Patricia L.  Brooks is an author, speaker, publishing consultant and associate faculty member of the Arizona State University Morrison School of Business.  She is also the founder and president of the Scottsdale Society of Women Writers.  Recently she tendered the following review of the book Max and I wrote:

Robin Reynolds is hardly the first woman to write the self-help, feel-good book for adults or children on life’s lessons, but this creative soul chose an unusual route to what appears to be publishing success. She has taken the “traditional” self-help, life lessons concept and written it from the voice of her late pet, Max who has personality to “the max” and keeps you turning pages.

Bypassing clichés, she writes clear and concise messages with one-liners on lessons for all ages along with the story and experience of this lovable dog that could have only been in Robin’s household. She has taken the children’s book genre to a new level by including the “big kids” like you and me. With the reminders we love to remember and the lessons we hold dear, Life to the Max is a journey back in time and you should not miss it.

Originally awarded the “best gift book award” by the AZ Book Publishers Association this past year, this book has transcended that arena and catapulted itself into self-help. By gently taking us on a path only a well-bred, sophisticated pooch like Max could take us, we travel all the way to his most critical lessons in life.

Many books about dogs are sappy, and I like dogs, many books for children are not educational, and I am a demanding teacher. Many books in the self-help genre are insulting and I read about one a month, but this book Robin has written takes all of that to task and shines through a different view – that of a lovable family pet.

Robin has found her niche in children’s books by utilizing the voice of an animal to tell “big kids” and children about life. Her work should be lauded for its fine writing, graceful lessons, good humor, beautiful illustrations, and fun photos and of course the philosophy behind it all.

I commend Robin and Max for doing an outstanding job, along with the other characters she developed to make this a family we would want to know and have as neighbors. I recommend this book to any of you as a gift giving idea for any “big kid” or smaller child on your list – self-help genre is a natural for gift giving.

We are in challenging times and many are seeking quiet and spiritual moments. I was moved to tears while reading this beautiful book and all the issues it addresses and all the lessons it reminded me were possible to revisit and love again.

Thank you, Robin, for rolling the dice and taking a shot at a new type of writing for you, we are all the better for it. We appreciate your courage in telling this very personal and heartfelt story that needed to be out there to be useful to many readers young and “forever young.”

It’s always nice when your writing touches someone’s life and they appreciate the work you do.  Max and I are grateful for the kind words!