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Max Magic
The MAGICAL debut children's book from superstar TV presenter and magician, Stephen Mulhern!
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!
Max Mullers loves doing magic tricks - his gran has taught him everything he knows! But his tricks aren't enough to keep Bottley the Bully off his back.
Then a run-in with Bottley at his parents' market stall gets Max into even bigger trouble - now the notorious East End gangsters the Crayfish Twins are after him! If Max is going to get out of this one, he'll need A MIRACLE. Fortunately for Max, with magic . . . anything is possible !
An unforgettable adventure celebrating friendship, family and . . . MAGIC!
Engaging black-and-white illustrations throughout and a dyslexic-friendly layout make this perfect for every child.
Ideal for fans of Greg James & Chris Smith, Noel Fitzpatrick and David Baddiel.
Inspired by Stephen Mulhern's incredible story of his journey to becoming a magician, performer and TV star.
[MAX MAGIC by Stephen Mulhern was a Sunday Times bestseller in September 2022]
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!
Max Mullers loves doing magic tricks - his gran has taught him everything he knows! But his tricks aren't enough to keep Bottley the Bully off his back.
Then a run-in with Bottley at his parents' market stall gets Max into even bigger trouble - now the notorious East End gangsters the Crayfish Twins are after him! If Max is going to get out of this one, he'll need A MIRACLE. Fortunately for Max, with magic . . . anything is possible !
An unforgettable adventure celebrating friendship, family and . . . MAGIC!
Engaging black-and-white illustrations throughout and a dyslexic-friendly layout make this perfect for every child.
Ideal for fans of Greg James & Chris Smith, Noel Fitzpatrick and David Baddiel.
Inspired by Stephen Mulhern's incredible story of his journey to becoming a magician, performer and TV star.
[MAX MAGIC by Stephen Mulhern was a Sunday Times bestseller in September 2022]
- GenresMiddle Grade
142 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2022
7 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
October 5, 2022
This book was great fun!
The overall aesthetic is really nice immediately enticing the target audience with a striking cover and bright sprayed edges.
The larger text size within was an interesting change and then to learn it was to make the book dyslexia friendly was a great idea. I could really feel Mulhern behind the writing in this book. It had an infectious enthusiasm about it that oozes from the page. To make it illustrated as well was very clever, I can imagine that a youngster with dyslexia would find a real comfort in the words they find difficult to read come to life in the pictures. As for plot and characters, Max was a great leading man! He had his fair share of trials and troubles, that he was able to overcome with some self discovery and help from friends which in itself is a great message for a debut book. The bullying was set out from the very beginning and that I applaud. Facing up to something that is so relevant to so many in your first book can’t have been an easy decision to make but Mulhern didn’t shy away from the difficulty and in fact embraced it very well. I really look forward to whatever else he has in store for what I am sure will be a very dedicated readership.
The overall aesthetic is really nice immediately enticing the target audience with a striking cover and bright sprayed edges.
The larger text size within was an interesting change and then to learn it was to make the book dyslexia friendly was a great idea. I could really feel Mulhern behind the writing in this book. It had an infectious enthusiasm about it that oozes from the page. To make it illustrated as well was very clever, I can imagine that a youngster with dyslexia would find a real comfort in the words they find difficult to read come to life in the pictures. As for plot and characters, Max was a great leading man! He had his fair share of trials and troubles, that he was able to overcome with some self discovery and help from friends which in itself is a great message for a debut book. The bullying was set out from the very beginning and that I applaud. Facing up to something that is so relevant to so many in your first book can’t have been an easy decision to make but Mulhern didn’t shy away from the difficulty and in fact embraced it very well. I really look forward to whatever else he has in store for what I am sure will be a very dedicated readership.
September 10, 2023
A fun middle grade book about magic and learning how to take responsibility for your actions.
Max loves magic, he practises in front of his friends every day, unfortunately some people don't like the magic and he gets bullied.
What happens though when the magic becomes real and he can start to fight back...
An enjoyable quick read for early middle grade / early readers.
Max loves magic, he practises in front of his friends every day, unfortunately some people don't like the magic and he gets bullied.
What happens though when the magic becomes real and he can start to fight back...
An enjoyable quick read for early middle grade / early readers.
July 13, 2025
I liked it very much because it was based on Stephen Mulhern's childhood
August 29, 2022
Although I am not the target audience for Max Magic I really enjoyed this entertaining book about friends working together and using their skills to defeat bullies.
Young Max Muller is mad on magic. His grandparents were stage magicians and he has learnt all he knows from his Gran. His tricks don’t always work, but he is committed to getting better and becoming the most famous magician ever. Unfortunately he does not apply the same determination to his school work much to the frustration of his friend Sophie. Neither does magic help him avoid Bottley the school bully. In fact magic seems to be landing Max in more trouble all the time, as his latest escapades have led to his Dad being in danger of losing his market stall which would be a disaster for the whole family.
But when Max discovers an unusual old box in his Gran’s antique shop something happens that forces him to decide what sort of person he really wants to be.
I wasn’t sure how good this would be as it is written by a TV star rather than a children’s author. However Stephen Mulhern is ably assisted by Tom Easton who is an author, and the result is a hugely enjoyable romp.
Max’s family are lovable characters that I am sure many readers will recognise from their own siblings and/or parents and grandparents. Many younger readers will also appreciate Max’s desire to be doing the thing he most enjoys rather than his school work. Some readers may unfortunately also have experience of school bullies. So there is lots in the book to instantly engage readers.
The plot is fun, quick moving and highly imaginative, and the reader is drawn in to the magical adventure that Max and his band of loyal friends have.
The book is a quick read and is ideal for children to read alone, or for parents to share where there may be the opportunity for a wider discussion about how to handle bullies. There are small illustrations on every page along with bigger ones in each chapter. The excellent one of the Mega Ted army is particularly fun.
I think this book will be enjoyed by most children age 7 – 10 years, and for those with an interest in magic, there is also a guide to performing a trick at the end of the book.
Young Max Muller is mad on magic. His grandparents were stage magicians and he has learnt all he knows from his Gran. His tricks don’t always work, but he is committed to getting better and becoming the most famous magician ever. Unfortunately he does not apply the same determination to his school work much to the frustration of his friend Sophie. Neither does magic help him avoid Bottley the school bully. In fact magic seems to be landing Max in more trouble all the time, as his latest escapades have led to his Dad being in danger of losing his market stall which would be a disaster for the whole family.
But when Max discovers an unusual old box in his Gran’s antique shop something happens that forces him to decide what sort of person he really wants to be.
I wasn’t sure how good this would be as it is written by a TV star rather than a children’s author. However Stephen Mulhern is ably assisted by Tom Easton who is an author, and the result is a hugely enjoyable romp.
Max’s family are lovable characters that I am sure many readers will recognise from their own siblings and/or parents and grandparents. Many younger readers will also appreciate Max’s desire to be doing the thing he most enjoys rather than his school work. Some readers may unfortunately also have experience of school bullies. So there is lots in the book to instantly engage readers.
The plot is fun, quick moving and highly imaginative, and the reader is drawn in to the magical adventure that Max and his band of loyal friends have.
The book is a quick read and is ideal for children to read alone, or for parents to share where there may be the opportunity for a wider discussion about how to handle bullies. There are small illustrations on every page along with bigger ones in each chapter. The excellent one of the Mega Ted army is particularly fun.
I think this book will be enjoyed by most children age 7 – 10 years, and for those with an interest in magic, there is also a guide to performing a trick at the end of the book.
August 31, 2022
I think most children of primary school age are fascinated by magicians and magic tricks and so I imagine are likely to find Max’s story very engaging and entertaining, especially as the rather simple, straightforward storytelling is ideal for appealing to youngsters of seven to ten years old. However, I imagine that most eleven/ twelve-year-olds would probably find its simplicity rather boring, especially if they are confident readers.
Although there is a lot of fun interwoven into the story, there are also themes and references which are dark and disturbing (bullying, intimidation, extortion, the use of knives and guns) and for this reason I’d be concerned about a young child reading it on their own. However, read aloud by (or with) an adult it offers lots of opportunities for some difficult topics to be explored as the young reader/listener follows Max’s adventures and learns how he deals with the various dilemmas he faces. A real strength of the story is that a child is encouraged to believe that problems can be overcome, particularly when you have the support of a loving family and good friends ... and Max has both! I think the portrayals of each of the characters brought them to life in a very vivid way and I liked the many ways in which they all helped Max to think about the consequences of his actions as he experimented with using his newly-discovered magic powers.
I think that the excellent illustrations very evocatively capture the scenes being described and I’m sure children will enjoy discovering the ‘magic’ of seeing the images of the top-hat change as they flip through the lower right-hand corners of the pages! What I feel slightly less sure about is how many will appreciate the use of Cockney rhyming slang, especially if this is the first time they’ve come across it, so this reinforces my belief that the story will probably be best appreciated if an adult is on hand to explain it more clearly.
As it’s clear that this is the first story in a planned series so I’m sure that any child who has enjoyed it will be eagerly anticipating joining Max and his friends on future adventures.
With thanks to the publisher and Readers First for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 2, 2022
Max Magic follows a boy named Max who loves magic and impressing all his family and friends with his tricks but he has some bullies who aren't so impressed both at school and at his dads market stall so he decides he needs to work out how to get them off his back.
I like the sound of this book and was intrigued by Stephen Mulhern's input in the book but unfortunately I found it was very basic and both the plot and writing style were lacking and I didn't think much of the illustrations either!
I know I am not the target audience for the book as an adult but I have read and enjoyed many books for children of this age. With my most favourite author of this age being Sam Copeland (who fills his books with humour and twists and turns and brilliant action packed illustrations), I felt that this showed how lacking this book is in every area!
It was nice we got to see Max enjoying his hobby and how he wasn't willing to give up and I'm sure young children will love reading about the magic but it wasn't integrated very seamlessly into the story and at times felt like it was there for the sake of it. I don't like how he solely used magic to defeat the bullies either as whilst it's a fun read it doesn't help children know what to do with any bullies that may be in their life.
The illustrations were very disappointing. There are very few throughout the book which is a shame as magic could be so much fun to play around with and add some extra excitement to the story however most of the illustrations were just characters not doing anything, just standing there either holding something or looking at someone. Where's all the magic?!
I think the idea for this book was good but it just wasn't done very well based on other books of this age I've read. It was very average and other than fun there is no real point to the story. I much prefer stories that are fun and you can learn from the characters situation at the same time and this book didn't achieve that in my opinion. At least not in a realistic way unless you have magical skills to defeat bullies with too!
I like the sound of this book and was intrigued by Stephen Mulhern's input in the book but unfortunately I found it was very basic and both the plot and writing style were lacking and I didn't think much of the illustrations either!
I know I am not the target audience for the book as an adult but I have read and enjoyed many books for children of this age. With my most favourite author of this age being Sam Copeland (who fills his books with humour and twists and turns and brilliant action packed illustrations), I felt that this showed how lacking this book is in every area!
It was nice we got to see Max enjoying his hobby and how he wasn't willing to give up and I'm sure young children will love reading about the magic but it wasn't integrated very seamlessly into the story and at times felt like it was there for the sake of it. I don't like how he solely used magic to defeat the bullies either as whilst it's a fun read it doesn't help children know what to do with any bullies that may be in their life.
The illustrations were very disappointing. There are very few throughout the book which is a shame as magic could be so much fun to play around with and add some extra excitement to the story however most of the illustrations were just characters not doing anything, just standing there either holding something or looking at someone. Where's all the magic?!
I think the idea for this book was good but it just wasn't done very well based on other books of this age I've read. It was very average and other than fun there is no real point to the story. I much prefer stories that are fun and you can learn from the characters situation at the same time and this book didn't achieve that in my opinion. At least not in a realistic way unless you have magical skills to defeat bullies with too!
September 18, 2022
Max Mullers LOVES magic tricks! He hopes to grow up to be a famous magician: Max the Magnificent!
One day, he visits his gran’s antique shop and discovers an unusual antique chest, then…. DOOOSH!!
Can Max beat the horrible Bottley the Bully and save his dad’s East End market stall from the Crayfish Twins, the local meanies? ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!
Oh, wow! I am a little older than this book’s target audience (9-12 years… I’m in my thirties!), but I loved it!
I grew up watching Stephen Mulhern on TV so just had to get my hands on a copy of his debut children’s book, and I am so glad I did… In Stephen’s words, it is UNBELIEVABLE!
Along with his co-author Tom Easton, Stephen has written a book that is easy to read, engaging, and funny. Most importantly, it holds a positive message for children (and adults) … ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE! A great message for children (and adults!) to take away.
I love the fact the book is part-autobiographical and based on Stephen, his childhood, and his family. Stephen’s loveable personality is injected throughout the book. The illustrations, Begoña Fernández Corbalán, are amazing and add an element to the story; I love the flipbook-style image on the corner of each page.
I love the idea of a QR code at the back which, when scanned, gives the reader the opportunity to learn magic tricks from the magician himself, and I look forward to learning this and trying them out on my nephew!
As someone who works in publishing, I am always interested to see how important messages are addressed, and how books look and feel. I was pleased that Stephen and his team have ticked all the boxes and succeeded, with bullying, friendship and family covered and a strong, positive message.
There are also many diverse characters, which is great to see when diversity and inclusion in publishing, particularly children’s books, is very important so children can see themselves represented in books. The book is written in a dyslexic-friendly font, making it accessible to all.
I look forward to seeing the next stories in the Max Magic series!
One day, he visits his gran’s antique shop and discovers an unusual antique chest, then…. DOOOSH!!
Can Max beat the horrible Bottley the Bully and save his dad’s East End market stall from the Crayfish Twins, the local meanies? ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!
Oh, wow! I am a little older than this book’s target audience (9-12 years… I’m in my thirties!), but I loved it!
I grew up watching Stephen Mulhern on TV so just had to get my hands on a copy of his debut children’s book, and I am so glad I did… In Stephen’s words, it is UNBELIEVABLE!
Along with his co-author Tom Easton, Stephen has written a book that is easy to read, engaging, and funny. Most importantly, it holds a positive message for children (and adults) … ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE! A great message for children (and adults!) to take away.
I love the fact the book is part-autobiographical and based on Stephen, his childhood, and his family. Stephen’s loveable personality is injected throughout the book. The illustrations, Begoña Fernández Corbalán, are amazing and add an element to the story; I love the flipbook-style image on the corner of each page.
I love the idea of a QR code at the back which, when scanned, gives the reader the opportunity to learn magic tricks from the magician himself, and I look forward to learning this and trying them out on my nephew!
As someone who works in publishing, I am always interested to see how important messages are addressed, and how books look and feel. I was pleased that Stephen and his team have ticked all the boxes and succeeded, with bullying, friendship and family covered and a strong, positive message.
There are also many diverse characters, which is great to see when diversity and inclusion in publishing, particularly children’s books, is very important so children can see themselves represented in books. The book is written in a dyslexic-friendly font, making it accessible to all.
I look forward to seeing the next stories in the Max Magic series!
September 15, 2022
I loved every page of Stephen Mulhern’s debut novel Max Magic.
Stephen Mulhern knows all about how to do magic, so he is writing what he knows, but with an exciting magic adventure. I’m even more excited that will be another adventure with Max Magic.
I have met Stephen Mulhern many years ago and he is an extremely nice celebrity.
I think that Stephen Mulhern has done an incredible job of writing in his story with bulling scenes.
Max was brought up to do magic tricks as his dad can do magi and Max’s Gran and Grandpa were stage magicians.
Max is happiest showing his friends at school his magic tricks. But some one doesn’t like Max and he gets bullied by a boy at his school.
The schoolboy, bully knows Max helps out on his dad’s market stall, so he heads for the stall and causes mayhem at the market were he ruins the clothes the Crayfish twins are wearing.
Max gets the blame, and has pay for the clothing for the nasty Crayfish twins, who are nasty adult bullies. But how will Max be able to find the money to pay the Crayfish twins?
Max finds a chest with a top hat like magicians wear, when Max, puts the hat on, he instantly has magic powers. But he can’t use his special powers to hurt people, cheat or steal.
Max isn’t happy as we all know bullies don’t stop until you stand up to them.
I was so wrapped up into this story about Max, I wanted to know if everything changes and if Max would be successful to stop the boy at school bullying him, and if he can stop the controlling adult bullies the Crayfish twins.
I loved every minute of this story, as it brought back my own memories of when I was a young child, doing magic tricks from a magic box set I had.
This novel has lovely large letters easy for children to read.
I’m an adult and I throughly enjoyed every page my self and definitely want to read more about Max in the future.
I’m recommending Max Magic to children and teenagers and adults too.
Stephen Mulhern knows all about how to do magic, so he is writing what he knows, but with an exciting magic adventure. I’m even more excited that will be another adventure with Max Magic.
I have met Stephen Mulhern many years ago and he is an extremely nice celebrity.
I think that Stephen Mulhern has done an incredible job of writing in his story with bulling scenes.
Max was brought up to do magic tricks as his dad can do magi and Max’s Gran and Grandpa were stage magicians.
Max is happiest showing his friends at school his magic tricks. But some one doesn’t like Max and he gets bullied by a boy at his school.
The schoolboy, bully knows Max helps out on his dad’s market stall, so he heads for the stall and causes mayhem at the market were he ruins the clothes the Crayfish twins are wearing.
Max gets the blame, and has pay for the clothing for the nasty Crayfish twins, who are nasty adult bullies. But how will Max be able to find the money to pay the Crayfish twins?
Max finds a chest with a top hat like magicians wear, when Max, puts the hat on, he instantly has magic powers. But he can’t use his special powers to hurt people, cheat or steal.
Max isn’t happy as we all know bullies don’t stop until you stand up to them.
I was so wrapped up into this story about Max, I wanted to know if everything changes and if Max would be successful to stop the boy at school bullying him, and if he can stop the controlling adult bullies the Crayfish twins.
I loved every minute of this story, as it brought back my own memories of when I was a young child, doing magic tricks from a magic box set I had.
This novel has lovely large letters easy for children to read.
I’m an adult and I throughly enjoyed every page my self and definitely want to read more about Max in the future.
I’m recommending Max Magic to children and teenagers and adults too.
September 9, 2022
This book is predominantly aimed at younger readers and this shows in the cover and size of the font and writing style. However I don't listen to this conformity of adults not being able to read fun middle grade books because there is a lot of fun often had in these books I might otherwise miss out on. Plus books are for all ages.
Max Magic is a fun fast paced light adventure following Max and usually his dog Lucky. Max loves Magic and each of his siblings also has a love for different things. Max also has a bully named Bottley and Max will do anything to avoid him until one day Max opens a chest in his grandma's shop and this all changes.
A wonderful story which looks at friendship and morals along the way. What is the right thing to do but also what a lot of us might be tempted to do if we all had magic powers all of a sudden too. I enjoyed this story for its realistic nature in how Max got sucked in with the magic to try fix everything. I loved the humour and jokes second to this as there was always a quick laugh to be had in amongst the seriousness of money issues and bills.
I think this book would be perfect for a younger reader reading on their own under the covers at night when they should be sleeping, or for a parent to read with their child or simply for an adult to read and enjoy. This book brought me lot of smiles and a happy go lucky feeling. In the state of the world as it is at the moment some joy was much needed.
I look forward to seeing what Max Magic gets up to next.
Max Magic is a fun fast paced light adventure following Max and usually his dog Lucky. Max loves Magic and each of his siblings also has a love for different things. Max also has a bully named Bottley and Max will do anything to avoid him until one day Max opens a chest in his grandma's shop and this all changes.
A wonderful story which looks at friendship and morals along the way. What is the right thing to do but also what a lot of us might be tempted to do if we all had magic powers all of a sudden too. I enjoyed this story for its realistic nature in how Max got sucked in with the magic to try fix everything. I loved the humour and jokes second to this as there was always a quick laugh to be had in amongst the seriousness of money issues and bills.
I think this book would be perfect for a younger reader reading on their own under the covers at night when they should be sleeping, or for a parent to read with their child or simply for an adult to read and enjoy. This book brought me lot of smiles and a happy go lucky feeling. In the state of the world as it is at the moment some joy was much needed.
I look forward to seeing what Max Magic gets up to next.
September 18, 2022
Even though this is a children's book, and is clearly intended to be as accessible as possible for young readers given that the font is not too dissimilar to comic sans as well as certain words being emphasised in bold, the "anything is possible" theme is something that adults can relate to and therefore may appeal to them as much as their kids.
It's also very much a case of writing what you know as the author has a background in magic and started his television career hosting on Children's ITV so knows how to talk to young people and write in a language that the target audience of this book will understand.
There's no time wasted in setting the scene, as readers are introduced to Max's family at the earliest opportunity, and there's some potential conflict to look out for; in particular between the grandmother who encourages the magic tricks and the parents (with the father calling Max a "born clown" and the mother concerned about the mess Max makes), and between Max and Bottley (the school bully who is immune from whatever the title character conjures up...)
It's also very much a case of writing what you know as the author has a background in magic and started his television career hosting on Children's ITV so knows how to talk to young people and write in a language that the target audience of this book will understand.
There's no time wasted in setting the scene, as readers are introduced to Max's family at the earliest opportunity, and there's some potential conflict to look out for; in particular between the grandmother who encourages the magic tricks and the parents (with the father calling Max a "born clown" and the mother concerned about the mess Max makes), and between Max and Bottley (the school bully who is immune from whatever the title character conjures up...)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 24, 2022
This fun children’s book follows Max Magic a young boy who dreams of becoming a magnificent magician.
One day in his Gran’s shop he opens a chest and suddenly find he has magical powers, but he realises he needs to learn to control them, especially around the bully at school.
After an incident on his dad’s stall, he must find a way to save his dad’s business from the Crayfish Twins and asks his friends for help.
Will Max learn to use his powers? Will he save his dad’s stall?
This book is full of magic, laughs and dreams. I found Max made some very amusing comments and was a relatable character for Children.
It also shows how teamwork can help you achieve challenges easier, and it was great to see the friends come up with different ideas.
I liked that there is a trick you can learn in the back of the book, which was part of the story, me and my daughter tried to learn it too.
Overall, a fun and magical children’s story with the message ‘Anything is Possible.’
My daughters thoughts: The book is good because max magic is really good and chapter 8 the mind-reading mayhem.
One day in his Gran’s shop he opens a chest and suddenly find he has magical powers, but he realises he needs to learn to control them, especially around the bully at school.
After an incident on his dad’s stall, he must find a way to save his dad’s business from the Crayfish Twins and asks his friends for help.
Will Max learn to use his powers? Will he save his dad’s stall?
This book is full of magic, laughs and dreams. I found Max made some very amusing comments and was a relatable character for Children.
It also shows how teamwork can help you achieve challenges easier, and it was great to see the friends come up with different ideas.
I liked that there is a trick you can learn in the back of the book, which was part of the story, me and my daughter tried to learn it too.
Overall, a fun and magical children’s story with the message ‘Anything is Possible.’
My daughters thoughts: The book is good because max magic is really good and chapter 8 the mind-reading mayhem.
December 6, 2022
If you watch light entertainment at all, you've probably seen Stephen Mulhern. (My favourite of his shows is Catchphrase, which I'm quite good at!) He is a very able TV presenter, able to set people at ease and chat happily about absolutely anything, but those skills don't necessarily translate to writing for children. Some people think it's easy - after all, children will read anything! - but children are very discerning, and they won't stick with a book they aren't enjoying the way an adult might. With a celebrity author, you can never be quite sure what you're getting - and Stephen's co-author, Tom Easton, is best known for a YA dystopian that killed everyone in the world apart from 78 people.
I needn't have worried. Max Magic is clever, funny, and immediately sweeps the reader into the story. Max is a great main character, and I can't wait to find out more about his family - each of them could easily be a main character in their own book. The story is brilliant and wraps up nicely while still leaving loads of room for more stories to come. The illustrations are fabulous and really help with the story.
This is a great read and I think it'll do really well.
I needn't have worried. Max Magic is clever, funny, and immediately sweeps the reader into the story. Max is a great main character, and I can't wait to find out more about his family - each of them could easily be a main character in their own book. The story is brilliant and wraps up nicely while still leaving loads of room for more stories to come. The illustrations are fabulous and really help with the story.
This is a great read and I think it'll do really well.
August 27, 2022
Magical Max ...
Aimed at probably the over 8s market - I'm obviously too old for the tales of Max Magic - but I enjoyed it none the less.
I think most children will enjoy reading about Max and his adventures with magic and his group of friends. There's some nice messages in here, and it highlights the importance of family, friends and having good morals etc.
I would note that guns and knives do get a very brief mention, and that's what's keeping a star off for me. I think it could have been written without mentioning either and then I'd feel happier giving it to my 9 year old daughter to read. Perhaps, I'm too sensitive and others won't be bothered by this - but it's worth knowing that they do get a mention.
There's some nice illustrations in this book; make sure you flip through the pages to see the moving magic hat in the corner 😁
I'm sure there will be more Max Magic adventures to come, hopefully without any mention of guns or knives.
Thanks to Readers First for providing an ARC.
Aimed at probably the over 8s market - I'm obviously too old for the tales of Max Magic - but I enjoyed it none the less.
I think most children will enjoy reading about Max and his adventures with magic and his group of friends. There's some nice messages in here, and it highlights the importance of family, friends and having good morals etc.
I would note that guns and knives do get a very brief mention, and that's what's keeping a star off for me. I think it could have been written without mentioning either and then I'd feel happier giving it to my 9 year old daughter to read. Perhaps, I'm too sensitive and others won't be bothered by this - but it's worth knowing that they do get a mention.
There's some nice illustrations in this book; make sure you flip through the pages to see the moving magic hat in the corner 😁
I'm sure there will be more Max Magic adventures to come, hopefully without any mention of guns or knives.
Thanks to Readers First for providing an ARC.
September 18, 2022
Thank you to Readers First for providing me with an advanced readers copy of this book. This is the first children’s book by Stephen Mulhern and overall was a quick easy read with lots of illustrations. I think most children of primary school level would be entertained by magic tricks so I imagine this would be very engaging for its target audience. I thought it was also a nice touch that instructions on how to perform certain magic tricks are included at the end of the book. The story telling is age appropriate and simple and would be suitable for a child of around seven to ten years of age. I think any younger would need it to be read to them and enjoyment would be dependent on their level of understanding. I think anyone over the age of ten would probably find some bits a bit too immature and so rather boring, especially if they were higher level readers. It was certainly quite lighthearted but I should warn parents that there are also some elements that might be a bit disturbing for some readers so, dependent on your child, you might want to give it a quick flick through yourselves first– there are elements of bullying as well as criminal extortion and the threat of knives/guns. It could end up being a useful teaching tool to explore these topics with your children as Max faces and deals with all these various issues throughout the course of the book. I think the illustrations really helped to add to the story and capture the events being described and it also has a cute little flip-book element of a top hat changing at the bottom lower right-hand corner of the page. It came across as though this is going to be the start of a series of novels so will be interesting to see when any future books come out – certainly a good first start.
February 11, 2023
This is a light hearted read about a young boy who decides to outwit his bullies.
Max Mullers loves to do magic. Some people call him Max Magic but he wants to be a famous magician, Max the magnificent.
Max lives with his chatty family in East London where he learns a trick each day and shares it with others. At school, everyone is entertained except the school bully, George Bottley.
The author has written this in a first person narrative but it reads like a dairy account and it is a child's perspective.
There are black and white pictures as well as doodles of playing cards and a a top hat on each page. However, the front cover is bright, colourful and bold featuring the main character.
I absolutely loved reading this book. I also think a younger reader will benefit from reading it because it is written in a childlike manner from the viewpoint of a child dealing with bullying and following their dream.
I really like the author's note at the front of the book telling his young readers to believe in themselves and that their dreams can come true.
Max Mullers loves to do magic. Some people call him Max Magic but he wants to be a famous magician, Max the magnificent.
Max lives with his chatty family in East London where he learns a trick each day and shares it with others. At school, everyone is entertained except the school bully, George Bottley.
The author has written this in a first person narrative but it reads like a dairy account and it is a child's perspective.
There are black and white pictures as well as doodles of playing cards and a a top hat on each page. However, the front cover is bright, colourful and bold featuring the main character.
I absolutely loved reading this book. I also think a younger reader will benefit from reading it because it is written in a childlike manner from the viewpoint of a child dealing with bullying and following their dream.
I really like the author's note at the front of the book telling his young readers to believe in themselves and that their dreams can come true.
August 28, 2022
This is a great book for perhaps late primary age children to read alone or with adults at story time together. The book is about Max Mullers who loves magic tricks and uses them and his magic powers in his daily life to try and defeat bullies (The Crayfish Twins) and help his dad to keep his market stall.
I felt that at the beginning of the book it was obvious that an adult was writing it and then part way through it seemed more as though it was Max’s voice. I also read it as though it was a mini Stephen Mulhern narrating, even the illustrations looked like a young Stephen!
The book touches on strong themes of bullying, guns, and violence for a young readership. That said, the illustrations are fun and I particularly liked the blue page edges and the magic top hat images with the stars as you flick the pages.
Overall, a great read for young people but be aware of the dark and sensitive themes of bullying.
I felt that at the beginning of the book it was obvious that an adult was writing it and then part way through it seemed more as though it was Max’s voice. I also read it as though it was a mini Stephen Mulhern narrating, even the illustrations looked like a young Stephen!
The book touches on strong themes of bullying, guns, and violence for a young readership. That said, the illustrations are fun and I particularly liked the blue page edges and the magic top hat images with the stars as you flick the pages.
Overall, a great read for young people but be aware of the dark and sensitive themes of bullying.
August 29, 2022
Anything is possible….
As the cover promises, this story contains fun, chaos and magic!
A lot of celebrities seem to be writing childrens books these days, particularly while they had nothing else to do during lockdown.
This is the first childrens book from TV presenter and lifelong magician, Stephen Mulhern.
Max Mullers (no need to ask where the name comes from) is a boy who loves magic and wants to be the greatest magician in the world! He uses his tricks to fight off schoolyard bullies and save his Dad’s market stall from closing.
There are a few illustrations within the book, similar to those you’d find in any book for readers of this age (I’d say anywhere from 7-12 years, depending on reading level). The cover is bright and appealing and the sprayed edges are a colourful added bonus.
I can see this being the first of many adventures to come for Max and his friends.
As the cover promises, this story contains fun, chaos and magic!
A lot of celebrities seem to be writing childrens books these days, particularly while they had nothing else to do during lockdown.
This is the first childrens book from TV presenter and lifelong magician, Stephen Mulhern.
Max Mullers (no need to ask where the name comes from) is a boy who loves magic and wants to be the greatest magician in the world! He uses his tricks to fight off schoolyard bullies and save his Dad’s market stall from closing.
There are a few illustrations within the book, similar to those you’d find in any book for readers of this age (I’d say anywhere from 7-12 years, depending on reading level). The cover is bright and appealing and the sprayed edges are a colourful added bonus.
I can see this being the first of many adventures to come for Max and his friends.
August 30, 2022
Max Mullers is a little boy consumed by the world of magic taught by his nan who has a background in it.
But sadly he is still a victim of bullying and disaster strikes when one day watching his father's toy stall the local bully Bottley causes trouble.
Max gets caught up with the local protection racket when through Bottley one of the Crayfish twins suits gets ruined.
Now Max and his family is left with a huge £250 bill they have to pay back or the twins will destroy their market stall.
Max needs a little bit of magic to get out of this one and it comes in the form of a magical hat that gives his dog Lucky the ability to talk.
Can Max, his friends and Lucky save the day?
This was such a fun read and sheds a bit of light on the issue of bullying and how anyone, child or adult who is just the tiniest bit different can suffer and be bullied.
This could be a great school room read.
But sadly he is still a victim of bullying and disaster strikes when one day watching his father's toy stall the local bully Bottley causes trouble.
Max gets caught up with the local protection racket when through Bottley one of the Crayfish twins suits gets ruined.
Now Max and his family is left with a huge £250 bill they have to pay back or the twins will destroy their market stall.
Max needs a little bit of magic to get out of this one and it comes in the form of a magical hat that gives his dog Lucky the ability to talk.
Can Max, his friends and Lucky save the day?
This was such a fun read and sheds a bit of light on the issue of bullying and how anyone, child or adult who is just the tiniest bit different can suffer and be bullied.
This could be a great school room read.
August 30, 2022
Max Muller an ordinary boy living an ordinary life, in an ordinary world, who loves magic, with a dream to be a magician, Max The Magnificent! With magic running in the family, Max uses magic tricks to get by, using magic to try and stop the school bully and East End Gangsters the Crayfish twins causing trouble for his fathers market stall. Until one day whilst at his Grans shop, something unexplained happens...
It starts by giving a brief on Max and his immediate family and his love of magic, and where it stemmed from. Taking on both the school bully and those Crayfish Brothers and his positive look on how to get through.
It's well written, nicely spaced out, great for children around 7 - 10 years. Every now and then illustrations too, which are good, not too many. At the end of the book, a couple of magic tricks to learn as a bonus.
Overall a positive read with humour that most young children should really enjoy.
It starts by giving a brief on Max and his immediate family and his love of magic, and where it stemmed from. Taking on both the school bully and those Crayfish Brothers and his positive look on how to get through.
It's well written, nicely spaced out, great for children around 7 - 10 years. Every now and then illustrations too, which are good, not too many. At the end of the book, a couple of magic tricks to learn as a bonus.
Overall a positive read with humour that most young children should really enjoy.
September 18, 2022
Disclaimer; I won a copy of this book from Readers First.
The book cover is so wonderfully illustrated and I liked the addition of the blue page edges. It gives an appeal which makes you want to pick up the book.
I feel that the lead character of Max Mullers within the story is very easy for children to identify with. I am sure that we have all met characters like Bully Bottley and the Crayfish Twins along the way. This book has a really lovely feel to it as Max discovers magic and puts it into action to eventually win the day. There are some moral dilemmas where Max has to decide what is right and what is wrong which I thought would encourage children to think about similar situations. The beautiful illustrations continue throughout the book. This an easy reading book which is fun and entertaining. Stephen Mulhern is a well known TV presenter and I think he should be proud of his first childrens novel.
The book cover is so wonderfully illustrated and I liked the addition of the blue page edges. It gives an appeal which makes you want to pick up the book.
I feel that the lead character of Max Mullers within the story is very easy for children to identify with. I am sure that we have all met characters like Bully Bottley and the Crayfish Twins along the way. This book has a really lovely feel to it as Max discovers magic and puts it into action to eventually win the day. There are some moral dilemmas where Max has to decide what is right and what is wrong which I thought would encourage children to think about similar situations. The beautiful illustrations continue throughout the book. This an easy reading book which is fun and entertaining. Stephen Mulhern is a well known TV presenter and I think he should be proud of his first childrens novel.
August 24, 2022
This book was a quick read and would be so engaging for its target audience, there was everything a child will love within the pages and I feel like it would draw in even the most reluctant readers! It was well written and would be a good read for parents to read to or with their children or for older children to read alone. The characters were loveable other than the obvious selection and they were written so well that readers will also dislike them and root for Max and his friends throughout the book. I read this in one sitting and will be taking it to my sister's to read with my nephew and my nieces once they're old enough and I think they will all love it. I hope this will be a series as I feel its one they would love to collect and have the entirety on their bookshelves to go back to time and time again. Overall, I recommend this book to any child with an interest in magic or readers of a wide variety of books.
August 26, 2022
This novel is great fun for children around 8 years and older, together with their families. Max Magic is definitely a story which reads aloud easily with very natural word patterns and flow.
Conjuring and 'real' magic are mixed together in a pacy tale full of affectionately comic domestic detail, vivid street scenes and quick-fire patter. Young Max's unquashable optimism, sense of humour, loyalty and sheer good nature make him an unforgettable character together with his staunch friends and a quirky family (all the way from wise Gran to Lucky the dog). The East End (of London) setting is buoyant and instantly familiar to anyone who has ever watched EastEnders. Stephen Mulhern's 'cheeky chappie' persona also comes through brilliantly in the illustrations.
I hope Max will reappear in future episodes. Some unresolved story lines make that a good prospect.
Conjuring and 'real' magic are mixed together in a pacy tale full of affectionately comic domestic detail, vivid street scenes and quick-fire patter. Young Max's unquashable optimism, sense of humour, loyalty and sheer good nature make him an unforgettable character together with his staunch friends and a quirky family (all the way from wise Gran to Lucky the dog). The East End (of London) setting is buoyant and instantly familiar to anyone who has ever watched EastEnders. Stephen Mulhern's 'cheeky chappie' persona also comes through brilliantly in the illustrations.
I hope Max will reappear in future episodes. Some unresolved story lines make that a good prospect.
August 27, 2022
OK so clearly im not the target audience for this book as i am an adult, but i actually really enjoyed it, and got caught up in the story, the book tells the story of max the wannabe magician who practice hard at his magic but still have a way to go until one day his life chances forever, the book also covers morals you would expect in a kids book like standing up to bullies without becoming one, in many ways its the kind of book you would expect from Stephen Mulhern its full magic and cheesy jokes, i actually would be happy to read future books, im excited to see what he does with his magic, i love the random use of cockney rhyming slang, max's gran uses. while the book on the surface is about a boy learning magic, on a deeper level its about family and friends, solving problems together, trying to make the world a slightly better place and standing up for what's right,
August 28, 2022
Max Mullers has grown up around magic and performing, his nan taught him everything.
One day while minding his father's market stall the local bully Bottley, gets him into serious trouble with the Crayfish twins who run a protection racket.
When their suit gets damaged due to Bottley Max gets the blame.
Now he and his family have to find £250 to pay them back.
Max is ably helped by his friends, and a magic hat that caused his dog Lucky to talk.
With a threat to destroy their toy stall its a race against time for Max and his friends to pay back the money they owe for the suit.
A zany, fast pace tale that is sure to grab kids attention and also subtly deals with issues like bullying and being different and embracing it.
A fun read for both children and adults and would make a great read aloud story for sharing with a group.
Definitely looking forward to the next Max Magic adventure.
One day while minding his father's market stall the local bully Bottley, gets him into serious trouble with the Crayfish twins who run a protection racket.
When their suit gets damaged due to Bottley Max gets the blame.
Now he and his family have to find £250 to pay them back.
Max is ably helped by his friends, and a magic hat that caused his dog Lucky to talk.
With a threat to destroy their toy stall its a race against time for Max and his friends to pay back the money they owe for the suit.
A zany, fast pace tale that is sure to grab kids attention and also subtly deals with issues like bullying and being different and embracing it.
A fun read for both children and adults and would make a great read aloud story for sharing with a group.
Definitely looking forward to the next Max Magic adventure.
August 29, 2022
Max Mullers is a little boy consumed by the world of magic taught by his nan who has a background in it.
But sadly he is still a victim of bullying and disaster strikes when one day watching his father's toy stall the local bully Bottley causes trouble.
Max gets caught up with the local protection racket when through Bottley one of the Crayfish twins suits gets ruined.
Now Max and his family is left with a huge £250 bill they have to pay back or the twins will destroy their market stall.
Max needs a little bit of magic to get out of this one and it comes in the form of a magical hat that gives his dog Lucky the ability to talk.
Can Max, his friends and Lucky save the day?
This was such a fun read and sheds a bit of light on the issue of bullying and how anyone, child or adult who is just the tiniest bit different can suffer and be bullied.
This could be a great school room read.
But sadly he is still a victim of bullying and disaster strikes when one day watching his father's toy stall the local bully Bottley causes trouble.
Max gets caught up with the local protection racket when through Bottley one of the Crayfish twins suits gets ruined.
Now Max and his family is left with a huge £250 bill they have to pay back or the twins will destroy their market stall.
Max needs a little bit of magic to get out of this one and it comes in the form of a magical hat that gives his dog Lucky the ability to talk.
Can Max, his friends and Lucky save the day?
This was such a fun read and sheds a bit of light on the issue of bullying and how anyone, child or adult who is just the tiniest bit different can suffer and be bullied.
This could be a great school room read.
August 30, 2022
Max Mullers comes from a magical family background.
His nan taught him all the tricks and he loves showing his friends.
But now Max is in trouble, he has attracted the attention of Bottley the local bully and one day while minding his father's market stall disaster strikes!
A chase through the market ensues and he falls foul of the Crayfish twins and their suit gets ruined.
Now he owes them £250 and his family are struggling to pay.
Max desperately needs magical help to get this sorted and it just so happens a charmed hat comes to the rescue along with his talking dog Lucky.
But time is running out before the Crayfish twins destroy the family market stall.
Can they win through and save the day?
This was zany, mad cap and complete fun and a great read for kids and even the odd adult!
Definitely looking forward to reading more of this series in the future.
His nan taught him all the tricks and he loves showing his friends.
But now Max is in trouble, he has attracted the attention of Bottley the local bully and one day while minding his father's market stall disaster strikes!
A chase through the market ensues and he falls foul of the Crayfish twins and their suit gets ruined.
Now he owes them £250 and his family are struggling to pay.
Max desperately needs magical help to get this sorted and it just so happens a charmed hat comes to the rescue along with his talking dog Lucky.
But time is running out before the Crayfish twins destroy the family market stall.
Can they win through and save the day?
This was zany, mad cap and complete fun and a great read for kids and even the odd adult!
Definitely looking forward to reading more of this series in the future.
September 1, 2022
What an entertaining read! Full of excitement, comedy and thrilling moments. The characters are interesting to read about and you feel that you get to know them well through the book. Max is full of energy and is aiming to become a magician. I am a librarian, so I like to read new Children’s books so that I can make good recommendations. I would have thought that this would appeal to children who like David Walliam’s books or the Treehouse series. It may even appeal to fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid. As an adult I found this a quick and easy read. For more able readers it may be a bit simple to read, but they would be able to enjoy the story. The pictures throughout are entertaining and well drawn too. It would be good if there was more of these books as I think there is a good chance it could do well. I think it would mostly appeal to upper KS2 or lower KS3.
September 1, 2022
I wasn't sure what I was going to think about this book - getting 'real' magical powers isn't an option for kids getting bullied in real life, so I wondered if it was going to have tips on how to deal with bullies, but I was pleasantly surprised. I liked how Max had to learn how to use his new powers without turning into a bully himself, and of course the good guys win in the end (spoiler alert!)
It was a fun book which was enjoyable for me as an adult, and really painted a picture of the East End markets where Max lives. Having finished reading it a few days ago, I can't remember what happened to George Bottley, but since there's going to be more books in the series, maybe that's the reason the ends weren't tied up completely. The book looked eye-catching and the blue pages certainly helped draw your eye to it, along with the bright-coloured cover!
It was a fun book which was enjoyable for me as an adult, and really painted a picture of the East End markets where Max lives. Having finished reading it a few days ago, I can't remember what happened to George Bottley, but since there's going to be more books in the series, maybe that's the reason the ends weren't tied up completely. The book looked eye-catching and the blue pages certainly helped draw your eye to it, along with the bright-coloured cover!
September 6, 2022
This is probably tailored more to school children but regardless me and my little sister loved this book! The illustrations are great and nostalgic, and the author has written in a very engaging way. Max's character was fun to learn about, and seeing him carry on the family tradition of being a magician. The book also covers standing up to bullies and self-confidence which is great! It is a simple book and somewhat predictable but perfect for children. Messages from the story like standing up for what is right were covered well and are relevant to the children in this time.
The cover is very cool, and very attractive to the target audience. Anyone interested in magic or all things fun will be sure to enjoy this quick and exciting read! I am so excited to read more books like this and am hoping that this goes on to becoming a series as i'd love to see more of Max!
The cover is very cool, and very attractive to the target audience. Anyone interested in magic or all things fun will be sure to enjoy this quick and exciting read! I am so excited to read more books like this and am hoping that this goes on to becoming a series as i'd love to see more of Max!
September 9, 2022
This children’s book tells the tale of Max Mullers, an East End boy with a quirky family and supportive group of friends who can’t wait to be the best magician in the world!
Well presented with plenty of illustrations and an easy to read layout, this book has some nice extra touches such as coloured page edges and flip book illustrations in the corners of the pages - all of which help make it appealing and a book that children will be drawn to.
It is a good tale of friendship, family loyalty and overcoming bullies with a decent moral message about controlling how you use your abilities and not turning into a bully yourself.
This is not a challenging read. Some aspects of the story feel a bit outdated (including the playground bully and the “Crayfish Twins”) and hard to relate to modern childhood but that often doesn’t bother a younger reader.
Well presented with plenty of illustrations and an easy to read layout, this book has some nice extra touches such as coloured page edges and flip book illustrations in the corners of the pages - all of which help make it appealing and a book that children will be drawn to.
It is a good tale of friendship, family loyalty and overcoming bullies with a decent moral message about controlling how you use your abilities and not turning into a bully yourself.
This is not a challenging read. Some aspects of the story feel a bit outdated (including the playground bully and the “Crayfish Twins”) and hard to relate to modern childhood but that often doesn’t bother a younger reader.
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