Bunny Party (Max and Ruby) [Mass Market Paperback]

Rosemary Wells (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up | Series: Max and Ruby

It's Grandma's birthday and Max and Ruby are having a party for her. Ruby has invited seven stuffed-toy guests she's sure Grandma will like. Max wants to invite his Jellyball Shooter Spider, his Ear-Splitter Space Cadet and his Can't-Sit-Up Slug, but Ruby says no. Yet each time Ruby counts the number of guests at the table, another one has mysteriously appeared. Is Ruby having a bad counting day? Or is someone making a few changes to the guest list?

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

There's something fishy going on at Grandma Bunny's birthday party. Ruby is positive she's only invited seven stuffed-toy guests, but every time she counts, there seems to be one more. "That's funny, Max," Ruby says to her younger brother. "All the guests are in their seats. But there are only 2 chairs left for Grandma, you, and me." And off she goes to find another chair. Meanwhile, Max has his own ideas about who should be invited to the party. Can his Jellyball Shooter Spider, Can't-Sit-Up-Slug, and Ear-Splitter Space Cadet mingle nicely with Ruby's Rapunzel, Tooth Fairy, Mrs. Quack, and the rest?

Rosemary Wells (Max's Bath, Max's Birthday, Yoko, etc.) brings back her beloved pudgy bunny characters for yet another tremendously appealing picture book. Youngsters will giggle as Max quietly sets about meeting his own needs while Ruby, the quintessential big sister, bustles around, certain she knows best. It may be a "bad counting day" for befuddled Ruby, but for delighted readers, it's a fine day--and a fine way to practice counting! (Ages 3 to 7) --Emilie Coulter --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly

Rosemary Wells's popular rabbits return for Bunny Party. This time around, Max and Ruby host a birthday bash for Grandma. But each time Ruby sets the table, Max not only replaces Ruby's guests with his own, he also adds a few more in the process. (Viking, $15.99 32p ages 3-8 ISBN 0-670-03501-7; Sept.)

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Puffin (November 10, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 014250162X
• ISBN-13: 978-0142501627
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 9 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #246,154 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #15 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Holidays & Festivals > Religious
  • #28 in Books > Children's Books > Holidays & Celebrations > Religious
  • #33 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( W ) > Wells, Rosemary

More About the Author

Born in New York City, Rosemary Wells grew up in a house "filled with books, dogs, and nineteenth-century music." Her childhood years were spent between her parents' home near Red Bank, New Jersey, and her grandmother's rambling stucco house on the Jersey Shore. Most of her sentimental memories, both good and bad, stem from that place and time. Her mother was a dancer in the Russian Ballet, and her father a playwright and actor. Mrs. Wells says, "Both my parents flooded me with books and stories. My grandmother took me on special trips to the theater and museums in New York. "Rosemary Wells's career as an author and illustrator spans more than 30 years and 60 books. She has won numerous awards, and has given readers such unforgettable characters as Max and Ruby, Noisy Nora, and Yoko. She has also given Mother Goose new life in two enormous, definitive editions, published by Candlewick. Wells wrote and illustrated Unfortunately Harriet, her first book with Dial, in 1972. One year later she wrote the popular Noisy Nora. "The children and our home life have inspired, in part, many of my books. Our West Highland white terrier, Angus, had the shape and expressions to become Benjamin and Tulip, Timothy, and all the other animals I have made up for my stories." Her daughters Victoria and Beezoo were constant inspirations, especially for the now famous "Max" board book series. "Simple incidents from childhood are universal," Wells says. "The dynamics between older and younger siblings are common to all families."But not all of Wells' ideas come from within the family circle. Many times when speaking, Mrs. Wells is asked where her ideas come from. She usually answers, "It's a writer's job to have ideas." Sometimes an idea comes from something she reads or hears about, as in the case of her recent book, Mary on Horseback, a story based on the life of Mary Breckenridge, who founded the Frontier Nursing Service. Timothy Goes to School was based on an incident in which her daughter was teased for wearing the wrong clothes to a Christmas concert. Her dogs, west highland terriers, Lucy and Snowy, work their way into her drawings in expression and body position. She admits, "I put into my books all of the things I remember. I am an accomplished eavesdropper in restaurants, trains, and gatherings of any kind. These remembrances are jumbled up and changed because fiction is always more palatable than truth. Memories become more true as they are honed and whittled into characters and stories."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars We Love Max!, February 8, 2003

By 

Tracy Robert (Albuquerque, NM United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bunny Party (Max & Ruby) (Hardcover)

Max and Ruby are my new favorite book characters in books for younger children. My kindergarten students love the short text, colorful illustrations, and of course, mischievous little Max. After reading the Easter book "Max's Chocolate Chicken" all Fall and Winter, I'm finally getting them some more Max books!

In "Bunny Party", Max's older sister Ruby, throws a party for their Grandma. Ruby's guest list includes her "Rapunzel", "Mr. and Mrs. Quack" and the "Tooth Fairy", but leaves no room for Max's favorite toys. Sneaky Max finds his own way to crash the party with his "Jellyball Shooter Spider" and several other guests.

I love Ruby because she is such a girl in the toys that she owns and in the type of party that she plans for Grandma. I love Max because he is such a boy in the toys that he owns and in the way he wants to be included in his older sister's party plans. And I love Rosemary Wells for creating characters that children will want to see to over and over again in stories that adults can also appreciate and enjoy.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kids LOVE this story, February 1, 2003

By 

Dana Wooten (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bunny Party (Max & Ruby) (Hardcover)

I am rating this a 5-star book from the kids point of view. Kids just love the story, memorizing the names of all the toys that attend the bunny party, etc... My kids (a 4 year old boy and a 1.5 year old girl) drag out stuffed toys and a teaset at least three times a week to have a bunny party of their own.

If you buy this book, you will have to read it a gazillion times. From the parent's viewpoint, it's not the greatest book that you'll ever read a gazillion times to your kids, but it's way better than one of the books that you dread when they say, "Can we read it again tonight?" And hey, it's not our opinion that counts anyway, right?

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars We like Max & Ruby, October 30, 2001

By 

Scott D Gauss (Winfield, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bunny Party (Max & Ruby) (Hardcover)

Rosemary Wells has created two great brother and sister characters in the Bunny books, as well as the Max board books. Ruby is the responsible, if slightly bossy, older sister, and Max is her younger brother intent on doing what he wants. Ruby is throwing a party where most of the guests are her dolls and toys, and Max wants to invite some of his toys, too!

There is a lot of counting, which may go over better with the four to eight year old recommendation, but this is still a fun book to read with a younger child. Ruby is a fun character to read aloud.