Dear Max

Written by Sally Grindley · Illustrated by Tony Ross

A young fan's letters spark an unexpected friendship with a famous author.

5.3/7 Bookroo expert·3.9/5 Goodreads · 316 ratings

144 pages· 820L

$7.99Save 5%

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Bookroo's summary

Max, an aspiring young writer, reaches out to his idol, author D.J. Lucas, seeking guidance. Through their heartfelt letters, they embark on a journey of creativity and friendship. As they share secrets and stories, Max and D.J. discover the power of imagination and the bonds that storytelling can forge. Will their correspondence inspire Max to write his own tale, or will it reveal unexpected truths about his hero? Dive into this charming exchange and uncover the magic of words and friendship.

From the publisher

Dear D.J. Lucas, My uncle bought me one of your books for Christmas. It’s called Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Boy? I want to be a writer. I want to write a story now. Please will you help me? Love from Max And so begins Max’s funny correspondence with his favorite author, the world-famous D.J. Lucas. What follows is a touching tale about imagination, friendship, storytelling, and sharing secrets.

At a glance

Format
Pages: 144
Reading age: 6–9
Audience: Juvenile Reader
Lexile: 820L

Themes & topics

Books about letter writing Books about authors Books about friendship Books about writing

For the grown-ups

The parent guide

What families may want to know

Every family reads differently. These are the concepts our editors noticed in this book — worth seeking out for some readers, worth knowing about for others. The list isn't exhaustive, but it's a spoiler-light head start.

Potty Humor

This book contains a few instances of saying a dog "weed," and Max calls his doctor "Dr. Poo."

Language

This book contains multiple mentions of Max referring to a school bully, Hugo Broadbent, as Hugo Broadbottom.

After the last page

Talk about it together

Max decides to write to his favorite author. If you were to write a letter to someone today, who would you choose to write to? Give it a go, see if they respond back!

Max gives D.J. Lucas some suggestions for a story. Do you have any great story ideas you could try writing down or sharing with someone else for feedback?

What readers & critics say