Old fans and new will welcome this latest installment in a popular series about two rabbits, feckless Max and his sensible sister Ruby. As usual, key plot developments are illustrated with flaps — and who can resist lifting a flap to see what's underneath, especially in Wells' bright, cartoony drawings? Max covets a Sand-Spitter motorcycle with Bigfoot tires like Wilma Warthog's, so even though it's July, he writes to Santa Claus requesting one. "Nobody writes to Santa in the summer," Ruby reminds him. His letter is diverted to Grandma, who, since it consists solely of tire tracks, misunderstands and replies with a picture of a bulldozer. Kids will enjoy being way ahead of both Max and Grandma on this. Max tries twice more, adding splotches of red to his tire tracks, but Grandma still doesn't get it until she sees Wilma putt-putting up the street. On the Fourth of July, right in the middle of Ruby's picnic, Max gets his motorcycle by special delivery. Santa finally understood — or somebody did.
Come fly with us, and Leo, through the best (and worst) of 2004. Tops in the cinema this year include Scorsese's Howard Hughes biopic The Aviator. Elsewhere, Deadwood was good TV, and a Strange tale fascinated readers.