Max Makes a Million

Max #1

by Maira Kalman

Max, a dog who dreams of being a poet in Paris, must be content to remain in New York City with his friends Bruno, a painter, and Marcello, a crazy architect.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Poetry, New York

48 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1990

About the author

Maira Kalman was born in Tel Aviv and moved to New York with her family at the age of four. She has worked as a designer, author, illustrator and artist for more than thirty years without formal training. Her work is a narrative journal of her life and all its absurdities. She has written and illustrated twelve children's books including Ooh-la-la- Max in Love, What Pete Ate, and Swami on Rye. She often illustrates for The New Yorker magazine, and is well known for her collaboration with Rick Meyerowitz on the NewYorkistan cover in 2001. Recent projects include The Elements of Style (illustrated), and a monthly on-line column entitled Principles of Uncertainty for The New York Times.

She lives in New York and walks a lot.

(http://www.saulgallery.com)

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've always liked Kalman's art, AND, I LOVE dogs, so I'm really not sure why this tale of a canine who yearns to be a poet didn't thrill me more. Perhaps it was just too much wacky urbanity, and not enough doggie-doings . . . I don't know. Three paws up, but no tails wagging.

[Drew Canole · Rating 3 out of 5]

A beautifully drawn avant-garde children's book. Something perhaps an adult would appreciate more than a child. Here Max is a dog who want to move to France and write poetry. He struggles but eventually sells a manuscript to a publisher for $1m.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

1990 quirky Maira Kalman book, written by a woman who is actually allergic to dogs, yet the first in a series! Pretty funny. About a dog who wants to go to Paris. He needs cash to pull that off. It's a pretty complex book, maybe as much for adults as kids, not a typical kid book, that's for sure. How many times can I say the word quirky? It's my go-to Kalman word, and maybe also funny and effervescently kicky. Great colorful art.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've given more copies of this book away than any other I've ever owned. It's good for poets, dreamers, artists, kids who enjoy rhymes, people who love dogs, and anyone who needs a good pick-me-up.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Max Stravinsky, an aspiring poet and a New York City dog, longs to hit it big and move to Paris in this charmingly offbeat picture-book from author/artist Maira Kalman. From his home life with Morris and Ida - a shoe salesman and tango dancer, respectively - to his studio experiences with Bruno, who paints invisible paintings, Max's life is full of quirky characters, many of them artists and musicians, all of them dreamers. In the end, Max's own dreams do come true...

Originally published by Viking in 1990, Max Makes a Million, the first of four picture-book detailing the oddball adventures of the eponymous canine character, was reprinted this past year (2017) in this new edition by The New York Review Children's Collection, which specializes in giving deserving out-of-print children's books another chance. I enjoyed the story itself, thought the writing was occasionally quite poetic - "If I didn't mention before, / I should mention now. / This book is about dreams. / Wishful thinkers. / Dreamy blinkers. / Crazy nuts" - and found the artwork colorful and appealing, in a quirky montage kind of way. Recommended to anyone looking for picture-books with oddball characters and an offbeat sense of humor.

[brookiecita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe the best children’s book I’ve ever read. Seriously too cool for its own good.

[Manik Sukoco · Rating 4 out of 5]

1990 quirky Maira Kalman book, written by a woman who is actually allergic to dogs, yet the first in a series! Pretty funny. About a dog who wants to go to Paris. He needs cash to pull that off. It's a pretty complex book, maybe as much for adults as kids, not a typical kid book, that's for sure. How many times can I say the word quirky? It's my go-to Kalman word, and maybe also funny and effervescently kicky. Great colorful art!

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was my first year in Southern California. I worked at Rizzoli bookstore at South Coast Plaza for the Christmas rush and in came this book. A children's book, looked like and I had no kids (yet) but the artwork, then the graphics, pulled me in. Whimsical writing, fun art. I had to buy it. And the story...a dog who writes poetry and longs for Paris. And he gets a deal--lucky dog! Never give up your dreams. If Max can make it, so can you. Love this book!

[Allegra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maira Kalman is no secret. She has really made it. I'm glad. Max and her beautiful dreamy painted illustrations are wonderful. Her characters are not bounded by gravity and I like that. For awhile in college I think I wrote a lot of my emails in a voice not unlike that of Max. "Ha!"

[Dr. Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"He meant to blow the saxophone but, man, he blew his nose instead . . ." How can you not love a book with poetry like that!

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book (and the other max books) made me want to write for kids.

[Amy Layton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book hits all of my marks…a dog? A poet dog? A poet dog who wants to go to France? References to artistic and musical and literary geniuses of 1920s Montmartre??? Sign me the heck up. Does it get better than this? (Yes–with the second book in this series, but outside of this series? Probably not).

Kalman’s artwork for her book is incredible. The text does not stand apart from the illustrations–it becomes it. That’s part of why her illustrations are so incredible, including her references to Magritte, the French way of life, and visually differing characters. And the text, oh my god, the text. Have I ever identified with anybody more than Max? Moody, poetic Max? (Probably not).

This was such a callback to my time spent in France, and a reminder of just how special it was to me, and how special it is to others. I can’t wait to read more Max books!!

Review cross-listed here!

[Marfita · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very New York-y book about a dog/poet named Max. Max tells us about his dreams (to go to Paris) and his daily routine and humorous friends. Max's dreams come true when he gets a publishing contract through his cigar-chewing agent.
The artwork is modern and expressive, and the book a cross between Marc Chagall and Suzuki Beane. I really loved the endpapers with their dog portraits in the front and people portraits in the back. And it's published by The New York Review of Each Other's Books. Not sure how it will go over here in South Carolina.

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this. I'd never heard the Chinese proverb that says there are two things parents should give their children: roots and wings, until this adorable book. I looked up the entire proverb and here it is: "There are two things parents should give their children roots and wings. Roots to give them bearing and a sense of belonging, but also wings to help free them from constraints and prejudices and give them other ways to travel."

I feel this is the theme of this cute book for children.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creative use of text, as well as the text itself and the words... all of these, I gather, have been created by Maira Kalman.

For those of us with some knowledge of aesthetes who lived in Paris back in the days of Igor Stravinski and Marc Chagall? Take a deep breath and blink a few times. Here we have Morris Stravinsky and Maurice Chagall -- giving tango lessons, yet!

This book is highly, highly creative. Some readers will find it highly, highly addictive.

FIVE STARS for sure.

[The Campbell Family · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was VERY quirky! I'm not quite sure how to rate it. I loved the interesting layout of the text, and the unusual illustrations and storyline, along with the realistic names of the characters (growing up on the South side of Chicago, it was all relatable). However, it was a little too weird?! Not sure, but I kind of want to read it again!

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Max the dog tells about his life with his people. Some of his friends are artistic, and Max himself is a poet. His dream is to go to Paris. When his book of poetry is sold by his agent he is eager to tell everyone.

[Olivia Russell · Rating 2 out of 5]

If this book truly is for kids, I get it.
But otherwise, it feels like an acid trip. I picked it up because the cover looked interesting as it sat in our schools library. Either this book really is for kids or it's satire on the pretentiousness of art and writing.

[Angela De Groot · Rating 3 out of 5]

A riot of color and creativity.

[Liva-Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

For every occasion, for every child (young in spirit at least), for-ever my favorite.

[Sundry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sophisticated book. I would have loved this as a kid.

[Danielle Palmer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty darn strange.

[Caitlin · Rating 1 out of 5]

got this to read to children at school and it’s a naur from me

[Manny Villa]

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[Frejola]

Crazy but it has something to say about growing up and flying out.

[Freed · Rating 5 out of 5]

The peculiar characters are sometimes based on real persons. The painter of invisible paintings even took very successfully part of the Venice Biennale in 2011. You can find him when you search for 'Bruno Jakob' on the internet. His newest work is more visible now.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

More Kalman from her imaginative and quirky trove, although this one doesn't reach as high a mark as Smartypants and Learning from Lincoln. In this book she enlists Max the dog in her task to explore the desire to grow up and take on a calling, in this case to be a poet.

And every day I pause on the corner of Salami and Pastrami and tape a poem on the wall.

Kalman's signature style with her energetic palette, playfulness with the position of the text, a little verse this time, and forceful depictions of people are again successfully combined. Like her other books that I've read, this one probably won't appeal to younger readers and those who need a settled visual style. This could be a great resource for an adult reader to process an ongoing struggle to realize their passion to do more, or to survive the discouraging or deadening messages from others. The inner front and back cover pages are, as in her other books, a menagerie of characters.

[Nancy Kotkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of Max, a dog who is a poet, who wants to publish his poetry, and who dreams of moving to Paris some day. Inspiring theme of reaching for your dreams. I would give it 4 stars but I wonder how many kids relate to selling poetry manuscripts, literary agents, or fancy dinner parties. Even clothed in a funny dog, those things are too grown-up and esoteric for the picture book crowd. Interesting text placements on some pages. Very creative copyright page.

[Julie Barrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Max Makes A Million
Max the dog, a dreamer and he sells his book and he makes money. Enough to go on a trip to Paris.
His dream is to sell his book of poems and to live in Paris. Anybody can achieve what they set their mind to do.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).