Max's Christmas (Max and Ruby) [Hardcover]

Rosemary Wells (Author)

Book Description

Series: Max and Ruby | Publication Date: September 30, 1986

Children will love the adventures of this lovable little rabbit as he embarks on a fun-filled Christmas. A perfect gift. 23 full-color illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Glad tidings for Max fansthe bunny of board-book fame now stars in his first picture book. Sister Ruby has to drag Max up the steps, scrub his face with a washcloth and remind him to "Spit, Max," as he brushes his teeth. It's Christmas Eve, and Max has a lot of questions about Santa Clausquestions Ruby answers with a "Because!" Not satisfied, the curious bunny sneaks downstairs to wait for the man in red. A bunny-angel at the top of the tree looks on as Santa himself answers some of Max's questions. But he, too, resorts to a "Because!" Max falls asleep. The next day, Ruby has queries of her own when she finds Max on the couch with a lap full of Christmas presents. Max's main answer? "Because!" Young readers will want to join resoundingly in that last lineone of the adult world's most ungratifying responses. Wells's pudgy bunnies and delightfully understated story will inspire year-round cravings for candy canes and early yearnings for yule logs.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 24 pages
• Publisher: Dial; First edition edition (September 30, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803702892
• ISBN-13: 978-0803702899
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 7.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,952,657 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

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love Max!, December 21, 2001

By 

slomamma (San Luis Obispo, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Max's Christmas (Max and Ruby) (Hardcover)

Rosemary Wells' Max and Ruby books are the best books for small children of all time, and Max's Christmas is the best of the best. The focus of the book is Max asking his older sister Ruby a thousand questions about Santa Claus that she can not answer (until, an exasperated Ruby finally screams BECAUSE! and refuses to answer any more questions). If you've dealt with any 2 to 4 year old at Christmas time, this will seem so real you won't be able to keep a straight face. It's just a pure delight.

The illustrations are more detailed, and the colors more interesting than in the Max board books. It's done in a way that the pictures all look bathed in candlelight, which creates a perfect atmosphere for the book. That's one of the things that makes this book even better than the other books in the series.

The recommendations for this book say it is for toddlers to pre-school children, but my kids continued to love it and want to hear it every year until they were about eight. My son loved it so much that I have him on tape reciting it by heart at age three.

If you have little ones to read to at Christmas, this is a must-have!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Max Enchants Again, December 27, 2002

By 

Sarah Hoffman (Corvallis, Oregon United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Max's Christmas (Max and Ruby) (Board book)

We absolutely love the Max & Ruby books. Max's Christmas was one of last year's gifts to my toddler munchkins. They love it and they just can't get enough of Max and his bossy-but-loving sister, Ruby. Max's Christmas takes Max through the Christmas Eve bedtime preparations, with Ruby helping him brush his teeth and put on pajamas. "Why?" asks Max. "Because," says Ruby. Max wants to know why he can't stay up to see Santa and, after Ruby puts him to bed, he decides to take his blanket downstairs and just see for himself. Max falls asleep, Santa comes down the chimney (Santa is a bunny, of course), and Max wakes up. Santa tells Max to go back to sleep. Max asks, "Why?" Santa replies, "Because!"

Kids love this book because they identify so completely with Max, even kids who don't have bossy big sisters. Max's adventures mirror those of all little children who are trying to figure out their often confusing world. ... A full Max & Ruby library is one of the best ongoing gifts for pre-school children.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Max's Santa FAQ, December 10, 2001

By 

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

This review is from: Max's Christmas (Max and Ruby) (Board book)

It's Christmas, and Ruby is trying to get her little brother Max ready for bed, and answer his questions about Santa. See what happens when Max has to see for himself. Fun book, because most of Max's dialog is made up of the questions toddler's ask 1,000 times a day, especially: "Why?"!