Max & Mo's First Day at School

Max & Mo

by Patricia Lakin, Brian Floca (illustrator)

Mo, a hamster who likes to know things, and Max, a hamster who likes to make things, team up to bust out of their cage and explore their art class/home during holiday time.

It's back-to-school time for Max and Mo.
This year they are living in the art room.
Now they have to make new friends, but how will these big ones learn their names?

Genres: School, Childrens, Animals

32 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2007

Reviews

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

At their school Max and Mo are a couple of cute hamsters, all caged up, pets for the children to enjoy. But there's so much more to them, as we discover in this easy reader.

* Hamster who likes to KNOW things
*While hamster Max likes to MAKE things.

During school vacation, the two of them team up to escape from their cage and and start exploring the art classroom, where they have been kept.

Very ingenious, they turn out to be. You'll find out, Goodreaders, if you give this book a chance.

FIVE STARS for a cheery, upbeat story about great teamwork.

[Kathleen Meacham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite cute for the age bracket, and I liked the step-by-step project at the end of the book.

[Gabrielle L · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5 stars

[Suzanne Lorraine Kunz Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love that Max & Mo have a problem and that they take steps to solve it.

[Jenna Montgomery · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clever hamsters make their own name tag.

[Valerie Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like when they make the name tags.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Max and Mo are going to school! But the kids in the art room don't know their names. So Max and Mo escape from their cage to make a name tag.

[Tabitha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Independent read for 1st and 2nd grade

Floca’s illustrations expressed playful creativity that mimicked the message Lakin displayed in the words. The colorful pictures encompassed most of the pages to help intrigue the reader. Lakin also used large fonts and short, precise sentences to keep the young readers attention. It also allows confidence in reading because of the repetition of familiar words while giving some challenging words to enhance the reader’s vocabulary. This book will appeal to younger readers because of its small size and the experience of the character’s first day of school. The hamsters are curious and active which the young reader can relate to. I believe that “Max and Mo’s First Day at School” is a great book to introduce to students that are learning to read independently.

Social Science/Art

Lesson plan: Consider a career that is interesting to you or one you would like to have as an adult. Design your name tag that will express that career/job.

[Arthur Pengerbil]

Max and Mo are a pair of school hamsters who remind us of certain library rodents we know you all love. Max and Mo share a habitat in the school's art room and watch the children participate in class. In each book they sneak out of their cage to have some fun of their own using a few basic art supplies. Each book has directions for an art project at the end. The only way this series could be made better would be if Max and Mo were gerbils instead of hamsters.
Read this review on our webpage.

[Arthur Pengerbil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Max and Mo are a pair of school hamsters who remind us of certain library rodents we know you all love. Max and Mo share a habitat in the school's art room and watch the children participate in class. In each book they sneak out of their cage to have some fun of their own using a few basic art supplies. Each book has directions for an art project at the end. The only way this series could be made better would be if Max and Mo were gerbils instead of hamsters.
Read this review on our webpage.

[Rosa Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a charming back to school book! A pair of hamsters are excited to be going back to school to the classroom with 'the big ones'. But the 'big ones' call them by different names so they come up with a plan to make their nametag so they will know who they are. A sweet book that my 3 year old granddaughter and I enjoyed together. In the bak is even directions to make the same nametags that they made. Would make for a neat classroom project.

[Shellee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Classroom pets that are best friends. They work together to solve a problem and help "the big ones" learn their names. recommend to anyone

[Natalie Tate · Rating 2 out of 5]

A sweet but forgettable early reader.

[Dena · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute and fun first reader - more engaging than other easy readers