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Max and Marla

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Max and Marla

eBook(NOOK Kids)

$7.99

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eBook(NOOK Kids)
$7.99

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Overview

Two fearless Olympians sled to victory in this delightful new picture book

Max and Marla are best friends. And aspiring Olympians! With their eyes on the prize, they know exactly what it’ll take to reach sledding success: preparation, practice and perseverance. So when rusty blades, strong winds and difficult slopes get in their way, Max and Marla realize true joy lies not in winning but in friendship. Obstacles turn into victories!

With delightful illustrations and charming text, Alexandra Boiger brings to life the story of two unstoppable pals—true Olympians who never give up!

Product Details
About the Author

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780698196407
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	10/13/2015
Series:	Max and Marla Series
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	53 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Alexandra Boiger grew up in Munich, Germany as the youngest of seven children. She studied Graphic Design at the Fachhochschule Augsburg before working in Feature Animation at Warner Brothers and Dreamworks. After working in animation, Alexandra decided to pursue a lifelong dream of becoming a children’s book illustrator, gathering a following as the illustrator of the popular Tallulah series. Max and Marla is her debut title as both author and illustrator. Alexandra now lives in Northern California with her husband and daughter.

From the B&N Reads Blog

Page 1 of

Winter Is Here! 7 Picture Books About Sledding Adventures

Winter is here, and for some parts of the country that means the first snowfall. When it’s still snowing in March, the excitement is far less, but for now, there’s something special about that first snow. So what better way to celebrate than with a roundup of books about that all-time classic first snowfall adventure: […]

08/03/2015
Boiger (the Tallulah series) nods to the Winter Olympics in this tale of sled-riding friends, her debut as author. Max, a boy, and Marla, a snowy owl, imagine themselves “true Olympians.” In their alpine village—a cluster of cool-blue houses laden with snow—Max and Marla watch a bobsledder on TV, gear up (“Preparation is key”), and tote their sled outside. At first, they “face technical difficulties” when their stuck sled won’t glide. The next day, they wax the runners and step out again, only to be swept into a tree. With each misadventure, they modify their approach. They exchange knit hats for helmets, bundle up in parkas, and (ill-advisedly) tie themselves to their sled with red string. In Boiger’s softly rounded watercolor-and-ink images, Max and Marla’s brick-red outfits stand out against icy blues, lavenders, and grays. The visual and verbal narrative feels at times too spare, yet Boiger excels at closely observed, affectionate details, like Max carrying a snoozing Marla to bed, or the friends stringing donuts on ribbons to serve as Olympic medals. Ages 3–5. Agent: Marcia Wernick, Wernick & Pratt Agency. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Max and Marla:

"A fun-filled story that delivers the true nature of the Olympian spirit."—Kirkus Reviews

“Boiger (the Tallulah series) nods to the Winter Olympics in this tale of sled-riding friends.”—Publishers Weekly

“Many little lessons are imparted in Boiger’s debut, but its mantra remains, ‘True Olympians never give up.’”—Booklist

“A humorous addition to winter tales and a good story about persistence in pursuing goals.”—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

10/01/2015
K-Gr 2—Max and his best friend, Marla the owl, are real winter Olympians. "Honest to goodness. Cross your heart." At least, that is, in spirit. They understand the importance of preparing. They put on their snow caps and scarves, warm up a bit, take the sled, and head to the snowy outdoors. Up they climb to the top of the hill, "ready, set, GO!" Not quite. There are technical difficulties with the sled, but "true Olympians never give up," so back inside Max waxes the blades with assistance of sorts from Marla, who naps on the couch. The next day they add "a number of improvements," including goggles, matching red helmets, and a fancy belt, to their athletic wardrobe. Out they fearlessly go again, but the wind and snow send them flying, quite literally. It's time to take a rest for a day, because that is very important preparation for sports as well. Fully recovered, Max and Marla prepare with some more exercises and bundle up in too-big ski jackets. This time they tie themselves to the sled so they won't fall off, but they end up tumbling down the mountain and turning into giant snowballs. Real Olympians turn defeat into victory, so the two have fun making snow angels and later reward themselves with hot chocolate and doughnuts turned Olympic medals. The charming illustrations, presented in shades of winter blue, were created with watercolor and ink and enhanced with Photoshop. Pudgy Marla is an excellent sidekick for Max, a cute kid with a too-large head. VERDICT A humorous addition to winter tales and a good story about persistence in pursuing goals.—Roxanne Burg, Orange County Public Library, CA

School Library Journal

2015-06-29
A boy and an owl learn what it takes to become true Olympians in this picture book. Best friends Max and Marla, the narrator tells readers, are Olympians. Although Max is a little boy and Marla is an owl, the narrator insists they are "real-life, honest to goodness, cross your heart…Olympians." When Max and Marla set out to sled down a snowy mountain slope but don't slide, they realize that their sled needs wax and that "preparation is key." Attempt No. 2 ends when an out-of-control wind takes them into a tree. But "true Olympians never give up," and after a recovery sick day, when the Olympians learn that "taking care of yourself is...probably most important of all," they try again. Despite their careful preparations, the sled crashes once more, and Max and Marla end up as balls of snow, which they turn into snow angels as they extricate themselves. The summary attribute, an attitude that turns "obstacles…into victories," is underscored by the final illustration, showing Max and Marla bestowing doughnut "medals" to each other. Author/illustrator Boiger's story is graceful, and her limited-palette watercolor illustrations in well-designed combinations—including spot illustrations, full-page bleeds, and double-page spreads—effectively keep readers' attention on the story and do not overwhelm with gratuitous detail. A fun-filled story that delivers the true nature of the Olympian spirit. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews

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