Max Quick: The Pocket And The Pendant (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
This book was recommended to me by Mrs. Susan Dee, 5th grade language arts teacher in the snowy state of Maine. Our classes connected on World Read Aloud Day and we both did some book talks. This book came up and I immediately ordered it from Amazon. My students are in the middle of PSSAs which gave me time to do nothing but walk around and read and keep an eye on those that need to have eyes on them. I just finished this book because it was mind boggling. Every time I thought I had it figured out, a twist was thrown into the mix. Students in middle grades will need to read this book by Mark Jeffrey. Below is a summary of the book that I found on Goodreads.com. Thanks to Mrs. Dee who has also shipped my students a second copy of this book. She said that students would be passing it around. I just handed it to one of boys who will talk it up as he is reading it to get others excited. Thank you Mrs. Dee!Max Quick is a pickpocket, a vagabond, an orphan, and a thief. Even so, nothing about him seems particularly special . . . until one day when time mysteriously stops. Suddenly, nearly everyone in the world is frozen in time—except for Max.Now Max must journey across America to find the source of the Time-stop. Along the way, he meets others who aren't suspended in time, like Casey, a girl who's never been on her own until now. Together, as they search for the cause of this disaster, Max and his companions encounter ancient mysteries, magic books, and clues to the riddle of stopped time. But relentless and mysterious villains are hot on Max's heels and will do everything in their power to prevent Max from ending the Time-stop. And the closer Max gets to the answers, the more it seems that his own true identity is not what he once believed. Racing against a clock that no longer ticks, Max must embrace his past to save his future—and the world—from being altered forever. "Max Quick: The Pocket and the Pendant" was a fast paced read with lots of action. I was hooked on this book after the first chapter and I had to find out what was going on. Why was time stopped and why weren't Max and Casey affected?! As I got more and more into the book, I just HAD to know why Max was missing his memory and who he really was. If these mysteries aren't enough, there are many more that pop up throughout the book to keep your interest peaked. I would go into more details, but I HATE spoilers in reviews! Even though the book was fast paced, I wish there had been more character development. I wish Max's quest to find himself had been more of a driving force in this book. There are moments where Max's identity is a top priority, but they are fleeting. It almost feels like there are just too many mysteries happening in one book. This is good for keeping the reader interested, but I like to be a little more connected with my characters. This book almost felt like a complete series, or at least 2/3 of one, because of all the different mysteries that were solved and the number of villains- it kind of reminds me of Spider-Man 3. "Max Quick: The Pocket and the Pendant" is a combination of sci-fi and adventure that will have readers hooked from start to finish. Fans of Percy Jackson will enjoy Max's quest to learn the mysteries of the Time Pocket as well as his own identity. This book is probably best suited for reluctant readers or readers who enjoy non-stop action, but I think most readers will enjoy "Max Quick: The Pocket and the Pendant".*I did receive a free ARC of this book for review.
What do You think about Max Quick: The Pocket And The Pendant (2011)?
Pretty much the greatest book ever written.
—NADIR
An excellent book!Extremely fun to read.
—KelseyAdeb
