Max Found Two Sticks

“Max Finds Two Sticks” is a story of a young boy, Max who is sitting on his stoop outside of his home. When the wind blows, two sticks fall from the tree next to the stoop. Max finds his love for music when he picks up those sticks and begins to make beats. I felt a connection to Max while reading this story. When I was young, I loved the drums and I tapped on different furniture in my house to see what beat they would make. Max does the same. Music is a powerful and moving part of life and I feel the same way Max does about his music. I listen to music throughout my daily routines and feel that music is a significant part of my life. I loved that the marching band took notice of Max's attempt to make his own drums and stopped to show more give him a spare set of drum sticks. I was able to draw a connection from this because I felt that the drummer in the marching band was a role-model for Max in the way that a professional athlete tosses his fans a ball after a game. He looked up to the drummer and his slight gesture made Max's day. I really enjoyed reading this book and feel that music can be made from anything as long as you put your mind to it. show less

I really liked this book for two prominent reasons. The first reason I liked this book is its use of onomatopoeia. Almost every page of the book had some form of sound words on it such as “Putter-putter…pat-tat” and “Tippy-tip…tat-tat” which subconsciously prompted me to stop reading, look around the page and see where the sound was coming from. This act made me more engaged with the story, making it more fun to turn the pages in anticipation for the next sound and drumming style within the book. I also liked this book for the comparisons made between the drumming of the main character and the environment around him. An example of this is when the main character was drumming on soda bottles and the book compared that to the show more church bells ringing near the main character’s house. By comparing the drumming to the main character’s environment, the book came to life and I was able to take away the idea that music can be found in a lot of unconventional places. A few hours after reading the book, I paid attention to the sounds I heard while walking around campus and I was able to make my own comparisons between sounds around me and sound that I can make myself. The big idea of this book is that music is everywhere and you can make music yourself. All it takes is a little innovation and playing around to experience making music in your own backyard. show less

This is one of the best books I have read so far this year! I love this, and it definitely deserves some acknowledgment. The first thing I want to mention about this amazing book is the cultural aspect. This is mostly done by the illustrations, and the colors. The blues, reds, and greens as well as the background images of the steps and the city represent living in a poor area, but it is also very bright, representing hope and happiness for what they have. Another thing about this book is that it’s repetitive; he plays drums on something different each time, but each time he never actually talks. Lastly, there are not many words. It leaves students to have an imagination. The ending is my favorite part, with the band. It’s such a show more good end to the story, and is inspirational, and allows students to dream about something like that happening to them! All around, great great book. Really, I recommend this book to everyone. show less

This book clearly takes place in NYC, something my NYC nieces and I really enjoy - seeing Max's dad being a conductor on a train makes them laugh. Seeing the WTC in the background makes me smile and think. And of course the kids up and down the block where we live spend their life sitting on the stoop, just like Max does!

The book makes great connections - each time somebody asks Max what he's doing, he plays the sound of something going on, and in the next panel he's using their bucket, or their hatbox, or their garbage cans to play his next rhythm.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone, particularly anybody who is musically inclined.

One note - the larger edition of this book is better. I got this edition because it was cheaper and in show more the bookstore, but the pictures end up a little scrunched. show less

I liked how this book used the "pat..pat..pat" and "tap..tap..tap" relating the sounds to sounds that happened around Max in this city. This made the book engaging for the reader because of the interest in the sound and relating those sounds to object make the sounds realistic to the reader. The message was about using what you have to make yourself happy. Max only had two sticks and he was content and happy using his imagination.

Anything can be a drum. Our little boy knows this and now our daughter is appreciating this as well. A timely read.

Max, who doesn't feel much like talking, finds a pair of sticks and uses them to fill his neighborhood with music, learning that it is possible to convey emotion without ever saying a word.