Tiny Treasury

One of the golden rules in the world of kids’ toys, TV, and books (besides the one that says you must be a celebrity to write a children’s book) is that girls will play with boy toys, read boy books, and watch boy TV. But the reverse is not true. Boys do not play with Bratz dolls, read The Babysitters Club, or watch Dora. Yes, there are exceptions (including my son, who likes to make sure Barbie gets her turn going down the slide). But gender-neutral, feminist fuming aside, it’s a pretty hard and fast rule, whether we like it or not. So when MotherTalk knocked on my door with this book review, I was immediately interested to see how James Patterson broke the rules in Maximum Ride 3 and whether he would get away with it. I mean, Patterson is a 60-year-old white guy who writes books middle aged men read on the beach. How on earth would he 1)write a story from a 14-year-old girl’s point of view, and 2)get boys to like it? But after reading the entire book in two days, all I know is he succeeded.

“Maximum Ride” is the name of the book’s eponymous heroine, a 14-year-old wise-cracking girl who kicks serious butt. Genetically engineered to be two percent bird, she sports giant wings that let her fly into battle against evil scientists, robots, and other nefarious types. As a mother figure to the other bird children, she is alternately tough and tender, leading them on an escape from the lab where they were raised and into a campaign to save the world.

I felt sorry for Max. At 14, she shouldn’t be a mother figure. She shouldn’t have to save the world. She shouldn’t be on her own, taking care of other kids. I mean, I know 14-year-olds who still sleep with stuffed animals. But she is on her own, and the fate of the world does rest on her (feathered) shoulders. Her voice is angry and authentic, right down to the sarcastic distrust of the grown-ups who’ve screwed everything up, and I found myself wanting to cheer for her and hug her at the same time. Not that she would let me.

Joining Max in her save-the-world mission is Fang, a technically talented bird guy who uses his blog to mobilize kids around the world and becomes Max’s love interest at the same time. (And the blog? It’s real- check it out.) So even the most testosterone addled boy who refuses to cheer for Max will find a hero in Fang and the rest of the flock.

All around, I give Maximum Ride 3 two thumbs up. I’ve already ordered the first two books in the series so I can read them before number four comes out next spring. As for the movie … bring it on!