Goodnight Max (Max & Ruby) [Board book]

Rosemary Wells (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2000 | Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up | Series: Max & Ruby

"Goodnight, Max," says Max's sister Ruby. But Max can't get comfortable. First he spills a glass of water. Then there are all those itchy cookie crumbs in his bed?and the moon shining through his window. Will poor Max ever fall asleep? Rosemary Wells's beloved Max and Ruby are back in an irresistibly touchable book that is also a satisfying bedtime story. Toddlers won't be able to resist all the tactile elements--fourteen tempting things to touch, move, even smell--while a gently humorous story makes this the perfect book for bedtime, naptime, or anytime!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Wells's latest story about Max and his sister Ruby is a board book with 14 touch-and-feel surprises, including a terrycloth towel, sandpaper crumbs, and a furry teddy. At bedtime, the toddler's red rubber elephant is thirsty, so Max gives it a glass of water, which promptly spills on his outer-space pajamas. Thus begins a series of events in which the young rabbit needs to change his pajamas three times. He just cannot get to bed, despite Ruby's efforts to quiet his complaints about a fly, the noisy rain, and the bright moon. The touch-and-feel aspects of the book are sturdy with the exception of the lace curtain and blanket, which may tear off easily. A humorous, true-to-life bedtime story with the author's typical minimal sentences and delightful watercolor-and-ink illustrations.
Olga R. Barnes, Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County, NC
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Rosemary Wells is the highly acclaimed author of more than sixty books for children.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Board book: 14 pages
• Publisher: Viking Juvenile (February 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670887072
• ISBN-13: 978-0670887071
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #135,664 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Max and Ruby star in this lovely story about going to bed, April 13, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Goodnight Max (Max & Ruby) (Board book)

My children adore Max, and this book is no exception. My three-year-old had me read it to him no less than three times in a row today. He loves to touch the lace curtain, soft blanket, and the "spilled" water. And what a sister! Everyone needs a sister like Ruby!

Any parent who's tried to get their own "Max" to bed can sympathize with Ruby, the long suffering and ever patient sibling.

What a joyful little book!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A splendid board book for toddlers & preschoolers., July 14, 2000

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Goodnight Max (Max & Ruby) (Board book)

It's time for bed, but Max can't fall asleep in this board book for toddlers who will find here a delightful bedtime dilemma. Bright pages with tactile cut-outs attract attention with touch and feel surprises as Max faces a too-long night.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A touch of genius by Rosemary Wells, August 15, 2000

By 

joop (sunny so cal) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Goodnight Max (Max & Ruby) (Board book)

What a joy of a book! My baby loves feeling the surprises on each page from the crumbs in Max's pockets to the gummy nightcrawlers on his feet! A sweet story with tactile turns on each page. A classic in the making, I can hardly wait for a sequel!