About this book

Max has been attending school for a few months now and has really settled in at the aquarium. He absolutely loves his new friends and teachers! When a new axolotl arrives at the tank, Max jumps at the chance to show her around. The new axolotl is shy and is having trouble adjusting to this new life away from home. When Max discovers she's gone missing one morning it's up to him and his friends to journey through the aquarium and find her.

This silly and sweet graphic novel explores themes of friendship, nature conservation, and so much more!

Reviews

Praise for Max, a Little Axolotl

2026 TX Little Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List: Grades K-5

"Charming and relatable... Early elementary readers will pick this book up for the ­axolotl and stay for the cute, informative, and engaging story." - School Library Journal

"A wonderfully entertaining story about the cutest creature ever!" - Dan Santat, National Book Award Winner

"In artwork maximized by bright colors and cartoonishly shining eyes, Spiotto takes readers on an adventure that encapsulates conservation and belonging all in one beautiful, silly story. This book is perfect for elementary-school marine lovers and anyone who has ever felt like they don’t belong." - Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

"Readers ready to graduate from Bondestam’s picture book My Life at the Bottom: The Story of a Lonesome Axolotl (BCCB 5/22) will appreciate this chance to build both their reading skills and their axolotl knowledge." -The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books