SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • Previews
  • Reviews
  • Manga
  • All Ages
  • Young Adult
  • Interviews
  • News

November 10, 2020 by Johanna

Review: Max & the Midknights

November 10, 2020 by Johanna   Leave a Comment

Cover of Max & the Midknights

Max & the Midknights
by Lincoln Peirce
Crown Books for Young Readers, $13.99 (hardcover)
Ages 8-12

Lincoln Peirce, the author of Big Nate, takes us to a fantasy land in a sword-and-sorcery tale with kid protagonists, told in the popular mixed-media format of short text sections interspersed with comics.

Max is voyaging with Uncle Budrick, a struggling troubadour. As an apprentice, Max is supposed to become a traveling entertainer, just because of family expectations. However, Max is more practical, smarter, courageous, and very competent, which makes her (yes, her) the perfect choice when it comes to attempting to overthrow the ruling tyrant.

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

King Conrad the Kind disappeared, presumed dead, and his brother Gastley took the throne. The people are now meaner, and times are worse. After a series of incidents, Max and a new gang of kid friends, aided by Mumblin the magician and some others met along the way, set out to rescue the uncle from the castle, since he’s been taken to be the king’s fool. They also wind up fighting an evil witch and encountering all kinds of frightening creatures.

There are a lot of great vocabulary words included, most of which are promptly explained by someone in the story. The obvious message of the story, beyond the importance of having a good, admirable, honest leader, is that people should be allowed to become what they want regardless of family or gender. That comes through a wide-ranging adventure told with plenty of humor. A ton of things happen, with something new every few pages.

It is unfortunate that, of all the kids, Simon, the dark-skinned boy, is developed the least. Kevyn has a motivation similar to Max, as he doesn’t want to go into his father’s business. Millie gains an important skill as they travel. But Simon only has a sad story about how his parents, brainwashed by the evil king, abandoned him. He’s exposition more than a character. That’s the only major flaw in an enjoyable fantasy quest.

The second volume in the series, Battle of the Bodkins, will be out in December 2020.

Filed under: All Ages, Reviews

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments
fantasyLincoln Pierce

About Johanna

Johanna Draper Carlson has been reviewing comics for over 20 years. She manages ComicsWorthReading.com, the longest-running independent review site online that covers all genres of comic books, graphic novels, and manga. She has an MA in popular culture, studying online fandom, and was previously, among many other things, webmaster for DC Comics. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

May 2023

My New Life as a Cat, vol. 1 | Review

by Johanna

April 2023

Berrybrook Middle School by Svetlana Chmakova | Series Review

by Johanna

April 2023

Call the Name of the Night, vol. 1 | Review

by Johanna

January 2023

Andy Warner's Oddball Histories: Pests and Pets | Review

by Johanna

January 2023

My Sister, the Cat, vol. 1 | Review

by Johanna

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

A Podcast Experiment: SPEED ROUND w/ Marla Frazee, Dan Santat, Doug Salati, and Amina Luqman-Dawson.

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Review of the Day: There Was a Party for Langston, King of Letters by Jason Reynolds, ill. Jerome and Jarrett Pumphrey

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Spider-Man Fake Red | Review

by Esther Keller

Heavy Medal

And now there are 38: May Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Suggestions

by Emily Mroczek-Bayci

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Back in the (Literary) Saddle, a guest post by Jessica Burkhart

by Amanda MacGregor

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

Trying Something New: SPEED ROUND w/ Marla Frazee, Doug Salati, Dan Santat, and Amina Luqman-Dawson

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

15 Returning Faces for Graphic Novels Shelves | Series Update

9 Adult Graphic Novels for Teens: Sophisticated Takes on History, Humor, Sci-Fi, and More

Sneak Peek: SLJ Best Books 2020

Graphic Novels for Armchair Campers | Stellar Panels

Marvel, Scholastic To Launch New Line of Graphic Novels for Young Readers

Commenting for all posts is disabled after 30 days.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

Follow This Blog

Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

Primary Sidebar

  • News & Features
  • Reviews+
  • Technology
  • School Libraries
  • Public Libraries
  • Age Level
  • Ideas
  • Blogs
  • Classroom
  • Diversity
  • People
  • Job Zone

Reviews+

  • Book Lists
  • Best Books
  • Media
  • Reference
  • Series Made Simple
  • Tech
  • Review for SLJ
  • Review Submissions

SLJ Blog Network

  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal
  • Neverending Search
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn

Resources

  • 2022 Youth Media Awards
  • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
  • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
  • Summer Reading 2021
  • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
  • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
  • Summer Programming Survey
  • Research
  • White Papers / Case Studies
  • School Librarian of the Year
  • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
  • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

Events & PD

  • In-Person Events
  • Online Courses
  • Virtual Events
  • Webcasts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Media Inquiries
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Content Submissions
  • Data Privacy
  • Terms of Use
  • Terms of Sale
  • FAQs
  • Diversity Policy
  • Careers at MSI


COPYRIGHT © 2023


COPYRIGHT © 2023