Sometimes you need a special friend to give you wings...
Eleven-year-old Mitch is a regular kid who argues about cleaning his room, thinks his younger sister is a pain, and enjoys hanging out with his friends. But he's finding life tough going. For one thing, he's being picked on by Jason, both in class and on the football field, and he feels like the spirited Maddy is his only true friend. Even worse, his Fly-in, Fly-Out dad has become increasingly distant and angry, and Mitch misses their father-son time. In Mitch's eyes, 'stuff sucks'!
An encounter with a bedraggled magpie he names Maximus gives Mitch something to look forward to when he's at home. As their connection grows, so too do other relationships in Mitch's life, as his self-confidence grows, he starts to stand up for himself, and the reason for his dad's moodiness is revealed.
Maximus is an engaging, warm-hearted story for eight to eleven-year-olds about family, friendships, self-confidence and reconciliation, with the gentle message that life is like riding a wave.
Heron, Steve: - "Steve is an award-winning children's author passionate about social and emotional well-being. With four decades of experience and 15,000 hours in conversation with children about a myriad of issues, Steve has honed his skills in helping children manage their emotions, which he translates into his writing. When he's not hanging out with his feathered friends, the local magpies, or reminiscing about his puppetry and TV presenter days, he's crafting stories that touch and tickle the hearts of children. With a Diploma in Children's Writing and Publishing, Steve's unique blend of expertise and creativity continues to inspire and empower young readers.Steve received an Order of Australia Medal in 2016 for his contributions to the social and emotional well-being of children.Steve's dedication gained him numerous accolades. His middle-grade novel, "One Thousand Snapshots" - Playtime Books 2021, won the Australian Association of Family Therapy Book Award for younger readers in 2022, and was shortlisted for the WA Premier's Book Awards in 2021 and shortlisted for the Children's Peace Literature Awards 2023.His other notable works include "Ling Li's Lantern" - MidnightSun 2020, which won the Picture Book All Ages Category Northern Lights Book Awards in 2021, and the hilarious "Where Ya Goin'?" - Wild Eyed Press 2021, which was shortlisted for the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards in 2022."
McFarlane, Tash: - Tash Macfarlane is an artist who enjoyed various creative pursuits throughout her childhood, inspired by her favourite mediums growing up.She pursued graphic design after school and, finding her passion for creating had not diminished, she began freelancing.Due to illness, Tash rediscovered her love for traditional art pieces and painting and started taking on commission work.Tash was found by Serenity Press who then asked her to illustrate Maximus by Steve Heron, which became her first publication in 2018.Sadly, Tash lost her battle with cancer and passed in 2019.This new edition of Maximus is dedicated to Tash as a legacy to her wonderful artwork.
