Have you ever wondered just where Max and Ruby's mom is? Wonder no more. I've got it figured out! She's still adjusting to going back to work full-time (seven months ago), forgot to take her allergy medicine again and is too lazy to exercise SO she's in bed with a splitting headache.
Wait, that's me. As I am lying in bed, heating pad on head, listening to my nine year old make a sandwich for her lil sis, Max and Ruby pop into my head. This is the question that puzzles so many adults who have had the privilege of reading a Max and Ruby book or watching the show. I actually do know the real reason we never see Max and Ruby's parents. Author Rosemary Wells purposefully does not include mom and dad because she wants the characters to solve their own problems.
Case in point: In Max's Dragon Shirt, Ruby takes Max to the mall to buy new pants. A typical girl, Ruby gets caught up in the dress department. Max ends up getting separated from Ruby and the characters have to figure out how to find each other again. In the end, as the title indicates, Max gets a new dragon shirt. Read the book to find out why he ends up with the shirt, instead of new pants. I know you have to be super curious!
From an English major's viewpoint, Max and Ruby books are far from profound works of literature. However, from a parent and teacher standpoint, they provide the perfect opportunity for discussion with your young children on how they would handle a similar situation. Plus Max and Ruby books are just downright delightful to share with your child!
Happy Reading!
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