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Summary: One of My Favorite Books!
Review: Sam, a 17 year old boy is used to thinking only about himself first, but when his girlfriend gets pregnant it all changes. His girlfriend decides she cant take care of Max, so Sam says he will take care of him.
The book is full of his struggles to take care of both of them, and doing good in school.
After awhile Sam dosent know if he can take care of Max anymore.
Its a heartwarming book full of suprizes.
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Summary: Responsibilities of Sam
Review: "Hanging on to Max," by Margaret Bechard is a story that gives the reader a first hand perspective into the life of a struggling, teenage father. Sam is in high school and has a lot going for him, when he finds out that his girlfriend is pregnant. She gives birth to a son, Max, and wants to put him up for adoption. Sam will not let this happen, so he takes care of Max by himself. Sam has to get through many obstacles throughout the novel, that most teenagers don't have to endure. He matures greatly and has to live his life on a very stressful schedule. The friends that Sam makes at his parenting school are not similar to him, because they are all mothers. He does not have a lot of people who can truly understand what he goes through. Sam has goals that he wants to accomplish, even though having Max is a large setback. Being a father keeps getting harder for Sam and he isn't being fair to Max. He has a big decision to make, should he give Max to a more qualified family or keep him and try his best. Sam loves Max, therefore he has to do what is best for him. There are many lessons learned in this novel about love and life, that both teenagers and adults would enjoy.
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Summary: SAD, BUT GREAT
Review: A very sad book. It deals with very realistic situations, but I only wish the end wasn't so sad. Not disappointing, but just sad. I came to respect Sam for his love and devotion to Max.There were times when I laughed, others when I cringed at some thing Sam says or does or I was just reading and reading, wanting to know how the book would end up (i.e. almost crying). A great, great book. It belongs on any one's book shelf. ~Atalanta
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Summary: The hardships of life
Review: Between the death of his mother when he was young and becoming a teenage father, Sam's life hasn't been an easy one. He was transferred away from his friends to a school where they watched after Max, (his baby) while he went to class. This book is very well written, I finished it in one day, because I had the hardest time putting it down. It is very sad, and worth every penny spent on buying it.
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Summary: Terrific except for the final scene
Review: Everyone has heard the stories about the struggles teenaged, unmarried mothers face when they decide to keep their infants. YA books on the subject are common to the point of cliché. However, Hanging Onto Max is the old story with a new twist: Sam Pettigrew is a teenaged father. He took custody of his son at age sixteen, when the boy's mother decided she could no longer handle the pressures of child care. Sam didn't want to see little Max given away to strangers, but raising him by himself was just as difficult. He certainly didn't get much help from his widowed father. Sam's dad agreed to support Sam financially until he graduated high school, but then Sam had to go to work immediately and pay back every penny. Sam, who scored 1320 on his SAT, would have to give up his dream of engineering school. But it was worth it to hold onto Max...wasn't it? Transferring away from his friends to an alternative high school that provided day care, Sam struggled to juggle the responsibilities of school and fatherhood. He never had a minute to himself and hardly ever saw his old friends. But he had to keep Max, right? After all, Sam was all the baby had in the world. However, one day when Sam turned his back for two minutes and Max got into an accident and ended up in the emergency room, he realized his could not go on. Hanging onto Max wasn't helping anybody, especially Max himself. This was a very good story, hilarious in some places and heart-tearing in others. I could sympathize with Sam and understand his motivations and even why his dad was the way he was. My only objection is to the final chapter, when Sam is reunited with a now-grown-up Max. It seemed anticlimatic and was not necessary in my opinion. Other than that I thought this was a fine book.
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Summary: Hanging on to this book!!
Review: Hanging on to Max by Margaret Bachard is a book about a boy named Sam Pettigrow living through his senior year as a parent. Sam was no typical 17-year boy. At this stage of the game Sam was already changing diapers and pushing around strollers. Sam was a teenage father balancing parenting duties and schoolwork. His former girlfriend Brittney couldn?t handle being a teenage mother and was going to give up her new baby boy, Max. Sam couldn?t let this happen so he took over the roll of being a father.
Sam started to go to an alternative school that had a day care built into it for teenage mothers and fathers. Sam was so busy juggling schoolwork and taking care of Max and never had anytime for himself. Sam meets a former friend Emily from his old high school who also is a parent. Emily shows Sam that things aren?t as easy as they should be.
This story was heartbreaking, humorous, you can relate to this story and was very realistic. I really enjoyed reading this story and I think you would enjoy reading this story also if your a boy or girl anyone can benefit from reading this and you can learn many things from reading this story.
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Summary: Realistic and satisfying
Review: Hanging on to Max takes a typical, hum-drum subject and turns it on its head. Margaret Bechard writes very realistically of the challenges that face teen parents, while not making excuses for the mistakes her characters make. This novel is very short and concisely written, yet manages to convey a world of emotions. The ending, in particular, is very well written and plausible. This is a book that teens are sure to love as it addresses many issues that are important to them, and does it in a humorous, non-judgmental way.
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Summary: Finding new ground in a familiar plot
Review: Hanging On To Max You think you know what this book will be. Teen father raises baby. Issues follow. Yes. And no. The usual approach is to show young man growing into his responsibilities, lots of diapering fiascoes, etc. Author Margaret Bechard finds new ground. Why is Sam raising Max? To show he is a good guy? To take responsibility? As punishment for disappointing his father? How many lives will be damaged if Sam hangs onto Max?
This thought provoking YA has scenes that are heartbreaking as well as funny. The scene where 17 year old Sam, after a year of isolation as he immerses himself in the baby, meets with old friends and plays basketball, then drops to the wet grass and simply-relaxes-is stunning. You'll love Sam, you'll love Max and the end-isn't an ending at all. I'm going to read this one again.
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Summary: Really good read..
Review: I didn't expect to get what I got out of this book. It was really good and such a sweet story. Kind of sad, the love for this young guy to his baby boy. It was a really good story I loved to read...and I reccommend it. And do NOT forget the tissues when you read it!
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Summary: Hanging On To Max With A Prayer
Review: I just finished this book today and was very impressed. This is the story of Sam. A high school student who got his girlfriend Brittany pregnant. She had the baby, then deciding she wasn't ready to be a mother, decided to give him up for adoption. Sam isn't ready to let go of his newborn son and decides to become custodial parent of young Max, waving farewell to Brittany as she and her family leave Oregon for Boise, Idaho where she can start a new life. However, Sam is just beginning his new existence while he tries to juggle school, his friends, his love interests, family, and Max. Everyone admires him for accepting the responsibility although he feels awkward at his alternative school with the daycare program where he's the only MALE single parent. Max is prepared to give up any hopes of college or a life of his own, agreeing to become a construction worker after he graduates this, his senior year, of high school to pay back his dad for all the baby expenses. Then, she comes along. He never forgot Claire, the girl he'd had a crush on since the 6th grade who he left behind at his regular high school along with his best friend Andy. Now she reappears in his life with her infant daughter Emily. As they adjust to newfound parenthood together while trying to forge a relationship, Sam tries to become used to this new routine although a part in him cries out for something more, that will lead to the ultimate life-changing decision: can he keep Max? This sad, but sweet tale will leave you pitying the main characters and wondering what you'd do in Sam's place. Great read.
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