Maxi’s Secrets (or what you can learn from a dog) – book review

Maxi’s Secrets by Lynn Plourde

This middle grade book is about the relationship between Timminy, his dog Maxi and his neighbor Abby. While it was an enjoyable story, I felt it lacked the arc needed to make the story really sizzle. For me, the side character, of Rory felt unimportant, when it really could have been a much larger part of the story. As the friendship with Timminy and Abby was lackluster. Also, I am not sure that the secrets belong to Maxi, but to Timminy, which I found a little confusing.

The reader is told in the second sentence that Maxi dies, which kept me reading to find out why, but sadly had that not been in the opening I might not have made it very far into the book. Maxi’s Secrets was well written with excellent descriptions of Timminy and Maxi, yet I didn’t feel connected with the characters emotionally as I should.

Middle graders can relate to the story of Timminy, but Abby as well. I just wish that Rory had played a bigger role as there seemed to be an underlining story in which middle graders would like to know more about.

3 out of 5 stars.