Horn Book (Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2012)

Young Max (Max's Words, Max's Dragon) surprises and entertains his two older brothers by creating an ever-changing world of words with his alphabet blocks. Banks's text creates an adventure in anagrams while Kulikov follows along with his comic-action castle-themed landscapes. An entertaining ride for readers who can follow the wordplay.

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Imaginative Max, who first appeared in Max-s Words, discovers that a whole new world can unfold from one simple discovery-in this case, a wooden letter block. Using more blocks, Max builds an enormous castle. Max and his two brothers enact a kind of three-

School Library Journal (Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

K-Gr 2 Benjamin and Karl continue their condescending attitude toward their younger brother in this third adventure about Max. They are incredulous when he enthusiastically unearths a lettered block from beneath his bed. After finding other long-abandoned toys in the stash, he begins to construct a castle. Always one to see the potential of words, Max now trains his imagination on the letters within. As "moat" becomes a "boat" and "pirates" become "rat pies," the siblings are swept into the pretend world, and the scale transforms to life-size. When danger presents itself, quick-thinking Max rearranges the letters to alter the course of events; even when they fall into a "catastrophe" (a dungeon), the boys find "hope" and a "star." Brimming with clever wordplay, humor, and mixed-media scenes worthy of any child's dreams-come-true, the full impact is clearly the result of seasoned collaboration and experience; e.g., when Banks writes that the "drawer" contains a "reward," Kulikov's painting of a mirror proving the point is an inspired response. The perspectives are more dramatic, the contrast between light and dark is heightened, and there are more full-bleed spreads than in the earlier titles, especially at moments of tension. Those who have seen the previous books will recognize objects in the brothers' castle rooms. Emerging readers will enjoy deciphering the words formed by the blocks before they hear the text. Everyone will delight in the imagined world, and some children may be inspired to look under their beds. Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Banks and Kulikov's Max is back in his third escapade of wordplay. Billing it as a sequel to Max's Words (2006) and Max's Dragon (2008), this author/illustrator team again presents a clever tale that embodies the possibilities of a child's imagination. When Max finds something amazing in a box under his bed—wooden alphabet blocks—he uses them to start building a castle. His two older brothers get into the act, and, lo and behold, WALLS become HALLS, a MOAT becomes a BOAT, PIRATES become RAT PIES, and BATTLE becomes BABBLE as the boys move the blocks, rearrange letters and transform words into a full-blown castle scenario. That is, until the castle comes under siege by a BLACK CAT turned BLOCK CAT ("It must smell the rat pies," says Karl). Playful perspectives, vivid colors and animated action are brilliantly executed with details that require a second look, then a third. Kulikov takes readers back and forth from reality to fantasy using the alphabet blocks as a bridge in inspiring fashion. The "king called his knights to the round table. And for their loyal FEATS he organized a FEAST. From the castle TAPESTRY he made PASTRY. And from the PARAPETS he made TEA." This homage to the power of imagination one ingenious and entertaining game of wordplay. (Picture book. 5-8)

Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

Banks and Kulikov's Max is back in his third escapade of wordplay. Billing it as a sequel to Max's Words (2006) and Max's Dragon (2008), this author/illustrator team again presents a clever tale that embodies the possibilities of a child's imagination. When Max finds something amazing in a box under his bed—wooden alphabet blocks—he uses them to start building a castle. His two older brothers get into the act, and, lo and behold, WALLS become HALLS, a MOAT becomes a BOAT, PIRATES become RAT PIES, and BATTLE becomes BABBLE as the boys move the blocks, rearrange letters and transform words into a full-blown castle scenario. That is, until the castle comes under siege by a BLACK CAT turned BLOCK CAT ("It must smell the rat pies," says Karl). Playful perspectives, vivid colors and animated action are brilliantly executed with details that require a second look, then a third. Kulikov takes readers back and forth from reality to fantasy using the alphabet blocks as a bridge in inspiring fashion. The "king called his knights to the round table. And for their loyal FEATS he organized a FEAST. From the castle TAPESTRY he made PASTRY. And from the PARAPETS he made TEA." This homage to the power of imagination one ingenious and entertaining game of wordplay. (Picture book. 5-8)