Keri Collins (Children's Literature)
He neglected to migrate and winter has set in. What is a mallard to do? Max, the lucky duck, knocks on the door of a cozy house and proceeds to spend the cold, dark months learning the finer lessons of life: how to use the remote control, the joys of cooking, and the beauty of a bubble bath. Though Max's heart may be in the right place, he is oblivious to the needs of the other animal members of the household--dogs, cats, rabbits, and birds--and they are delighted to see him rejoin his flock in the spring. Only when he is gone do the pets realize how quiet life is without Max's quackiness. As autumn approaches, they hear a knock on the door. Could it be Max? Jackie Urbanovic's lighthearted illustrations bring to life an unusual family and its endearing new addition, while creating an important subtext through the animals' reactions and conversations. While Max is never required to consider the feelings of others, readers will be able to draw their own conclusions about ways to handle larger-than-life characters. This humorous read-aloud would work well with classroom discussions about migration, the needs of warm-blooded and cold-blooded animals, and seasons. 2007, HarperCollins Children's Books, $16.99. Ages 4 to 7.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, December 15, 2006 (Vol. 74, No. 24))
In this comfortably predictable variation on the “obnoxious guest” theme, a household consisting of one woman, Irene, and a whole lot of dogs, cats and other pets welcomes—at first—a shivering duck named Max who decided to stay behind when the rest of his flock migrated for the winter. Soon commandeering both the TV remote and the kitchen, Max has definitely outstayed his welcome by spring—but the general relief at his parting turns to boredom, and then to brief delight followed by dismay when he shows up at the doorstep again that autumn with dozens of fellow ducks. In fluidly drawn cartoon scenes, Urbanovic strews a spacious domestic setting with a multi-species array of individualized residents living in more or less peaceful coexistence. In contrast to their panic, Irene responds calmly to the climactic incursion, offering Max a hug and a warm greeting. There’s more comedy, not to mention a sense of closure, in Sandy Asher’s similar Too Many Frogs!, illus by Keith Graves (2005), but the big-hearted open-door policy here will appeal to a wide range of readers. 2007, HarperCollins, 32p, $16.99. Category: Picture book. Ages 6 to 8. © 2006 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Roseann Pastir (Kutztown Book Review, Fall 2007)
An adorable duck named Max decided to stay up North to experience winter. He almost froze in the cold weather, but was rescued by Irene. She welcomed him into her warm cozy home. Max stayed all winter long but left to join his flock the next spring. When the weather turned cold again, Max had a surprise for his friend Irene. The illustrations are colorful and amusing. The story is a cute, easy reader book. It will remind children to value their friendships. Category: Picture Book. 2007, Harper Collins Publishers, $16.99. Ages 5 to 7.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Fall 2007)
Irene welcomes Max the stray duck into her pet-friendly home when he needs a place to stay for the winter. When his behavior changes from charming to annoying, however, she and the pets have second thoughts. But after he leaves, who knew how empty life would be? Humorous cartoonlike drawings illustrate this friendly family tale. Category: Picture Books. 2007, HarperCollins, 32pp, 16.99, 17.89. Ages 4 to 9. Rating: 3: Recommended, satisfactory in style, content, and/or illustration.

Olivia Titus (The Lorgnette - Heart of Texas Reviews (Vol. 20, No. 3))
It is a quiet night when the animals hear a knock at the door. They don’t know what to do, so they go ask Irene! Irene replies, “It’s the middle of the night. Who could be knocking on our door?” They open the door and see a duck in the snow. They invite the duck to come inside, and the duck tells them that his name is Max. He tells them that he was born in the spring, and when winter came, the other ducks flew south, but he stayed behind. Max is cold and lonely. He enjoys staying with Irene and the other animals, but the other animals are tired of sharing everything with Max. Max only watches what he likes on the television, when he learns to cook the animals must eat what he cooks, and Brody has to share his bed with Max. In the spring, Max’s flock returns to find him. Max is excited and glad to see them. Max leaves Irene and the animals, and the house is quiet without him. In October, Max and his flock return to live with Irene and the other animals. This book can be used when studying about the seasons, the months, and how animals migrate. Fiction. Grades PreK-2. 2007, HarperCollins, Unpaged., $16.99. Ages 3 to 8.