Where Did Maxine Come From?

In this worksheet you will find a text to be read and will see the last works
from her creator. Let´s have some fun reading what Maxine thinks about life:

Creator Of Maxine Read

Read the
the text
text paying
paying
attention
attention thethe vocabulary
vocabulary used
used 1
or
or new
new words
words and
and
John Wagner, Hallmark artist since 1970, says Maxine expressions,
expressions, find
find out
out the
the
was inspired by his mother, his maiden aunts and his tenses
tenses itit was
was written,
written, give
give
grandmother, the woman who bought him art lessons some
some examples
examples of of sentences
sentences
when 'fill in the pumpkins' was about the extent of his in
in the
the Past
Past and
and in
in the
the Simple
Simple
tense.
tense.
art classes at St. John's Catholic School
in Leonia N.J. Find
Find thethe dates,
dates, numbers,
numbers,
names
names that that help
help youyou to to
John remembers doodling as a preschooler and says understand
understand what what isis being
being told
told
on
2
both his grandmother and his mother encouraged his on it,
it, pay
pay attention
attention to to the
the
cognates
cognates and and transparent
transparent
artistic interests. He eventually attended the Vesper
words,
words, writing
writing down
down in in your
your
George School of Art in Boston and landed at notebook
notebook all all of
of them
them and and
Hallmark as part of a new artists group. But it was giving
giving their
their meanings
meanings as as well.
well.
the birth of the humorous Shoebox Greetings (a tiny Use
Use aa dictionary
dictionary forfor the the
little division of Hallmark) in 1986 that added a new difficult
difficult words
words ifif itit isis
necessary.
necessary.
dimension to John's professional life. The Shoebox Write
Write a short
a short comment
comment
way of seeing the world unleashed his talents and he reporting
reporting about about what what you you 3
could
could understand
understand about about this
this
created Maxine. text
text andand share
share itit withwith your
your
classmates.
classmates.
'Cartoonists are sensitive to the insanities of the
world; we just try to humanize them,' John says. 'If
Maxine can get a laugh out of someone who feels Do
Do you
you like
like cartoons?
cartoons? WhyWhy oror

lonely or someone who is getting older and hates the

Why
Why not?
not? Do
Do you
you think
think they
they can
can 4
help
help you
you toto understand
understand the the
thought of another birthday, or if she can make English
English language
language better?
better? Give
Give
us
us your
your opinion
opinion about
about them.
someone chuckle about stressful interpersonal Can
them.
Can you tell us what kind of
you tell us what kind of
relationships, then I'm happy. Putting a smile on cartoon
cartoon do do you
you like?
like? Why
Why do do
someone's face is what it's all about.' you
you like
like them?
them?

Those smiles have led to Maxine's becoming a bit of Read

Read the
the cartoons
cartoons andand pay
pay
a celebrity. She (and John) have been the subject of
attention
attention to
to the
the difficult
difficult 5
words.
words. Write
Write them
them in in your
your
media stories, including People, USA Today, Good notebook
notebook andand find
find their
their
Morning America, The Wall Street Journal, St. meanings.
meanings.
Petersburg (FL) Times, and Las Vegas Journal-
Review, and they have been included in a
major Associated Press story. Collector and trade
After
After reading
reading the
the cartoons,
cartoons,
publications have reported fans nationwide are write
write aa short
short paragraph about 6
paragraph about
collecting Maxine items. Letters from consumers and each
each one.
one. What
What could
could you
you
fans to John and Maxine reveal a very personal understand
understand about
about them?
them? Each
Each
connection to Maxine. one
one has
has aa “Moral”
“Moral” Write
Write
something
something about
about it.
it.

Many people say they are just like her.

Do
Do you
you think
think this
this character
character created
by
by John
John can
can help
help the
the people
created
people toto
7
Why the name 'Maxine'? 'People at Shoebox started understand
understand and and respect
respect the
the
referring to the character as 'John Wagner's old lady,' feelings
feelings ofof the
the elderly
elderly ones
ones
concerning
concerning life life and
and their
their issues?
and I knew that would get me into trouble with my issues?
Do
Do you
you know
know an an old
old lady
lady like
like this
this
wife,' John says. The Shoebox team had a contest one
one inin your
your family
family oror among
among youryour
among themselves to name the character and three friends?
friends? Tell
Tell usus something
something aboutabout it.it.

of the approximately 30 entries suggested 'Maxine'.

John says the name is perfect.
Do
Do aa research
about
research onon the
the internet
internet 8
about this
this profession,
profession, produce
produce aa
John, who says he's humbled by such acceptance of big
big Poster
Poster with
with clear
clear information
information
about
about this
this kind
kind of
of job,
job, its
its
Maxine, admits he's proud of her. characteristics,
characteristics, salary,
salary, studies
studies
(better
(better schools to learn how
schools to learn how to
to
draw
draw cartoons
cartoons etc)
etc) and
and present
present itit
Now you know the story of how Maxine came to be. to
to your
your classmates.
classmates.
9: Extra Activity: Print and cut the cartoons and give them to your students. Make them work about the translation,
study of vocabulary concerning Idioms & Expressions etc. They can do pair work and create a dialog or stories which
include the sentences written and presented in the cartoons. Ask them to be imaginative and creative and produce
funny stories. After that they can present their funny texts to their classmates for evaluation, a competition can be
done as well and then the students will vote for the best story/dialog students have produced.