A Story You Won’t Soon Forget

ABOUT THE BOOK

Author: Lynn Plourde
Publisher:  Puffin Books; Reprint edition (August 2017)

• Pages: 272 hardcover
• Ages: 10+

When a BIG, lovable, does-it-her-way dog wiggles her way into the heart of a loudmouth pipsqueak of a boy, wonderful things happen that help him become a bigger, better person. With its diverse cast, authentic narrator, and perfect blend of spot-on middle-grade humor, drama, and wisdom, this powerful debut is relatable, funny, bittersweet, and full of heart.

Timminy knows that moving to a new town just in time to start middle school when you are perfect bully bait is less than ideal. But he gets a great consolation prize in Maxi—a gentle giant of a dog who the family quickly discovers is deaf. Timminy is determined to do all he can to help Maxi—after all, his parents didn’t return him because he was a runt. But when the going gets rough for Timminy, who spends a little too much time getting shoved into lockers at school, Maxi ends up being the one to help him—along with their neighbor, Abby, who doesn’t let her blindness define her and bristles at Timminy’s “poor-me” attitude. It turns out there’s more to everyone than what’s on the surface, whether it comes to Abby, Maxi, or even Timminy himself.

Timminy, the boy telling this story, lets the reader know right from the start,

“My dog, Maxi, dies.”

Being forewarned, we are drawn into a tale of a boy who moves with his family to a new town where his dad will be the principal of the middle school where Timminy will be attending. Timminy dreads the move, partly because of his short stature and dread of being bullied at a new place.

His parents are aware that this move will be difficult for him, so they decide to let him get a dog, in hopes that it will make moving easier. Maxi is a beautiful Great Pyrenees that the family soon discovers is deaf. When they learn this, Timminy embraces his dog even more, since he knows what it’s like to be a little different.

While Timminy is correct about having to deal with bullies and rude kids at his new school, he does learn ways to deal with it.

In time he meets his neighbor Abby, who is blind but she in no way lets it define her.

Maxi, Timminy, and Abby form a somewhat unlikely trio, but one that works extremely well.

Though Maxi plays a large part in this book, her illness and death are handled in a way that could prove inspirational to others facing a like situation.

The author expresses this a little more succinctly:

Lynn Plourde

Yes, Maxi dies at the end of the book–the beginning of the book lets the reader know that–so, yes, a book with tears, but also with laughter. Maxi is Timminy’s deaf dog. Timminy’s next door neighbor is Abby, a blind girl. He also has a neighbor named Rory, whose nickname is Beast of the East because he is so large.
Timminy is the shortest kid at his school. It is a book about FITTING IN.

 

This was written in a beautiful way that celebrated life and lessons. In reviewing so many books there are times I can’t hardly remember what a book was about. In this case, it made such an impression that I’m sure I won’t forget.

What Concerned Me

Nothing

Final Thought

Each chapter ends with a secret that Timminy picked up from living with Maxi. A secret that applies to life in general. The relationship and growth shared in each character encourages learning and understanding.

Though this book has all the markings of possibly being a bit didactic, the messages are extremely subtle and woven beautifully throughout the story.

And absolute yes! This is a book to read.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Publishers Weekly probably says it best. “This story is a tender reminder that perceived shortcomings don’t define us and that the power of friendship can’t be underestimated.”

Lynn Plourde (www.lynnplourde.com) is the author of 29 picture books, and Maxi’s Secrets is her debut middle-grade novel. A former speech-language therapist, she worked in public schools for twenty-one years. She was born and raised in Maine, where she still lives, and she loves spending time outdoors snowshoeing, walking, kayaking, and gardening.

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