Weekends with Max and his dad /

Now that Dad has moved out of the house, Max spends weekends with him in his new apartment. This appealing chapter book tells of their first three weekends together. First, Max imagines himself a spy, Agent Pepperoni, and deputizes Dad as Agent Cheese. Together, they investigate their new neighborhood and get comfortable with each other in their new home. They shop for furniture at the INEEDA store (where even toothbrushes have names), get together with a few neighbors, and invite Max's best friend for a sleepover. Divided into weekend segments, the narrative includes plenty of amusing and lovable moments, while not glossing over the times when Max feels uncomfortable in the new apartment, or the fact that Dad sometimes gets the blues (or a cold). The cast of characters grows throughout, but at the heart of the story is Max's warm, easygoing relationship with his father. Illustrated with pleasing black-and-white drawings, this book opens a three-volume series. Urban, who wrote A Crooked Kind of Perfect (2007), offers an engaging choice for chapter-book readers.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2016 Booklist

In this delightfully funny and realistic story, third grader Max Leroy embarks on escapades with his newly divorced father. During their first weekend together, Max decides that he, as Agent Pepperoni, and his father, as "helper spy" Agent Cheese, must dress with fake mustaches and scars, bandanas, fedoras, and sunglasses to uncover suspicious local activity. "This disguise is so good even I don't know who I am," says Dad. The two bond as they surreptitiously take photos, follow unsuspecting characters, and even save the day when a tourist wanders away from his tour group. In subsequent weekends, Max helps his father meet neighbors, face his fear of performing in public, and buy new furniture. Urban's (Milo Speck, Accidental Agent) subtle and perceptive take on divorce will resonate with children facing similar predicaments as she blends Max's worries and "someone-sitting-on-his-chest" feelings with a vivid imagination and good intentions that take father and son on some very entertaining adventures-with future ones planned. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 6-9. Author's agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Illustrator's agent: Justin Rucker, Shannon Associates. (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

K-Gr 3-Max's parents are getting a divorce, and his dad has just moved into a new apartment. Third grader Max is starting to become aware of what it means to split time between the house he's always lived in-and where his mom still lives-and his dad's place, which doesn't even have a couch yet. Max's secret spy skills help him observe quite a bit about this new territory, and even though his father is a pretty hopeless spy helper, he manages to learn a few things, too. They explore Dad's building and neighborhood across three chapters, making good friends and self-discoveries along the way. The voice of narrator Chris Henry Coffey is amiable and warm. The characters' voices are minimally distinctive, but with well-paced reading and straightforward text, it is easy to understand who is speaking. VERDICT Gentle story lines and understated narration make this a solid listen for elementary students.-Jennifer Verbrugge, Minnesota Department of Education, State Library Services, Roseville, MN © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Third grader Max is getting used to his new life: his parents are newly divorced, and his dad is settling into a new apartment. This is the first in a planned trilogy about Max, and, though children of difficult divorce might find it a little over-sunny, most will find the story (which takes place over three weekends) comforting and familiar. On the first weekend (Spies), Max is dismayed when he sees that Dad has decorated his new bedroom with football curtains and a helmet lamp; Max outgrew that interest last year, and now he wants to be a spy. After a day spent exploring the neighborhood, secret agentstyle, Max works up the courage to be honest with Dad. In The Blues, Dad practices the ukulele in hopes of eventually performing at a local Open Mike Night; because he cant leave Max alone in the apartment, Max arranges for the event to come to Dad. On the last weekend, Max has a friend over for a sleepover, and the two boys (with the welcome help of neighborhood adults) collect supplies for their animal-habitat school projects. Eventually, Dad helps out without taking over, turning the apartments pile of takeout pizza boxes into the perfect porcupine habitat. Turns out, both father and son have created the perfect habitat for themselves as well. Urbans touch is light throughout, and with likable characters, cheerful black-and-white illustrations (final art not seen), and a story just right for budding chapter-book readers, shes off to a good start. robin smith (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

During a series of visits with his dad in his new apartment, Max begins adjusting to his parents' recent separation. Max's pain, "like somebody was sitting on his chest," is palpable as he explores the apartment. He understands that his father has tried to make it feel special, but the paint is too blue, and his football-themed bedroom feels wrong. The tale is broken up into a series of weekend vignettes, each ending on an upbeat note, as Max and his father adjust to their new lifestyle. They explore the neighborhood while playing a spying game and shop for just the right sofa. An elderly neighbor and other lightly sketched but believable characters are warmly helpful. When Max worries about his father's disappointment at not attending an open mic night with his ukulele, neighbors come to the rescue, creating a new sense of community for father and son. Finally, on the third weekend, Max's friend sleeps over, and he realizes that he can have two places to live and that both of them can be home. Kath's preliminary sketches match well with the warm humor of Max's tenderly portrayed experiences. Race goes unmentioned in the text, but though Kath depicts Max and his dad as white, some of the secondary characters, including Max's best friend, have dark skin. A sweet, empathetic look at a common situation. (Fiction. 6-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.