A riotously enjoyable tale mixing fantasy, school stories, science fiction and big questions about life and death. Despite this, I enjoyed how Max's hearing aids were an important part of the story and the focus on him making friends and developing confidence in himself and his ability to communicate.

However, the use of the expletive “h-e-double hockey sticks” by one of the young characters is unnecessary. Additionally, the developing friendship between Max and Sasha, will show pupils that everyone has others will understand their specific nature- in this case, Max’s trouble communicating- and you can overcome difference to make great friendships and help each other. He goes to a boarding school where he has no friends his own age, because he finds communicating with the other boys too difficult. On the floor he finds a pile of sand – and in the sand is Mr Darrow’s latest creation – a tiny boy, no bigger than a raisin, Luke, Prince of the Blues.It's a classic boarding school story with a twist - most of the action takes place at the end of the school holidays, and at a microscopic level. Darrow disappears and Max follows his instructions to go straight to his room, Max discovers a miniature world. Walliams) I was beginning to loose hope and commented to my wife that all the old kids books were the best and I can't find any exciting, engaging well written story's, so thanks I enjoyed watching my son jump up out of bed as he figured out parts of the plot for him self 😊 he'd still be talking about it the next day guessing what was going to happen next. The ending, I wasn't sure about, but I did come to terms with Max's decisions and saw his reasoning. Caitlin's desperation for friendship is palpable, and the book powerfully conveys the longing for connection that drives her to risky actions.

I really liked Sasha's little sister, Joy, who was the ring-leader of group little girls who were all really naughty, their antics were so funny! Ross Montgomery has worked as a pig farmer, a postman, and a primary school teacher, so writing books was the next logical step. Once the magic comes into play, the deafness remains realistic, but the hearing aids take on magical qualities through the ministrations of Mr. If you looked through his pockets, you'd find empty potato chip packets, lists of things to do, and a bottle of that stuff you put on your nails to stop biting them.This booklist includes books that feature deafness as a key theme, books with a deaf protagonist, and books that happen to include children with hearing aids and cochlear implants, in a subtle and natural way. Max has few friends and rarely interacts with his peers at all, because it is too difficult to keep up with the speechreading. Pitt raises his voice and overenunciates at Max, and does things like having a chair set up at the front of assembly with a sign in large red letters, "special seat. Like Kate DiCamillo, Montgomery’s use of miracles enables the deaf character to experience an inexplicable ease of communication access.

It is quite possibly the most imaginative storyline I have read this year - as in, how on earth did the author come up with that plot and make it all fit together and work? He does a friend in his American roommate, Sasha, who tries to use ASL with him before realizing they ought to be using BSL, an entirely different language. Darrow somehow entirely replaced the aid's internal mechanisms with new equipment that aid manufacturers, audiologists, and innovators do not have access to. The more sensitive of pupils in the class could take on Max’s story for friendship and his difficulties communicating, perhaps how Sasha and his friendship develops in the next academic term.

I read this as a librarian but would try it with my 7-year-old in a year or two, I think some of the humour is a little old for him just yet. I enjoyed the story for what it is, a silly, light hearted children's book; but for a story all about looking at the little things and the importance of detail, I hoped there would be more of just that.