The Nick Jr. children’s television show “Max and Ruby” is based on the bestselling books by Rosemary Wells about a little three-year-old bunny boy named Max and his older sister, seven-year-old Ruby. Ruby is very down to earth, pragmatic, and responsible. Max is free spirited, a little bit of a handful, and smart as a whip. Together they make quite the combination.
Each episode of the show follows a formula. Ruby wants to accomplish something for the greater good, and Max keeps interrupting her, ruining her plans, and generally making a mess of things. He doesn’t say much, usually just one word at a time, so she’s unsure of his full meaning until the end of the segment. Then his true object is revealed, and it’s something to help Ruby make her project even better.
One episode shows Max and Ruby at the carnival. She badly wants to win a stuffed panda, but every booth has run out of that popular prize. Max keeps saying, “Jelly ball,” but Ruby assures him there will be time to eat jelly balls later. After trying nearly every booth at the carnival, it seems there is to be no giant panda for Ruby, and she lets Max lead her to the jelly balls. However, it’s not candy he’s been asking for this whole time—there’s a booth where you shoot jelly balls at a target. He pays his ticket, splatters that target, and wins a giant panda, which he gives to Ruby.
For some reason, Max and Ruby’s parents aren’t central to the show. They have a grandma, and teachers, and Bunny Scout leaders, but parents—not so much. My daughter asked me why they didn’t have a mother, and, searching for an answer, I spontaneously said, “They have a mother, but she’s a writer. She’s on the computer right now.” That was something my children could identify with.
I like the simple, gentle nature of this show. I like the way Ruby takes care of Max—she doesn’t always enjoy it, but she does it anyway, and even when she’s annoyed with him, she tries her best to be patient. I like the way Max is allowed to use his brains, showing that being three doesn’t keep you from having good ideas. All in all, we enjoy “Max and Ruby” at the Pinkston house.
Related Blogs:
Author Review — Rosemary Wells
Noisy Nora and Read to Your Bunny