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Moxy Maxwell #1
Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little
Here's the first book in the hilarious Moxy Maxwell series, which includes Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Writing Thank-you Notes and Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Practicing the Piano . It wasn't as if Moxy hadn't tried to do her summer reading. She and Stuart Little had been inseparable all summer, like best friends. If Stuart Little wasn't in her backpack, it was in her lap . . . or holding up the coffee table . . . or getting splashed when Moxy went swimming. But now it's the end of August—the day before fourth grade. And if Moxy doesn't read all of Stuart Little immediately, there are going to be "consequences." It may look like Moxy is doing nothing, but actually she is very busy with a zillion highly crucial things—like cleaning up her room (sort of) and training her dog and taking a much-needed rest in the hammock. Just look at the pictures her twin brother Mark takes to document it all—they're scattered throughout—and you'll see why it's so difficult to make time for a book about a mouse. Of course our heroine does manage to finish her book, falling so in love with it that she finds herself reading under the covers with a flashlight, late into the night.
92 pages, Hardcover
First published May 8, 2007
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851 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews
February 7, 2011
This first novel for kids was a little disappointing; I was eager to read it because my mate's dad's name is Stuart Little and I thought it might be a good gift.
Basically, Moxy is a little girl with moxie who keeps putting off her summer reading assignment and does quirky things. I think the author underestimates the reading capabilities of her audience...some chapters were a sentence or two long, or a paragraph or two, and it was trying a little hard to be "cute," especially with a fourth grader as a main character. None of these chapters served to do anything but be disjointed. I think the author was trying to demonstrate the flighiness of Moxy, but the Clementine books by Sara Pennypacker do a much better job of showing ADHD tendencies.
Another thing that disappointed me was that the author never brought the book back to Stuart Little. It could have been Winnie the Pooh, or Green Eggs and Ham, or The Giving Tree or whatever. This was a real lost opportunity to show something worthwhile about reading. (Moxy does like to read, just not this book.)
And one more thing was weird--the paper was so thick that I kept thinking I had more than one page every time I tried to turn it.
It's not a terrible book, but it's not fantastic, either. The best part of it, and the part worth grabbing it to look at, is that it's illustrated throughout with actual photographs of actual people. That was a cool approach.
Basically, Moxy is a little girl with moxie who keeps putting off her summer reading assignment and does quirky things. I think the author underestimates the reading capabilities of her audience...some chapters were a sentence or two long, or a paragraph or two, and it was trying a little hard to be "cute," especially with a fourth grader as a main character. None of these chapters served to do anything but be disjointed. I think the author was trying to demonstrate the flighiness of Moxy, but the Clementine books by Sara Pennypacker do a much better job of showing ADHD tendencies.
Another thing that disappointed me was that the author never brought the book back to Stuart Little. It could have been Winnie the Pooh, or Green Eggs and Ham, or The Giving Tree or whatever. This was a real lost opportunity to show something worthwhile about reading. (Moxy does like to read, just not this book.)
And one more thing was weird--the paper was so thick that I kept thinking I had more than one page every time I tried to turn it.
It's not a terrible book, but it's not fantastic, either. The best part of it, and the part worth grabbing it to look at, is that it's illustrated throughout with actual photographs of actual people. That was a cool approach.
August 1, 2007
This book needs to be read for the chapter titles alone -- the titles and the text had me in stitches! And the photographs that document the storyline are hysterical! I will definitely be reading this aloud to my 5th graders, or, because of all the visuals, let a group do a Book Club conversation on it. A friend told me to look for more Moxy Maxwell books -- I look forward to that!
August 24, 2007
Have you ever had a book you dreaded reading and you avoided it at all possible costs? Well, you won't want to put this fun and simply written book down! The pictures and story are great! True life as a nine year old girl! Loved it!
July 19, 2011
This wasn't a top favorite like I had hoped. How could I not love a book centered around one of my childhood favorites, Stuart Little? Yet while I didn't love it as much as I wanted to, there were some parts that I found amusing and endearing. My library classes enjoyed it quite a lot - even many of the boys. They thought the short chapters were fun and particularly loved chapter seven, which is just one word long. :) Reading this also inspired quite a few of my students to read Stuart Little. So while this wasn't a top favorite, it was definitely worth reading.
From my perspective, I thought Moxy was just a touch annoying. I think her mother showed a lot of patience with her - maybe too much! Although I did enjoy Moxy's creativity and her interest in words. I also enjoyed the photographs used as illustrations in the book, and the way the information from those photographs was incorporated into the audio version.
I know some people have felt that some of the specifics from Stuart Little should have been worked into the story more - that the way it was written, Moxy could have been avoiding reading almost any book. I felt like Stuart Little was almost like a character in the story - but one that we learn almost no specifics about because Moxy hasn't started reading the book yet. But he is always there hanging around in the background waiting to be noticed. Moxy carries the book around with her everywhere. In fact, the librarian in me shuddered at all of the things that happen to the book throughout the story: lemonade, ants, a swim in the pool, and a stint under Moxy's bed after she "cleans" her room.
Speaking of Stuart Little being lost under Moxy's bed, that was one place where I felt that Peggy Gifford really dropped the ball. As readers, we can see Stuart Little under Moxy's bed in the photo of Moxy's "clean" room, but Moxy doesn't realize she's left him there. Later on, she wonders where he is and realizes she hasn't seen him for a few days. But then when she finally sits down to read the book, there is no mention of her needing to look for it. Why all that build-up for nothing? I honestly think Gifford planned something there and then forgot to include it in her rush to the end - or at least that's how it felt to me.
So even though this wasn't a top favorite for me personally, I did enjoy sharing it with my library classes. I think it has a lot to offer despite some of its problems. I ordered the other two Moxy books for my library, and I'm sure they will get checked out by those students who enjoyed this first Moxy story. Moxy is a spunky, creative character who is just a little bit annoying. I can't fault Peggy Gifford's creation of a character who does feel quite real. 3.5 stars.
From my perspective, I thought Moxy was just a touch annoying. I think her mother showed a lot of patience with her - maybe too much! Although I did enjoy Moxy's creativity and her interest in words. I also enjoyed the photographs used as illustrations in the book, and the way the information from those photographs was incorporated into the audio version.
I know some people have felt that some of the specifics from Stuart Little should have been worked into the story more - that the way it was written, Moxy could have been avoiding reading almost any book. I felt like Stuart Little was almost like a character in the story - but one that we learn almost no specifics about because Moxy hasn't started reading the book yet. But he is always there hanging around in the background waiting to be noticed. Moxy carries the book around with her everywhere. In fact, the librarian in me shuddered at all of the things that happen to the book throughout the story: lemonade, ants, a swim in the pool, and a stint under Moxy's bed after she "cleans" her room.
Speaking of Stuart Little being lost under Moxy's bed, that was one place where I felt that Peggy Gifford really dropped the ball. As readers, we can see Stuart Little under Moxy's bed in the photo of Moxy's "clean" room, but Moxy doesn't realize she's left him there. Later on, she wonders where he is and realizes she hasn't seen him for a few days. But then when she finally sits down to read the book, there is no mention of her needing to look for it. Why all that build-up for nothing? I honestly think Gifford planned something there and then forgot to include it in her rush to the end - or at least that's how it felt to me.
So even though this wasn't a top favorite for me personally, I did enjoy sharing it with my library classes. I think it has a lot to offer despite some of its problems. I ordered the other two Moxy books for my library, and I'm sure they will get checked out by those students who enjoyed this first Moxy story. Moxy is a spunky, creative character who is just a little bit annoying. I can't fault Peggy Gifford's creation of a character who does feel quite real. 3.5 stars.
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April 29, 2015Kids Will Not Love Moxy Maxwell.
I, a well-read adult parent of preteen and younger children, did enjoy the first two (haven't read the third yet). They were very funny, from my perspective and with my reading background. The first was very amusing, the second less so but kind of touching. But -- and this is a big but for books ostensibly aimed at children -- this series is the kind of literary-magazine favorite that is not actually written to entertain children but to entertain their parents. MOST KIDS DON'T FIND THIS SORT OF BOOK FUNNY. Ok, maybe I should not speak for them, but my kids (who read A LOT) were just perplexed by the first one and wouldn't even open the second. They didn't get the chapter titles, they didn't understand what was funny about the photographs or their titles, they didn't relate to the parents' reactions, they didn't think Moxy was particularly appealing--not bad enough to be good, not wacky enough to be funny, and the kids who might act like she does didn't see the parallels.
Actually, this might appeal to YA readers who want to look back (or down) at their younger selves and the crazy things they did way back when.
I, a well-read adult parent of preteen and younger children, did enjoy the first two (haven't read the third yet). They were very funny, from my perspective and with my reading background. The first was very amusing, the second less so but kind of touching. But -- and this is a big but for books ostensibly aimed at children -- this series is the kind of literary-magazine favorite that is not actually written to entertain children but to entertain their parents. MOST KIDS DON'T FIND THIS SORT OF BOOK FUNNY. Ok, maybe I should not speak for them, but my kids (who read A LOT) were just perplexed by the first one and wouldn't even open the second. They didn't get the chapter titles, they didn't understand what was funny about the photographs or their titles, they didn't relate to the parents' reactions, they didn't think Moxy was particularly appealing--not bad enough to be good, not wacky enough to be funny, and the kids who might act like she does didn't see the parallels.
Actually, this might appeal to YA readers who want to look back (or down) at their younger selves and the crazy things they did way back when.
June 4, 2010
audiobook
I thought I was going to love this book. It started out great with an old fashioned feel and a quite precocious heroine. It had me longing to reread Jeanne Birdsall's stories. But...
Before I was half way through the book, it was getting a bit old. The chapter headings called "in which..." were too frequent and the gags weren't funny any more. Moxy was just plain annoying. I found myself wondering why everyone put up with her bossiness and laziness. I was distracted by her mother's indecisiveness and poor parenting. I kept wishing her Mom would spank Moxy's behind.
Nope, not my favorite book. I definitely don't want my daughter considering a girl who can not obey to be funny and a heroine. Plus, I hated the the mother didn't follow through on her promised punishment. That's the worst thing you can do as a parent. I ended up annoyed. Not a good way to feel at the end of a book, hunh?
I thought I was going to love this book. It started out great with an old fashioned feel and a quite precocious heroine. It had me longing to reread Jeanne Birdsall's stories. But...
Before I was half way through the book, it was getting a bit old. The chapter headings called "in which..." were too frequent and the gags weren't funny any more. Moxy was just plain annoying. I found myself wondering why everyone put up with her bossiness and laziness. I was distracted by her mother's indecisiveness and poor parenting. I kept wishing her Mom would spank Moxy's behind.
Nope, not my favorite book. I definitely don't want my daughter considering a girl who can not obey to be funny and a heroine. Plus, I hated the the mother didn't follow through on her promised punishment. That's the worst thing you can do as a parent. I ended up annoyed. Not a good way to feel at the end of a book, hunh?
September 23, 2015
Moxy caries the book Stuart Little around with her all summer, but never manages to open the book and read it. Moxy is very creative with her excuses and her excess thinking and planning to read Stuart Little often stop her from doing just that. The audio was fun-short. And Moxy is a fun cute character that can rival Junie B. Jones or Allie Finkle any day.
June 9, 2018
It was okay book. The chapters aren't long, they are short. I thought the book was hilarious in some ways. I like the story of Moxy because she found different ways to avoid reading Staurt Little over the summer which was funny. My favorite was about the peach and how she though of planting a peach orchard. That was funny.
April 17, 2023
5/5 the main book that got me into reading
underrated
With summer coming to an end, about-to-be-fourth-grader Moxy Maxwell does a hundred different things to avoid reading her assigned summer reading book.
underrated
With summer coming to an end, about-to-be-fourth-grader Moxy Maxwell does a hundred different things to avoid reading her assigned summer reading book.
February 17, 2019
Reminds me of Junie B. Jones without the annoying vocabulary. I love the way distraction is shown, I have had many students like this.
October 7, 2020
This book was perfect for my reluctant reader. She had to read a book over the summer, and was lucky to find this one.
July 10, 2017
It wasn't as if Moxy hadn't tried to do her summer reading. She and Stuart Little had been inseparable all summer, like best friends. If Stuart Little wasn't in her backpack, it was in her lap . . . or holding up the coffee table . . . or getting splashed when Moxy went swimming. But now it's the end of August—the day before fourth grade. And if Moxy doesn't read all of Stuart Little immediately, there are going to be "consequences."
It may look like Moxy is doing nothing, but actually she is very busy with a zillion highly crucial things—like cleaning up her room (sort of) and training her dog and taking a much-needed rest in the hammock. Just look at the pictures her twin brother Mark takes to document it all—they're scattered throughout—and you'll see why it's so difficult to make time for a book about a mouse.
Of course our heroine does manage to finish her book, falling so in love with it that she finds herself reading under the covers with a flashlight, late into the night.
It may look like Moxy is doing nothing, but actually she is very busy with a zillion highly crucial things—like cleaning up her room (sort of) and training her dog and taking a much-needed rest in the hammock. Just look at the pictures her twin brother Mark takes to document it all—they're scattered throughout—and you'll see why it's so difficult to make time for a book about a mouse.
Of course our heroine does manage to finish her book, falling so in love with it that she finds herself reading under the covers with a flashlight, late into the night.
April 28, 2021
Soon to be fourth grader Moxy Maxwell loves to read books, only she “liked to read what she wanted to read and not what someone told her to read”. And Moxy was assigned to read Stuart Little for summer reading. It was now August 23, the day before the first day of school and although Moxy has spent a lot of time with her Stuart Little book she had not yet began to actually read it. She now had until her mother returned from her errands to begin reading or there would be “consequences”. But Moxy was not only a water ballet artist and a career planner, she was also a procrastinator. Gifford gives readers interestingly titled short chapters that are easy to read, a memorable character, and humorous situations. As a clever alternative to illustrations, comically captioned photographs are peppered throughout giving the story an autobiographical feel that will appeal to all readers, especially reluctant ones.
March 20, 2025
The writing of this book was cleaver but the story was a very bad example for the children that it is written for. Moxy Maxwell is a very self centered, lazy, little girl who only cares about herself and does what she wants. She uses her friends and disobeys her parents. Not a good example for the children who will be reading this book. Luckily she suffered consequences for the bad actions in this story but not nearly enough. And in the end deserves that she love the Stuart Little story she was supposed to read.
December 21, 2025
I discovered this book when I was a similar age (slightly older I think) than Moxy. It was in my phase when I was loudly declaring that I hated reading "The Sign of the Beaver" by Elizabeth George Speare, because I technically had to read that book for school. And clearly I could not like school books, I had to hate them (I really liked it). So Moxy made me feel very seen.
Plus the book just gets better with age.
Plus the book just gets better with age.
July 1, 2022
A cute and engaging read. Moxy is definitely a kid I can see other kids really responding to. As a librarian, though, I think I would have liked it better if she *didn’t* end up liking the Stuart Little. Nothing against that little mouse! I just think it’s valuable for kids to understand that not liking things that other people like is ok.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2019
Read two of these with my kids. I didn't really feel one way or another about this one, but in the second one, Moxy's stepdad tells himself "Grown men don't cry" when he's upset about something. So we won't be reading any more of these.
August 1, 2022
Audiobook for kids on vacation at bedtime. Too many chapters to listen too on audio - especially with long chapter names (chapters felt like they were only a minute or two long and the title of the next chapter was like 1/3 the length of the chapter). Kids liked it ok.
June 11, 2017
Full disclosure- I read the first 20 pages or so, skimmed through and then read the last chapter. I can see kids liking this book.
August 1, 2017
Easy read, precocious tricky character, 3rd person omnicient pov, back to school
January 14, 2018
i give it 3 stars
January 15, 2018
“Extreme”.
Funny, nothing objectionable—good family or class read-aloud. Great vocabulary.
Funny, nothing objectionable—good family or class read-aloud. Great vocabulary.
February 7, 2018
horrible
July 20, 2018
This book is so fun. Very short chapters help the pace to fly by, and the escalation of disaster is quite funny.
June 9, 2019
On audio with the kids. Perfect for the 9 yr old, a little young for the others
June 29, 2022
Cute junior-grade book for the procrastinators among us, but I do wonder whether children will find this readable/funny.
January 22, 2023
Really funny chapter book for young readers. I think it would make a great read-aloud, too.
I wish I had this book when my kids were young. I'll definitely share with my great granddaughter.
I wish I had this book when my kids were young. I'll definitely share with my great granddaughter.
July 4, 2023
Perfect for 3rd graders.
March 3, 2017
I hated this book and I barely have anything good to say about it. I liked it just because at least it's based on a true story. The bad stuff about it is that it's EXTREMELY BORING and almost no interesting story. The main plot is a girl in the summer who has to read Stuart Little and hates it, but she loves swimming. I do not recommend this book to anyone who doesn't want to be very bored.
March 26, 2008
Okay, let's start with the title. Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little. But I love Moxy Maxwell. And I dare you to read this book and not love Moxy too.
Second, have you seen that cover? It makes me laugh every time I look at it--Moxy's face, her scrunched up lip, the goggles and swim cap--and the poor, battered, upside-down copy of Stuart Little. This is a gorgeous, fun package of a book.
Okay, now the plot. Moxy Maxwell was supposed to read Stuart Little over the summer. She is going to have a quiz on Stuart Little on the first day of school. The first day of school is tomorrow. And Moxy still hasn't started the book.
It's not that she doesn't like to read--on the contrary, Moxy loves reading. But she doesn't like to be told WHAT to read and when. So Moxy comes up with brainstorm after brainstorm to keep her from having to read Stuart Little--including a brilliant idea that is sure to raise enough money to pay for her college education and possibly dental school too if that's the Career Path she happens to choose--and once her parents see how accomplished she is, they wouldn't make her read a book about a mouse--unless she wanted to, that is.
Moxy is hilarious. She is like the real, actual kids you know. She is probably like you were when you were a kid, and like you would be now if you weren't too grown-up to admit it.
Trust me on this one. You'll love Moxy Maxwell.
Second, have you seen that cover? It makes me laugh every time I look at it--Moxy's face, her scrunched up lip, the goggles and swim cap--and the poor, battered, upside-down copy of Stuart Little. This is a gorgeous, fun package of a book.
Okay, now the plot. Moxy Maxwell was supposed to read Stuart Little over the summer. She is going to have a quiz on Stuart Little on the first day of school. The first day of school is tomorrow. And Moxy still hasn't started the book.
It's not that she doesn't like to read--on the contrary, Moxy loves reading. But she doesn't like to be told WHAT to read and when. So Moxy comes up with brainstorm after brainstorm to keep her from having to read Stuart Little--including a brilliant idea that is sure to raise enough money to pay for her college education and possibly dental school too if that's the Career Path she happens to choose--and once her parents see how accomplished she is, they wouldn't make her read a book about a mouse--unless she wanted to, that is.
Moxy is hilarious. She is like the real, actual kids you know. She is probably like you were when you were a kid, and like you would be now if you weren't too grown-up to admit it.
Trust me on this one. You'll love Moxy Maxwell.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews