Mister Max: The Book of Lost Things By Cynthia VoigtAs with many children’s books, we start the story learning of how unique Max’s family situation is and why the adults in his are buffoons. In Max’s case he’s raised by theater folk who constantly forget that their biggest and most important roles should be of mother and father. When they start talking about travel plans that do not include Max, he’s having none of that - someone needs to remind them to be good parents and Max is not afraid of standing up to them himself. Still, the parents go missing -- did they ignore the new plans (which included Max), did they simply lie to him, has something happened to them? Oddly enough most of the book involves no one really wondering about this, not even Max and his next-door neighbor/grandmother. Not that they have given up on finding answers, they just don’t seem to make it number one on their list of things to do.
Max needs income as his grandmother cannot afford to help him for long, hence the "Lost Things" title. Max realizes he’s good at… well… not being a detective, not finding things, more like lucking out -- stumbling into happy accidents that just happen solve people’s problems.
I won’t ruin the end, but it is clear that this book is to be a series. I liked Max, I just didn’t love him. I doubt I’ll continue on with this series, even though ending it here does mean that some questions are left unanswered.
* Disclaimer: I received this book at no cost in order to review it. I offered no guarantee of a positive review, though I only request books I think I'll like because why read a book you think you’ll hate?
