Max's Toys (Max & Ruby) [Board book]

Rosemary Wells (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 1 and up | Series: Max & Ruby

In this first counting book, Max trades his house with 2 chimneys, 3 soldiers, 4 bears, and all the rest of his toys for Ruby's 1 lovely doll, Emily. A fair exchange! Rosemary Wells's original four Max Board Books, published in 1979 by Dial and followed by an additional four in 1985, were the first high-quality board books in the U.S. and became immediate classics. Total sales of the eight books were over 1.2 million! But more important, they have been loved by millions of children. For the next generation Rosemary Wells has now completely re-illustrated all eight delightful Max books in her bold, new full-color style. These wonderful stories with real characters are funnier than ever. They are terrific first books, especially with the increased focus on the importance of reading to babies and toddlers, a cause that Mrs. Wells has been wholeheartedly promoting for several years with her The Most Important 20 Minutes of Your Day reading program and now the Prescription for Reading Initiative.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Max is an irresistibly cute but persistent little bunny who wants what he wants when he wants it--any parent with an active toddler will relate. And like most little kids, Max thinks the grass is always greener on the other side; to be more precise, he's sure the toy someone else is playing with is much more interesting. Max's interaction du jour is with his older sister, Ruby, who has a particularly attractive doll. Of course, Max wants that doll and will go to any lengths to get it. Who do you think will win this one? A funny tale of how children give and take in play, Max's Toys doubles as a first counting book: the doll is the one thing Ruby won't part with, and all Max has to barter is a house with two chimneys, three soldiers, four bears, and so on. Measuring 7 inches square, this colorful, sturdy board book is easy for small children to handle. Rosemary Wells's delightful Max books are virtually guaranteed to please the little Max in your life. (Baby to preschool) --Marianne Painter --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

PreSAMax is back, or at least retooled for the 21st century. Max's Ride and Max's Toys first appeared in 1979, while Max's Bath and Max's Bedtime both have a 1985 copyright. The texts for the most part read the same. The typeface has been changed from sans serif to serif. In Max's Ride, the concept words are now designed to reflect their meaning. So "down" now moves down the page and "under" dips under the line of text. Max's errant baby carriage hits a bump rather than a clothes basket. As for the illustrations, those bouncing baby bunny buns seem to have slipped south. Max is more of a dumpy pyramid shape with enormous feet and a softer contour line. The books are a bit larger and the color palette a tad lighter. Some of the facial expressions seem to give a different emotional emphasis. Purists may feel even Wells can't do better than the originals and shouldn't try. Still, more Max is better than less and Wells's special brand of deadpan humor is always welcome.AJudith Gloyer, Milwaukee Public Library
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 1 and up
  
• Board book: 12 pages
• Publisher: Viking Juvenile (January 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 067088720X
• ISBN-13: 978-0670887200
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 6.7 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #258,206 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #32 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

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Max's Toys, June 21, 2000

By 

Kim Shain (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Max's Toys (Board book)

Our son Max loves to help the bunny Max count his toys. The illustrations catch his attention, and he enjoys finding the different toys in the pile on the last page.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful on many levels, January 14, 2002

By 

Kate Smith (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Max's Toys (Board book)

My 13-month-old son has loved the pictures in this book since he was a tiny infant. He still loves the book. The story is very sweet, and it quite stands alone - unlike some other counting books, which have no "plot" aside from the numbers. I also appreciate that the boy-rabbit Max is shown to want a doll and that his sister (ultimately) thinks Max's trucks, soldiers, etc. are desirable toys.

I love to give this book as a new-baby gift. It is a delight!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars cute counting book with abrupt ending, May 1, 2003

By 

audrey (white mtns) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Max's Toys (Board book)

Max wants Ruby's doll, Emily, but Ruby will not part with her. Max has a house with 2 chimneys, 3 soldiers, 4 bears, etc. but all he wants is Emily.

This is a cute counting book, especially for fans of this charming brother-sister bunny duo. But the ending is rather abrupt and always leaves my child wondering what happens next.