If you’re a parent like myself and don’t mind letting Nick Jr. do a little co-parenting from time to time, then you’re familiar with the wonderful animated series Max & Ruby. I say wonderful, but after having a 3-year-old ask to see the same 20 episodes about a million times, your description may change…
The cartoon is based on the popular children’s books by author and illustrator Rosemary Wells. Viewers are taken in to the bunny world of Ruby and her younger, curious, wind-up-toy loving little brother Max. In each incarnation you find our girl Ruby trying to get something done for Bunny Scout Leader or for grandma or babysitting for The Huffingtons or hangin’ with Roger and his “Uhhhh Huhhhs.”
Without fail Max happens in to creating a payoff revelation for Ruby by accident at the end of each mini-episode. You know if Ruby hadn’t figured that out I at least thought maybe Louise would.
Here’s a video interview with Wells and she looks and sounds exactly how I imagined she would:
The one thing you don’t see however, and man I mean never ever, is Max and Ruby’s mom and dad. So what’s up with that!?! I’ve wondered this many times, and after doing a little trolling, I’ve come to understand I’m not alone. In fact, there’s a Facebook page dedicated to this very subject that has over 10,000 followers!
I went directly to the source via Nick Jr. and found the answer. In an exclusive, if not extremely brief, interview with Wells she explains why you’ll never see Max & Ruby’s parents.
Would you describe for us the relationship between Max and Ruby? How does it work?
Ruby is seven and Max is three. Their relationship is based on my two kids when they were seven and three. Even though they love each other, Max and Ruby have very different ideas about everything. Max is mischievous and disorganized. Ruby is bossy, determined, and very organized. In each story Max wants one thing and Ruby wants something entirely different.
As in most other classic stories, we don’t see Max and Ruby’s parents, because I believe that kids resolve their issues and conflicts differently when they are on their own. The television series gives kids a sense about how these two siblings resolve their conflicts in a humorous and entertaining way.
Hey, Ruby’s seven and Max is three. I didn’t know that either. Now we know, but what about Ni Hao Kai-lan’s parents…
