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Max Speed

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Max, a tiny speed racer, is off on the adventure of a lifetime in this adorable new picture book that proves all you need for a big adventure is a little imagination.

As soon as Max has finished cleaning his room, he’s off racing his super-secret car at incredible speeds, soaring over rivers of lava, sky diving, and swimming with sharks. This picture book is perfect for every young speed racer, careening from one adventure to the next.

32 pages, Hardcover

Published October 11, 2016

46 people want to read

About the author

Stephen Shaskan

60 books49 followers

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5 stars
42 (18%)
4 stars
84 (37%)
3 stars
79 (35%)
2 stars
16 (7%)
1 star
1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
Profile Image for Jon Nakapalau.
6,536 reviews1,033 followers
February 2, 2026
This superhero can find his way out of all sorts 'dangerous' situations...until the great MOM challenges him! Really brought back memories of all the little boys playing Batman (BM) in my neighborhood (little brothers had to be Robin and NO girls allowed)! Problem is: what happens when EVERYONE wants to be BM? The first alpha male/testosterone/temper tantrums!
325 reviews
July 8, 2017
After the first read I wasn't sold on this book, but being a grown up reading to my kids I wasn't paying full attention to the pictures. My kids asked me to read it again and again.

Max cleans up his room and what he has put away are the ingredients for an imaginative adventure that unfolds in the following pages.

My active 2 year old stopped what he was doing to watch Max's adventure unfold. My 4 year old enjoyed the story as well.
Profile Image for Gretchen.
147 reviews46 followers
October 4, 2016
My kid LOVES this book. Great read-aloud, funny and frenetically zooming like kids' imaginations can be. I love the bold colors done in block print, in swift, charming designs that move you along to Max's next challenge. Great Gadzooks! This is a fun one!
Profile Image for Becca.
1,644 reviews
October 19, 2016
The boys are going to love this. Good for using prediction skills--how will he get out of this?
Profile Image for Kris.
3,581 reviews69 followers
July 25, 2017
Colorful, bright illustrations and fun, interesting text with repetition and clues. Great read-aloud for my 5-year old son, and I'm betting other kids around that age will get a kick out of it, too.
Profile Image for Keri Douglas.
566 reviews3 followers
October 18, 2016
Max is a kid I want to be! His imagination is spectacular. If you're reading this aloud, you better be in character. I know my kinders will love this as much as I did. After reading, I remembered the illustration at the beginning of Max's clean room and recognized the toys that correlate to his adventures. See if your kids will find it too. Super fun read that requires a super fun voice when read aloud.
948 reviews7 followers
December 8, 2016
Some rate it as additional purchase for imagination fun, but I know my primary teachers will love this one for some imaginative predicting lessons!! Bold, bright and colorful! Perfect for ages 4-6! They will love to chime in with the repetitive "Great Gadzooks!" just like they do for Pete the Cat's "Goodness, no!"
Profile Image for Kate Hastings.
2,128 reviews43 followers
February 4, 2017
Grades K-2. Max's room is clean for about two seconds-- until he's off on an adventure battling volcanoes, sharks and a secret cave. Each time he wonder's if he's met his match. And in the end, he does. Has a black main character that is not the focus of the story but good for parents/teachers looking for incidental diversity.
Profile Image for Vicki.
4,964 reviews32 followers
December 20, 2016
The picture on the cover of this book is too cute! The book reminds me somewhat of the book "Fortunately" by Remy Charlip and at the end the movie "ET"-phone home. Repetitive phrases and fun vocabulary.
Profile Image for Kathy.
3,325 reviews7 followers
December 27, 2016
Great gadzooks! Max is adventuring with his race car, lava, sharks, jet pack and more after cleaning his room: will he meet his match? A great toddler book with a clunk! A sputter! And a supersonic pop!
Profile Image for Jennybeast.
4,369 reviews18 followers
February 1, 2017
Whoa, super spy kid has super adventures, but they are simple enough for even the littlest ones. I hear it's a great storytime book, and I'm looking forward to trying it out. Again, with the good diversity, too! Hooray!
Profile Image for Angela.
1,359 reviews27 followers
August 18, 2016
Much love for Max Speed!

Dramatic reading required. Not for mumblers, pacifists, deadpans or monotone readers. Read it aloud to the little ones and take off on an adventure with Max.
Profile Image for Nina.
Author 3 books38 followers
September 18, 2016
Max Speed is unstoppable in this action-packed, shark-infested adventure.
Great Gadzooks, I love this book!
Profile Image for Ann.
55 reviews1 follower
February 22, 2017
A wonderful, interactive book. I read this story to an active Headstart group of fifteen to twenty 4-5 year olds. You could have heard a pin drop in the room. They were completely mesmerized.
Profile Image for Elisabeth.
2,059 reviews24 followers
January 11, 2017
Really fun for a "things that go" or "imagination" storytime theme
Profile Image for Tracie.
1,957 reviews
March 2, 2017
Max finished cleaning his room just in time for crazy adventures. Will Max meet his match?
Profile Image for Lisa.
2,646 reviews19 followers
October 12, 2017
Max cleaned up his room, so now he can have an adventure! He climbs into his super-secret car and zooms away, only to get caught at a lava flow - good thing he has his super-secret jetpack. Max can get himself out of every bind, because his imagination provides the perfect thing every time.

I loved the paths the reader can follow for everywhere Max goes, and we get to anticipate his rescue every time the text asks “has Max met his match?” Well . . .

Cross posted to http://kissthebook.blogspot.com CHECK IT OUT
Profile Image for Juliana Lee.
2,272 reviews42 followers
November 18, 2016
Max has super-secret powers. Every time he runs across a new obstacle, 'Gadzooks!' he uses a new super-secret power to escape. But when he finally returns home, he finds his mother. Has Max finally met his match?
Profile Image for Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book*.
6,041 reviews219 followers
December 5, 2017
Review cross-posted from reviewer’s personal Goodreads account

Shaskan, Stephen Max Speed PICTURE BOOK. Simon and Schuster, 2016. $17.99. Content: G.

Max cleaned up his room, so now he can have an adventure! He climbs into his super-secret car and zooms away, only to get caught at a lava flow - good thing he has his super-secret jetpack. Max can get himself out of every bind, because his imagination provides the perfect thing every time.

I loved the paths the reader can follow for everywhere Max goes, and we get to anticipate his rescue every time the text asks “has Max met his match?” Well . . .

EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE Lisa Librarian
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017...
Profile Image for Liz.
2,238 reviews27 followers
November 28, 2022
Max just finished cleaning his room and is ready for an adventure! When he runs into obstacles, he has to think of a way out/around. Can he do it? The use of the full spread and rotating the book for full effect is great! It makes for a suspenseful page turn with a crowd. Also the repeating line "GREAT GADZOOKS!" is an easy way to get grown-ups involved.
Profile Image for BiblioBeruthiel.
2,166 reviews23 followers
November 6, 2017
This could be very fun for kids, but didn't appeal to me enough to use for storytime.
Profile Image for Cary Thomson.
14 reviews1 follower
June 2, 2018
Adventure, speed and hanging out with Mum at the end of it all. Love it.
Profile Image for Cindy Petzoldt.
102 reviews
May 12, 2021
Imaginative, great fun, a terrific “let’s pretend” book with many opportunities to get the children to repeat and “read” along with Max as he goes on adventures.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews

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