MAX'S FUZZY FEELERS

Max has all the feelings, and it shows.

Max is a white furry moth with translucent white wings, the face of a teddy bear, and fuzzy antennae that resemble rabbit ears—older readers might mistake him for a character from the 1980s line of Care Bear Cousins. His antennae, or feelers, are extremely expressive, standing tall when he’s helped a friend, growing when he’s in trouble, or turning blue when he’s struggling with learning new things. Readers follow Max’s emotional journey, with each double-page spread dedicated to a different experience. The story/poem culminates in the notion that we are ultimately in control of our emotions: “When you have big feelers, / it is like a dance or an art. / Max can follow his feelers or / be the lead. / It’s up to Max to decide what he needs.” The plot is thin, jumping from moment to moment without introduction or resolution, and although Max is a charmingly designed character, his cuteness can’t make up for the book’s lack of substance. The story seems more like a compilation of planned illustrations for a stuffed toy than a picture book. While readers may enjoy the ultra-fuzzy character, it’s unlikely that they’ll develop any emotional connection with him despite the emphasis on his moods; the verses are shallow examinations of complex emotions expressed in trite rhyming lines. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A superficial exploration of children’s emotional landscapes.