3.8
• 8-12 year olds or 3rd-7th grade

 

 

 

Wiffle Biffle! These words turn Max into a superhero. But can a regular boy ever learn to be himself? It’s almost Halloween, and Max still doesn’t have any friends at his new school. So when the teacher invites all the kids to come in costume for the big day, Max knows just what he’ll be. He becomes Captain Crusader, Superhero. It’s a game he loved playing with his old friends, and now his classmates all want to play with him too.

• Other characters: Ms. Slumber, Last name- Pilner, brother- Billy, Anne Marie, George, & Brad
• Ratings: Amazon- 5.0
• 5-8 year olds or Kinder-3rd

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adding Soon…

Where is Max? by Mary E. Pearson, Illustrated by Samantha L. Walker

The Truth About Max by Alice and Martin Provensen

Max the Champion by Sean Stockdale

Max Explains Everything by Stacy McAnulty

Max Best Friend. Hero. Marine

Max & the Midknights by Lincoln Peirce (includes characters: Uncle Budrick, King Conrad, Sir Gadabout, Kevyn, King Gastley, Nolan, Mumblin, Millie, & Simon)

Max Spaniel: Dinosaur Hunt (series)

 

Good-Bye, Baby Max by Diane Cantrell (includes names: Dora, Leticia, Mrs. B, Chris, Dr. McBeak, Spiderman, Liz, Rob, Jeremy, Riley, Uncle Jim, Ramona, Alicia, Hector, Jack, Nathaniel, & Cassandra)

Puppy Powers