About half of Max & Ruby: BunnyTales is taken up with fairytales, retold with Max & Ruby playing the main characters. This is a great idea, since it combines characters young kids have grown to know, with stories older kids and adults recognize at the drop of a hat. Taking "The Princess and the Pea," cutting out the romantic stuff, and substituting Max putting marbles below his sister's mattress works extremely well. From one angle, it's deconstructing a classic tale, which may offend purists. The truth is that few young kids have the tolerance for long-winded classic fairytales, but they can easily digest things in the context of Max & Ruby. Watching little Max parade around with nothing but his bunny birthday suit in "Emperor Max's New Suit" plays on the classic tale of the vain emperor and a young child's impatience with shopping for new clothes. "Ruby's Real Cinderella" excises the cruel and kissy parts of the story and leaves fun antics between the two little bunnies.
The balance of the DVD contains general-topic episodes from days in the lives of Max & Ruby, not fairytale themed but fun all the same. In all cases, things are kept simple. Whether it comes down to Max's new grasshopper friend, learning to play hopscotch, or practicing synchronized swimming routines, things take a funny turn between these siblings. Resolution is always around the corner, and young kids will understand the difficulty of keeping things at an even keel with an older or younger brother. The animation is charming, the music relaxing, and the characters well thought-out. Max is a bit like Harpo Marx, rarely speaking while he mugs for the camera and makes Ruby's life more difficult. Max & Ruby: BunnyTales is a great collection that spans 12 episodes and gives youngsters plenty of viewing enjoyment.
