Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5561 in Books
• Published on: 2000-02-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

From Publishers Weekly
"It's kitchen chaos when Max and Ruby become bunnies who each bake a cake for Grandma's birthday. When it comes to the interplay between pared-down text and eventful illustrations, Wells, quite simply, takes the cake," said PW in a starred review. Ages 3-7. (Feb.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 1. Undaunted Max and bossy Ruby, rabbit siblings, make the perfect cakes for grandmother's birthday. A confectionary delight, with layers of laughter.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Ages 2^-6. Wells has that rare ability to tell a funny story for very young children with domestic scenes of rising excitement and heartfelt emotion, and with not one word too many. Some of the recent Max stories have been a bit convoluted, but this fourteenth book about the determined small rabbit and his bossy older sister is rooted in elemental childhood scenarios: playing in mud, baking a cake, making a list, planning a gift, showing who you are. As in Max's First Word (1979), there's a deliciously satisfying reversal; in fact, there's a reversal on almost every page. It's hard to summarize the story: every word matters, every picture extends the confrontation.

Max makes an earthworm cake for Grandma's birthday, but Ruby says no, they are going to make an angel surprise cake with raspberry fluff icing. Max wants to help, but Ruby tells him not to touch anything. Too late--the eggs fall on the ground. So Ruby sends Max to the store with a list that says EGGS. Max wants Red-Hot Marshmallow Squirters for his earthworm cake, so he adds that to the list, but the grocer can't read Max's "writing," and he gives Max only eggs. Is Max's clumsiness in the kitchen deliberate? He smiles beatifically as he bumps the table and the milk falls, then the flour; Ruby gets more and more uptight, her eyes squinched together. Still, his frustration is almost unbearable: each time, he tries so hard to "write" Marshmallow Squirters; and each time, the kindly grocer sees only Ruby's order and Max's scribble. As Ruby finishes up her cake, Max has to stay outside, but it's Ruby's face we see peering through the wire mesh and bars of the kitchen screen door, shut inside. Very satisfied with her creation, Ruby sends Max to buy some cake decorations, and this time he has an idea: he draws a picture of those Marshmallow Squirters. He races to the store, and, at last, the grocer understands. Then, while Ruby adds her final elaborate adornments--birthday candles, silver stars, sugar hearts, buttercream roses--Max goes outside and puts caterpillar icing and Red-Hot Marshmallow Squirters on his earthworm cake. In the final scene, Grandma, elegant in a purple hat with pink roses, is thrilled. She looks at both big cakes, and she doesn't know which one to eat first. Eat is the word. Hazel Rochman

Customer Reviews

favorite book
This is my daughters favorite book. I think she likes it becuase it do the voices for Ruby and she can guess what Ruby wrote on the list.

Great Book, Great Buy!
My daughter loves this episode of the Max & Ruby cartoons, so we decided to order this book for her birthday. It was a good price and arrived within 2 days!! Now, we think the book is so much better than the cartoon.

A Book That Will Make You Smile
It's Grandma's birthday and Max and Ruby both want to make her a birthday cake. They have very different ideas of what a birthday cake is. Max's is an earthworm cake and Ruby's is an angel surprise with raspberry-fluff icing.

Max keeps getting into Ruby's way, dropping ingredients so she send him to the store to get more. He wants Red-Hot marshmallow squirters for his cake but cannot write. He finally finds a way for the grocer to understand and Max and Ruby finally both get their cakes finished. Grandma couldn't be more pleased.

A heartwarming story that will make you smile. My son loves this story. He asks if I will make him a cake with raspberry-fluff icing all the time. He always laughs when Max spills the flour. Recommend highly.