Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Picture Book Review: Maxwell the Monkey Barber by Cale Atkinson

I received a free ecopy of this picture book from Netgalley and Owlkids Books in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Maxwell the Monkey Barber
Author: Cale Atkinson
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Publication Date: August 9, 2016
Length: 32 pages
Format: ebook
Source: Netgalley


Synopsis:
Maxwell the monkey operates a barbershop, where he offers everything from a trim to a chop. He excels at helping his fellow animals look shipshape and feel their best, no matter how unruly their locks. Whatever the coiffure quandary, Maxwell is your monkey. He tames Baboon's curls, styles Lion's mane, and trims Bear's beard, exclaiming each time: "Your hair's the best I've seen today!"

All's well until Elephant comes in, feeling sad because he has no hair. Can Maxwell help? Of course! After some careful thinking, he devises a solution to help even Elephant feel his best. 

Cale Atkinson's bright, cartoon-like digital illustrations beckon readers into Maxwell's world in this playful tale. Rhyming text, speech bubbles, and a refrain make this story a fun read-aloud accessible to early readers. Full of personality and style, Maxwell has a genuine charm and enthusiasm for helping others that kids will find immediately contagious. 

My Thoughts:
Maxwell runs a barber shop and gets all sorts of creatures in need of a haircut. When Elephant asks for something to cover his cold, hairless head, Maxwell thinks on it and comes up with the perfect idea! 

This was very simple but cute and warmed my heart. Maxwell ends up making Elephant a wig out of all the hair that he has cut from other animals and makes Elephant's day. I definitely think this would be a good story to read to kids who don't have any hair of their own for one reason or another. 

The few words are very simple so this would be perfect for storytime or for very young readers. The illustrations are fun and bright and full of animals that will really appeal to small children. 
The author / illustrator has a lovely style that can also be found in a few other picture books that I've both loved and have my eye on such as 'To The Sea', 'Explorers of the Wild', and If I Had A Gryphon. 

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