Moxy Maxwell

Gifford, Peggy. 2007. Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little. Photographs by Valorie Fisher.

Peggy Gifford is brilliant. That is all I have to say about it. Not really. That would be a very short review indeed. But let's just say that I loved, loved, loved Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little. And does my love extend to the incredibly charming and funny photographs? Of course!!! Valorie Fisher is marvelous. Loved, loved, loved those as well. Especially the ones of the messy/clean bedroom. And the mud-splattering ones. Who am I kidding? I loved them all. All I can say, is that in my opinion, Moxy Maxwell is a must read for everyone. I don't care how young or old you are, I think you'll love Moxy Maxwell. She's just that kind of girl.

Chapter 1
In Which
Moxy Maxwell
Begins to Read
Stuart Little

Her name was Moxy Maxwell and she was nine and it was August and late August at that. It was so late in August that tonight was to be the "Goodbye to Summer Splash!" show at the pool. Moxy was one of eight petals in the water-ballet part. She and the other seven petals were going to form a human daisy at the deep end while carrying sparklers in their left hands.

Next year Moxy planned to do a rose solo. Moxy Maxwell was just that sort of girl--the sort of girl who even at nine had big plans. In fact, last April when Miss Cordial asked the class to write a list of Possible Career Paths, Moxy had needed a third piece of paper. Moxy was going places all right.

She was going to her room. And she was going to stay there until she read every word of Stuart Little. Mr. Flamingo, who was going to be Moxy's fourth-grade teacher this fall, had assigned the book for summer reading. They were going to have a quiz on it too--on the very first day of school. And tomorrow was the very first day of school.

Now, Moxy loved to read books. She loved books so much that sometimes she would stay up all night and read. It's just that Moxy liked to read what she wanted to read and not what someone told her to read. (1-2)

Are you hooked yet? Curious to read more? I know I sure was. Moxy had me from the very beginning. The book is her journey of excuses and delays--in other words her procrastination--in facing the inevitable...the reading of Stuart Little. It is very entertaining. It is very funny. It is authentic through and through. The family relationships were dynamic. The book is practically perfect in every way.