The Truth about Max

(Hardback, Illustrated edition)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Age range 3 to 8

A never-before-published original work from renowned children's book duo Alice and Martin Provensen, which invites into the mystery that is Max the cat!

In this picture book from the Provensens archives, the unforgettable Max, who appears in many of the Provensens' picture books, takes centre stage. Wherever Max goes, mischief is sure to follow! He spends his days teasing, playing hide-and-seek, and prowling the barnyard. Hes also keenly intelligent and independent, with his own private life that begins at night. An affectionate portrait of a pet whos both friend and hunter, from a luminary author-illustrator pair of American childrens literature.

Taking inspiration from their own life at Maple Hill Farm in Dutchess County, New York, great American illustrators Alice and Martin Provensen shared the changing seasons that give rhythm to life in the country in A Year at Maple Hill Farm and the lovable antics of their barnyard animals in Our Animal Friends at Maple Hill Farm. This picture book will include backmatter from Karen Provensen, with more information of Max, the real-life cat who lived on Maple Hill Farm, and her parents' lasting legacy.

Reviews

APublishers Weekly2023 Summer Read, with starred reviews fromKirkusandPW!

A previously unpublished, fully illustrated dummy from the celebrated Provensens merits a posthumous transformation Delicate watercolor-and-ink illustrations contrast with Maxs bravado as he teases Maple Hill Farms other cats and dogs but not its goats, horse, or geese. An intrepid hunter, Max lines his home (a cozy nook built into the side of the barn) with squirrel tails. The Provensens adroitly illustrate many of Maxs feline characteristics, from sharp teeth and claws to his expressive, important tail. The charming narrative adopts a confiding tone, perhaps delivered by the child depicted in many spreads. After tiring of the days barnyard rounds, Max leaves for the fields Below a rising full moon, his real life begins. The publisher engaged lettering specialists to preserve the Provensens lovely handwritten forms as text type. Karen Provensen Mitchell, the couples daughter, provides a lovely note, with reminiscences, family photos, and an early illustration of the real Max. Hopefully, this appealing package will propel new generations to discover the Provensens, whose visual chronicles so adeptly revealed their reverence for the land and animals they stewarded. Utterly delightful. Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

Fans of the late Caldecott-winning couples work will be delighted to encounter this never-before-published gem of a story about a rambunctious tabby cat named Max Though Maxs youth involves no littermates, vignettes of the kitten tussling with a bag of sugar, a spool of red ribbon, and crockery accompany text that indicates he was/ as much/ trouble// as/ ten/ kittens./ And he was always hungry. Distinctive, curlicue hand-lettering on cream-colored pages enhances the storys sketchbook feel as the creators follow Maxs maturation into a terrible tease of other animals, a mighty hunter (Max has his own room and bed.// It is full of squirrel tails), and a being with an important tail that reveals his mood. After examining Maxs relationships with the farms other animals and its human inhabitants, the story ends with a glimpse of Max taking off solo into a lonely, moonlit night where his real life beginsan acknowledgment that even closely observed creatures have their own secrets. A letter to readers from the Provensens daughter concludes. Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

Embraces the complexity of cats: They can be hunters and friends, messy and clean, dangerous and kind. Illustrated linework, with watercolors painted in warm tones, makes the book feel like a loving and honest story rather than a scary or cute one This is a good fit for rural libraries, too, where young readers might be familiar with the truth about farm cats, showcasing for them how their everyday world can be beautifuleven if its kind of messy, like Max. A book for any collection where the Provensens are popular, or where taken-from-real-life snapshots do well. School Library Journal

Watercolors and ink lines stretch across the parchment-like pages in this story about a mischievous cat and his secret life. Max was a troublesome kitten; as an adult, he still tries to snack on baby chicks and teases the other cats in the barnyard. When he grows tired of taunting the inhabitants of the farm, he wanders down the lane and out into the night with only the moonlight to guide him. Foreword Reviews

Author Bio

Alice and Martin Provensenwere an American husband-and-wife team of artists and illustrators. Together, they illustrated over 40 children's books, 19 of which they also wrote and edited. Beloved illustrators, they won a Caldecott forThe Glorious Flightand a Caldecott Honor forA Visit to William Blakes Inn, and eight of their books were selected by theNew York Timesas Best Illustrated Books of the Year. For many years, they lived at Maple Hill Farm in Dutchess County, New York, which they immortalized in picture booksA Year at Maple Hill FarmandOur Animal Friends.