Made By Maxine

Title: Made by Maxine

By: Ruth Spiro

Illustrator: Holly Hatam

Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKeBx71kNY0

Maxine is a unique young girl with quite the imagination. As Maxine says, “If I can dream it, I can do it!” Maxine is a role model for young girls to show that anyone can be engineers and make things from anything. After learning about a pet parade at her school, Maxine is determined to do whatever it would take to include her best friend, goldfish Milton, in the parade. Her friends at school doubted her, but she turned the parade a special experience for her and Milton!

I’ve noticed recently a gradual increase in books with characters that are girls who are building, creating, and making things. I believe this book would be empowering for young girls to see that not only boys are allowed to build things.

This book would work great as a read aloud for an early elementary class. Prior to reading the class brainstorm could animals that would be good for a class pet parade. The lesson could focus on determination, hard work, as well as being creative and using your imagination. After reading, it would be fun for the students to pick what animal they would include in the parade and how they would make a float to incorporate that animal. After sharing with partners the students could write what about the plan to include the animal of their choice.