Hanging on to Max

by Margaret Bechard

Sam's girlfriend is pregnant — but Sam is keeping the baby. Sam should be planning for college and trying out for the football team with his best friend, Andy. Instead he's up to his ears in diapers and formula, caring for his baby son, Max. Will Sam now have to make a gut-wrenching decision about Max's future — and his own? A poignant and humorous look at an old problem...with a new twist.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Teen, Contemporary, High School, Coming Of Age

204 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2001

About the author

Margaret Bechard is the author of five novels for younger readers, and one other young adult novel, IF IT DOESN'T KILL YOU, which SLJ praised for its "healthy dose of humor." She lives in Tigard, Oregon, with her family.

Reviews

[Jordin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, this story was really good- pretty good, until about the last three chapters. I mean, isn't this book called HANGING on to Max? Why in the world did he just give him up? Because he was too freaked about being called a "little family" when at the Taco Bell with Claire? I totally felt for that girl at the end. I understood why she was upset with him. And believe me, I 100% support adoptions. I really do, but in this particular story I thought Max was a truly good dad for being seventeen. He was doing his best and I thought he was doing really good. They hinted that he had a custody battle with the mom to keep him. And even after he said that he wanted to put him up for adoption, I really thought he would change his mind. Especially when he was standing in Max's room and picturing it without the crib and baby stuff.

I thought the rest of the book was great. I loved how the story was mostly just Sam's thoughts about his life. It was a different way of reading a book than what I'm used to. A good change. But really, when it comes to the ending, I was extremely disappointed. The last chapter sort of made up for it. Eh. Whatever.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hanging on to Max is a book in which Sam has to take care of Max and go to school at the same time. When Britanny(Max's Mom) and Sam were dating, they always had a good time. But then one day they went to far and had sex. That Tuesday, she tells Sam she's pregnant. Sam doesnt know what to do! He used to be this teenage boy who hung out with Andy (his friend) and focused is school. But now all of that will be over.

On the day Max is born, nobody sees him come in. When he goes in, he sees Britanny in the bed and feeding the baby. When shes done, he decides to carry Max. He looked so cute. Green eyes and curly blonde hair.Days after Max is born Sam goes to Brittany;s house too check on the baby and her. As soon as he walks in, she tells Sam he is going to give up Max for adoption.Since he was against her all the time, he decides to keep the baby and raise him himself. He wouldnt want Maz to grow up without knowing who his father was.

Soon he raises Max and higfhschool all by himself. He take Max to the daycare and goes off to class. He meets Claire, a pretty girl that got pregnant and kept her little girl. They decide to go on study dates and study for their SAT exams. They studied everyday at school in the library, or at each others house. On the day of the SAT, Sam drops off Max at his aunts house and drives to school.Later that day Claire,the kids, and Sam go see duks at a near by lake. Sam thinks he has found the perfect girl for him. They make out and go on dates. They gwt al,ong just perfect. A month later Sam gets his grades and scores high on everything. Sam's dad puts him down andsays that he wont be able to go to college because he is going to have to take care of Max and work to raise his son well. As time passes by, Sams dreams of going to college are all over. One night Andy and his girlfriend invite Claier and Sam o dinner. Everybody was having a good time until Max gets cut with a piece of glass. Andy and Sam ruch to the hospital and Max is able to get some stiches. Days later Sam decides to give up Max for adoption. Claire bursts out into tears and tries to convince him not to.
The last chapter in the book says that years later Max shows up in the driveway and says "Hi, my name is Max."

In conclusion, Hanging on to Max was a book that teached me that if your planning on doing something think before you act. Because then you end up with a little boy and having to go to school at the same time. I recomend this book to girls so that they know how it looks the leave a guy in charge of a baby and know how he is able to dea with school and a baby at the same time.

[Allison · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book to be engaging and enjoyable while I was reading it, but after mulling it over, I felt dissatisfied.

The ending really bothered me. I didn't get a sense of Sam's building tension in his role as a father. In fact, I thought the book was going in the opposite direction-- he gained more support and acceptance from his own father, and he was exposed to Claire's point of view that teen parents should not be ashamed of themselves, so I thought the end of the book would find Sam feeling more comfortable and confident as a teen dad, proud of himself for all of his efforts and looking forward to building his future, difficult as it may be. The author did not convince me at all that Sam was slowly unraveling.

Maybe it's because much of the plot was focused on Sam's romance with Claire, but I just didn't get a sense that he was truly failing to stay on top of everything. Striving and struggling, yes. But failing? Enough to give up his nearly one-year-old son? Especially after he had gone through the effort of gaining custody? I didn't buy it.

[Jenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

What I hate about this book, as well as other teen parent fiction, is that it suggests that teenage parents can't cope, that their lives have to completely stop, they can have no aspirations, and that because of all this, they shouldn't have their child. I had high hopes for this book, that Sam would face up to all of that, and raise Max, but from the very opening of the book, he didn't seem to want him. He didn't care, and just complained about how hard it was, that you're left wondering why he didn't let Brittany do the things she wanted to. He wasn't a particularly likeable character, and neither was his father, or his school friend. Claire was a more likeable, and a better role model character than the lead, which is sad. Though the ending was predictable from the first page, it was still an interesting read, and made me cry near the end, but sadly, I don't think I'll be recommending it.

[Angie Lisle · Rating 2 out of 5]

My expectations for this book were higher.

In the beginning, the book held up - I liked the formatting and thought I would get more background story. The author skimmed through the details; characters are poorly developed. We don't see much of sex - it's mentioned, but it's always just a statement with few details - but we also don't see much about the birthing process and we only catch glimpses of what it's really like to have a kid. The author dwelled on the negative; when she did bother to get into the baby, Max was only a brief distraction from a girl and school (where daycare was provided!! How unrealistic, since most parents don't get that luxury at all).

I also hated how the book ended - the main character gave up way too easily, which fits with his whiny and lazy attitude but, in the end, I don't like the implications this ending gives to guys. We already have enough problems with men (& boys) who give up too easily. It would've been nice if the main character would have stuck with it. Here was an opportunity to show a boy becoming a man (which is what I expected from a book billing itself for teen fathers) - instead, he refused all the help that surrounded him (his dad, an aunt and uncle in their fifties, other teen parents, a school for teen parents) and chose to remain a boy.

This isn't the message I want to give to teen boys - adoption isn't an easy way out and none of the emotional factors of this are given in any detail.

[Ingrid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Man, I hate that ending. The only reason it’s not 5 stars.

[Kaitlyn Oruska · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd give Hanging on to Max one and a half stars, if possible. The book was relatively well-written, but in my opinion, not original, as many novels about teenage pregnancy end in adoption, although statistically, only 1% of all teen aged parents actually make that decision. I thought that Sam came across more as a selfish teenager than a young father concerned about the well-being of his son, and the ending didn't really do much for me. I didn't feel that the reactions of both Sam and his former girlfriend, Brittany, were really realistic at all, and this bothered me.

[Ilaria · Rating 2 out of 5]

It wasn't a bad book, but throughout the whole story I didn't really FEEL the book. Like, Sam's emotions or thoughts. It's just a little plain.

The end literally killed me. The fact that he actually gave up Max for adoption destroyed me. How could he do that after a whole year of having him? I cried a river.

[Sanchez · Rating 2 out of 5]

I find it funny that the title is "Hanging On To Max" when in the end he gives Max up. I thought this book was in basic terms crap. This books is ridiculous to me for one reason, it's saying a dad can't do it by himself. There are thousands of books saying moms can take care of a child by them selfs and here comes one saying that a dad can't. I picked up this book thinking it's going to be an inspiration for young dad but instead it's saying they can't do it alone. Well i think this writer is prejudice and a man hater.

[Marina Wall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I finished it in one sitting but I agree with most of the other reviews on Goodreads, the ending was terrible. I literally want to erase it from my mind and just make up a better ending. Loved the book, the characters, but the ending was just terrible

[Clara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comment dire… Ce roman, c’est un condensé d’émotions. On rit, on pleure, on est ému.

Nous sommes plongés dans la vie de Sam, lycéen de dix-sept ans, qui ce retrouve père célibataire d’un tout petit garçon de même pas un an, et qui vit avec son père, dans un endroit pas super spacieux…

Sam est dans un lycée “alternatif”, équipé d’une crèche. Et le coco, il va vite se rendre compte que suivre les cours, et s’occuper de son fils, c’est pas une mince affaire.

Mais l’arrivée de Claire son crush du collège, dans son lycée “alternatif”, va lui redonner espoir… et peut-être qu’il va retomber amoureux ?

C’est bien écrit, il y a de la romance, et notre Sam, il galère, donc tout est parfait… Sadique, moi ? noooooooooooon…. C’est juste que comme ça, ça parait plus réel ! Bon, d’accord, je l’admets, je suis un touuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut petit peu sadique. Mais bon.

Ce livre, il m’a fait du bien, parce que ce n’est pas juste des bisous, et je t’aime et moi non plus, en fait si je t’aime, et moi encore plus et blablabla, c’est pas que de la misère, c’est pas que du lycée, donc parfait.

La couverture est absolument trop choupi, et hiiii,il y a trop plein de tout petit, c’est beaucoup trop chou 😍😍😍

Par contre, la fin… Ouh la la la la ! Mais qu’est-ce qu’il c’est passé ??? J’avais envie de prendre Sam par les deux épaules, et de le secouer “Mais t’as fait quoi là ???”. Je pense que je vais juste faire comme si je n’avais jamais lu la fin, et comme ça, je peux toujours le considérer comme un super livre !

Eh ben moi, je suis bien contente d’être tombée dessus en boite à livre !

[Lyn (Readinghearts) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an incredibly short book recommended to me by my son's best friend from high school. I needed a young adult book with a baby as the main character (or as one of them) for a challenge, so I went to her for advice. She knows that I like the idea of a teenage boy keeping his baby, so she recommended this book. I have to say, at just over 200 pages, it was one of the quickest reads I have ever done. In fact, it only took me about 3 hours to read start to finish.

The premise of the book is that Sam, a 17-year-old high school senior, decides to raise his son Max by himself. This premise really interests me as there are so many books written about teenage girls and the decisions that they have to make when they become pregnant, but no one really focuses on the boys and what they go through. The idea that a teenage boy will want to keep and raise a child really intrigues me.

Unfortunately, although Sam decides to raise Max, and is in the midst of working to that end at the beginning of the book, throughout the book it is apparent that he is not comfortable with his new role, and that he regrets his decision. Although he professes to love Max, he is embarrassed by him. In addition, he is whiny and self-centered, and his parental support is actually non-existent. By the end of the book, the outcome of his life and Max's is a forgone conclusion.

While I found Sam and his family to be cookie cutter characters and disappointing, I thought that Claire and Emily and their family was a gem. I would actually much rather have read more about them than to listen to Sam continually complain about how hard it was to be a teenage dad. DUH! What did he expect. But even Claire, who professes to fall for Sam, dumps him at the first sign that he is not totally in love with teen parenting. It is apparent that it is not Sam that she likes, but the idea of a boy who is in the same boat as her.

All in all I found this book disappointing and formulaic. It's moral, it is always better to give the child up, is preachy and overdone. For once I would like to see a different side of this question explored.

[Josie M. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Where do I begin with this book? I went into it skeptical, I had seen quite a few rviews of this book that said it was disappointing. These reviews set my expections pretty low.But is still kept my mond open. Before I had read reviews or seen any opinions of the book I checked it out of my library and was pretty excited to read it. I was particularily excited to read from the point of view of a teen father because typically in YA literature we see books from the POV of a teen mom, so I thought that this would book would be a breath of fressh air. As I began readng it and began get into the story, I liked it. I could since the main character Sam's lack of connection with his son, Max. . We even see snipits of the past, before Max was born. The story helped me realize that teen mothers and fathers, especially those who are single really do have the same challenges. I thought it was going well for such a short book and having a very little amount of time to adjust to the story. It was the last three chapters that ruined the entire reading expirence for me. Talk about the way to rush anending! The the ending was incredible rushed and sloppy. At the end Sam, out main character ,makes a very important decision. His decision made me mad, and all my views toward Sam were shattered. He took the easy way out which made me extremely mad. I know this book was written to show the struggles of teen parents, but I don't think the author handed it well. I was not content with the ending. Had the author handled it better I probably would have felt differently. The beginning was solid but the ending ruined it all. I give it 2/5 stars.

[Jubilee Aba · Rating 5 out of 5]

I CHOSE HANGING ON TO MAX BY MARGARET BECHARD BECAUSE IT WAS A BOOK THAT MY AUNT RECOMMENDED ME TO READ WHEN SHE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND I NEVER DID. FINALLY WHEN I FOUND IT IN MY ROOM I DECIDED TO READ IT AND TO SAY THE TRUTH IT BEEN VERY INSPIRING BOOK. HANGING ON TO MAX IS A VERY INSPIRATIONAL STORY BETWEEN YOUNG TEENAGERS THAT MAKE MISTAKES THAT WE DO TODAY. HAVING A BOYFRIEND, GETTING PREGNANT AT A YOUNG AGE, ETC. THIS STORY IS ABOUT A YOUNG 17 YEARS OLD TEEN WHO HAS SEX AT A VERY YOUNG AGE AND HIS GIRLFRIEND GETS PREGNANT AND WANTS TO PUT THE BABY FOR ADOPTION. SAM THE FATHER OF THE BABY DOESN'T WANT HIM FOR ADOPTION THE BABY IS HIS RESPONSIBLITY SO HE SHOULD KEEP THE BABY. BUT SAM STARTS TO THINK IF MAYBE PUTTING MAX FOR ADOPTION WAS THE RIGHT THING FOR THE BABY(A.K.A MAX)AFTER ALL. MY FAVORITE QUOTE IS WHEN SAM MEETS THE BABY FOR THE FIRST TIME. (" FEEDING TIME," THE NURSE SAYS. SHE STOPS WHEN SHE SEES ME. "AND WHO'S THIS?" I OPEN AND SHUT MY MOUTH. "HE'S THE FATHER," BRITTANY SAYS."WELL,HI,DAD!" THE NURSE SAYS. "LETS INTRODUCE YOU TO YOUR SON." I TAKE A STEP BACK......). I THINK THE AUTHOR WRITER'S STYLE IS A WAY TO HELP TEENAGERS TODAY ON WHAT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH. TO SHOW THAT THEIR NOT ALONE IN THIS WORLD AND THAT THEIR HAS BEEN ALOT OF TEENS THAT HAVE MADE THE SAME MISTAKE TOO. I DO RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO EVERY TEENAGER IN THE WORLD TO HELP THEM TO ANY STRUGGLE THEY ARE GOING THOUGH.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in 2005 and recalled liking it a lot at the time but I couldn't recall how the story turned out so I just re-read it.

I think that the book should be required reading for teens. It would be MUCH more effective than half the "abstinance plus" programs advocated in some schools today.

Sam Pettigrew is a high-school senior who's trying to finish school and raise a son at the same time. The child's mother reconsiders her decision to keep their baby and wants to put the baby up for adoption but Sam couldn't just let the kid go. Now he's raising a son and it's a big job. His widowed blue collar father and an aunt are trying to help but Sam is ultimately the one responsible. Sam's trying his best, but will he be up to the task? what about Sam's chances of attending college, what about dating? what about even enjoying a bit of free time with the guys? Can Sam manage it all?

This book is a fast, easy ride and both Sam and Max are charmers. You feel for the kid and it feels real. This book realistically raises issues that most novels and TV shows simply gloss over. Take some time and gain a new perspective. At just over 200 pages, it's well worth the reading time.

[Alyssa Goode · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was pretty good. The plot showed what it was like to be a teenage parent and I thought that was pretty interesting. It showed the struggles that Sam went through every day and how he managed to get through and move past them. It also showed that sometimes you need to put feelings aside, and focus on what is best for those around you.
Sam’s personality wasn't that of a typical 17 year old boy. He was more mature and realistic. He had to be that way, seeing he was a parent. But Sam sometimes did think more like a regular kid when he was away from Max at Andy’s. He thought of how nice it was, just playing basketball, but reality quickly hit Sam, when Max split his hand open.
I would recommend this book to anyone in high school. I would definitely recommend it to girls and even boys because the main character, Sam, is a boy. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone too much younger, because it is about a teenage pregnancy.

[Bingyao1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book caught my eye in the library because 'Max' (the name of my son) was in the title. And having been a stay-at home dad with Max, I was interested by the premise. This is an understated, but moving story about a bright high school senior named Sam who decides to raise his son after his girlfriend gets pregnant. Relocating to an alternative school, surrounded by mostly teen moms and well-meaning teachers, he is adamant in doing the right thing. And for Sam the right thing to do is take care of his son and repay his Dad by going into a career in construction upon graduation. However, this book is not about easy answers. It gives an intriguing perspective on the teen parent experience from a male point of view, the sacrifices, opportunities and choices that can happen. And it ends in a way that really challenged me.

[Veronica Ross · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll have to admit, I was extremely disappointed in this book. I was so excited because I thought it was just a fabulous idea for the book to be from the POV of a teen FATHER. I was so excited to see everything come through and for Sam to prove that he can do anything. No, though. That can't happen can it. He decides that he's going to give his son up for adoption so that he can continue to party with his friends and not have to worry about his leach of a son. I thought that this book had so much potential. It didn't reach it at all. I was extremely displeased with the ending of the book also. I think there should have been more detail into Sam's meeting with Max. All in all, I enjoyed the beginning of the book, but I was thoroughly disappointed with the ending. And most of the middle. That is all! Have a maxtastic day!

[Molly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had hoped this book would be better because there are not many books about teen fathers who are their child's primary caregivers, but it just didn't hit the mark.

I'm glad that Margaret Bechard decided to write about a teen dad taking responsibility for his child, because it is most often that the vast majority of it is on the mom. However, I just didn't understand why she chose to end the story with Sam, the dad, deciding that being a father is too much and giving up his son, Max, when he is nearly a year old. Especially after he fought so hard to gain custody in the first place after the mom decided to give the baby up for adoption. What message is she trying to get across? I find this totally unrealistic.

Overall, not really a great book.

[InformationSuperhero · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been meaning to read this in high school (so a good long time ago) and after 14ishness years of waiting I am underwhelmed. I was intrigued by the POV of a teen father but did not feel a connection to Sam or any other characters for that matter. It was a very hollow read that started in the middle of the story. Then the ending was unsatisfying as there was no build up and it just kind of stopped. Poof. Done. It was finally getting gritty and it just...

so...

yeah...

I would love to see a in-depth version of this or a similar POV. I would recommend this for a quick read, reluctant readers or for a high level hi-lo high school collection as a heavy YA reader will be disappointed.

[Dexter A · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book for me was a good way to show how being a teen father is. The main character, Sam Pettigrew, is trying to balance high school and parenthood. He has a 11-month old son named Max. I got to see how he went from dropping a child off at daycare to going to school. Then from school to picking Max up again. They live with Sam’s parents and his dad seems to be the main helper and advisor. I liked the part of the book where the pond and all the ducks were and what Max did with them. He was so intrigued with them, by wanting to pet them, quack, and walk like them. I thought the end of the book was sad. But it made you think how you never know how things are going to turn out.

[Kalob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this for english class. The ending was disappointing. It also kind of defeated the whole "Hanging on to Max" thing. Through the book, Sam got, what seemed like, more confidence in being a father, and really showed that he loved Max a lot. But then almost randomly, he decides he wants to give Max up; even after fighting for custody and changing his name from Julian to Max. I think that him going through all that, just to give him up, was too fake.

[Sumayya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for school when i was a freshmen in high school. I hated to read back then but this book changed my perspective on books completely! This book has been apart of me since. I fell in love with reading because of this book. I never knew that you can get emotionally invested into a characters development. I enjoyed reading this book immensely! Sam was the kind of loving caring father that i hope every man out aims to achieve.

[Ashley.taggart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my all time favorite books of all times. This book is all about how a teen boy takes care of his son. It tells about all his troubles and joys. The ending of this book is not what I excepted. I would recommend this book to any teen that is going to be having a kid or to anyone interested into real life fiction books. This would also will be a good book for new parents or single parents.

[Martha Mungaray · Rating 2 out of 5]

The ending broke my heart. I was engaged at the beginning and after reading on how he gained support from his dad and found a girl that genuinely cared about him and his baby I was so excited for Sam. The last chapters were the breaking point for me, he didn't show strength, and instead chose the easy way out. He chose to give his almost 1-year-old up for adoption because he wanted his old life back? Nope, very disappointed. Max was growing into a loving family, Sam just chose to be selfish.

[Sam Fairbanks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book because it really shows how the father can bond with the child. The book also does an excellent job of proving that sometimes the financial burden paired with the emotional stress can really separate families that are not ready. In the end I was sad when Sam decided to give up Max but I understood his decision. all in all, it was a very good book.

[Yasmin]

This was a really good book about a father in his senior year who was taking care of his son. The scene where Max cuts his hand was so sad, but I really liked the book. It shows that becoming a teenage parent is something that could happen to (almost) anyone.

[Emily Skridla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great for non-readers. I love the way you feel all emotions and come to care for Max as if he is your own. I found myself crying as my heart strings were pulled to the point of breaking.

[Alyssa Lark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hanging on to Max has a great overall concept. In the topic of teen pregnancy the father's perspective is new and fresh. I liked seeing the difference of a father raising a child alone in place of the mother.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hanging on to Max has left me feeling many differing emotions. At the beginning of the book I was drawn in immensely to this wonderful story about a teenage boy raising his son. Then as the story progresses you learn more and more about who he is as a person and what events led him to this position. You learn to side with this character (Sam) because you feel bad for him for everything he’s going through. Although I can’t personally relate to Sam’s situation, I almost feel as if I’m living his life because of the attention to detail the author makes throughout the book. You can tell he wants to go to college and get a job he enjoys but in reality the only thing he can afford is to work construction. Sam’s life balancing school, relationships, and a new born baby is crazy so it tends to overwhelm him. At this point I was not expecting the ending that happened in the book. Sam is such a loving father to Max and it seems he would do anything for him. But, in the last chapter Sam gives Max up for adoption to pursue his dreams of going to college. The author does a sneaky job of wanting you to personally connect with this character just to completely change your mind about them in the very last chapter. The reason I gave this book 3 starts is solely because of my hatred towards the ending.