MAX FOUND TWO STICKS

Pinkney, Brian. Max Found Two Sticks (Stories to Go!). New York: Aladdin, 2005. ISBN 1-4169-0310-0.

PLOT SUMMARY:
A young African American boy sits on the front stoop of his building and uses two found sticks to beat on various common objects in a drumlike fashion. As his relatives and friends question what he is doing, he answers by banging out rhythms on hat boxes, soda bottles and trash cans. Max's rhythmic beating is in tune with what is going on around him such as the church bells ringing and the sound of the train his father is a conductor on. The story culminates when a real marching band happens by and one of the player tosses Max real drumsticks.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

While no overly obvious African American themes are present in this book, Brian Pinkney manages to convey the true feeling and spirit of a young African American boy, his surroundings, and the music that moves him. Each of the characters in the story is African American, and they are portrayed without bias or stereotypes. The father is working, the grandfather is cleaning the windows. Though Max doesn't feel like talking, he is able to show his thoughts and feelings through his music. The story takes on a more rich quality with Max showcasing his thoughts through music, rather than with language.

Each person that Max interacts with embodies the African American culture without being didactic. His twin sisters wear hats, his friends drink soda from bottles, and the Urban neighborhood looks like any bigger city that African Americans might dwell in. The illustrations are melodious as well. Pinkney uses oil paint and gouache on scratchboard, and the effect embodies Max, his family and those around him. You can just about hear the music while reading the book. For adults, it is easy to be brought back to an easier time in our childhood, and younger readers might imagine the simplicity of daydreaming or making their own music. Readers also learn that sometimes words aren't necessary-- there are other ways to get our points across.

REVIEW EXCERPTS:
A Reading Rainbow Book

Horn Book Guide:
Superb illustrations convey the details of urban life and capture the inherent quality of restlessness in Max's activities as well as the sense of renewal he achieves through making music.

School Library Journal:
The snappy text reverberates with the rhythmic song of the city, and Pinkney's swirling, scratchboard-oil paintings have a music of their own. This is an effective depiction of the way in which self-expression takes on momentum, as Max's quiet introspection turns into an exuberant celebration of the world around him.

Publisher's Weekly:
The fluid lines of his distinctive scratchboard illustrations fairly swirl with energy, visually translating Max's joy in creating rhythm and sound (Pinkney is well suited to the task, having been a drummer since the age of eight). A serendipitous ending finds the drummer from a passing marching band tossing a spare set of real drumsticks to the delighted Max.

Kirkus Review:
Pinkney's scratchboard illustrations, designed with a sure hand and overlaid with rich, subtle shades of sky blue, leaf green, and brick applied in free, painterly strokes, are superb; they vividly convey the imagination and vitality of this budding young musician. A perfect marriage of idea and art.

CONNECTIONS:

* Read other books by Brian Pinkney. His wife, Andrea Davis Pinkney, is also an African American writer. Read books by her as well. Do all of their books portray African American characters? Are there any non African American characters in any of their stories? If so, do they interract? If so, how?

* Max made music with sticks and household objects. See what objects you can make music with in your classroom. Notice how different objects make different sounds. The book uses onomonopeia to show the different sounds objects will make. Take glass bottles or jars and see what different sounds they make. Add varying amounts of water to them and see how the music is changed.

* Ask students if they can think of other ways to get their points across without words. Brainstorm ideas and try out a few.