MAX & RUBY AT THE WARTHOGS' WEDDING

When Max accidentally loses the Warthogs’ wedding ring, a treasure hunt ensues, with Ruby leading the way.

It’s the day of the wedding, and Ruby (as usual) is instructing Max. As she twirls in her flower girl dress, Max runs from his lavender sailor suit. After all, he’d much rather be feeding gummies to his pet, a chickenlike Gob Smacker. Finally ready, Max is entrusted with the wedding band, but the Gob Smacker he stashed in his pocket sends the ring flying, right into the hotel laundry chute! And so the chase is on. Up and down the elevator, through the laundry, kitchen and halls the bunnies run, consulting their Bunnyphone map at each stop. Finally, ring in hand, Ruby arrives at the wedding on time. But Max? Oh, my. Wells’ signature illustrations will charm readers as they pore over the lovely patterns that enrich the Hotel Ritz. The lift-the-flap Bunnyphone, used throughout the story, offers a map of the hotel and indicates the characters’ whereabouts. Unfortunately, while readers may enjoy turning the flaps, the phone itself is difficult to read. Readers must turn their heads and reorient themselves to understand the map, and there are multiple floors and floor plans to navigate.

The winning illustrations and lighthearted storytelling that made Max and Ruby such a hit are on display; unfortunately, the gimmick distracts from them.