This novel is great fun for children around 8 years and older, together with their families. Max Magic is definitely a story which reads aloud easily with very natural word patterns and flow.

Conjuring and 'real' magic are mixed together in a pacy tale full of affectionately comic domestic detail, vivid street scenes and quick-fire patter. Young Max's unquashable optimism, sense of humour, loyalty and sheer good nature make him an unforgettable character together with his staunch friends and a quirky family (all the way from wise Gran to Lucky the dog). The East End (of London) setting is buoyant and instantly familiar to anyone who has ever watched EastEnders. Stephen Mulhern's 'cheeky chappie' persona also comes through brilliantly in the illustrations.

I hope Max will reappear in future episodes. Some unresolved story lines make that a good prospect. ( )

I think most children of primary school age are fascinated by magicians and magic tricks and so I imagine are likely to find Max’s story very engaging and entertaining, especially as the rather simple, straightforward storytelling is ideal for appealing to youngsters of seven to ten years old. However, I imagine that most eleven/ twelve-year-olds would probably find its simplicity rather boring, especially if they are confident readers.
Although there is a lot of fun interwoven into the story, there are also themes and references which are dark and disturbing (bullying, intimidation, extortion, the use of knives and guns) and for this reason I’d be concerned about a young child reading it on their own. However, read aloud by (or with) an adult it offers lots of opportunities for some difficult topics to be explored as the young reader/listener follows Max’s adventures and learns how he deals with the various dilemmas he faces. A real strength of the story is that a child is encouraged to believe that problems can be overcome, particularly when you have the support of a loving family and good friends ... and Max has both! I think the portrayals of each of the characters brought them to life in a very vivid way and I liked the many ways in which they all helped Max to think about the consequences of his actions as he experimented with using his newly-discovered magic powers.
I think that the excellent illustrations very evocatively capture the scenes being described and I’m sure children will enjoy discovering the ‘magic’ of seeing the images of the top-hat change as they flip through the lower right-hand corners of the pages! What I feel slightly less sure about is how many will appreciate the use of Cockney rhyming slang, especially if this is the first time they’ve come across it, so this reinforces my belief that the story will probably be best appreciated if an adult is on hand to explain it more clearly.
As it’s clear that this is the first story in a planned series so I’m sure that any child who has enjoyed it will be eagerly anticipating joining Max and his friends on future adventures.
With thanks to the publisher and Readers First for an ARC of the paperback in exchange for an honest review. ( )