Sometimes you need a special friend to give you wings¿Eleven-year-old Mitch is a regular kid who argues about cleaning his room, thinks his younger sister is a pain, and enjoys hanging out with his friends. But he¿s finding life tough going. For one thing, he¿s being picked on by Jason, both in class and on the football field, and he feels like the spirited Maddy is his only true friend. Even worse, his Fly-in, Fly-Out dad has become increasingly distant and angry, and Mitch misses their father-son time. In Mitch¿s eyes, `stuff sucks¿!An encounter with a bedraggled magpie he names Maximus gives Mitch something to look forward to when he¿s at home. As their connection grows, so too do other relationships in Mitch¿s life, as his self-confidence grows, he starts to stand up for himself, and the reason for his dad¿s moodiness is revealed.Maximus is an engaging, warm-hearted story for eight to eleven-year-olds about family, friendships, self-confidence and reconciliation, with the gentle message that life is like riding a wave.