Fuse 8 n’ Kate: Max’s Chocolate Chicken by Rosemary Wells

After Passover but before Tax Day, the holiday I decided to discuss on the podcast today is Easter! Now Kate already met Max and Ruby back in September of 2025 with Max’s Dragon Shirt. I think our latest Max iteration is far weirder. Kate doesn’t. But regardless of where you fall in that debate, a chocolate chicken is not a thing. I get to mention how the Max & Ruby books are much like episodes of The Simpsons. After all, it’s easy to ask, where does the cut-off between the good early work and the later lesser work lie? We may disagree a bit about this episode but one thing we can see eye-to-eye on? “Max… pull yourself together,” is indisputably a great line.

Full credit to Dan Berenberg for the suggestion of today’s book

Listen to the whole show here on Soundcloud or download it through iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play, PlayerFM, Audible, Amazon Music, or your preferred method of podcast selection.

Show Notes:

I begin with this and I’d like to bring it up here as well. Back on episode #332 we discussed Fireman Small by Wong Herbert Yee and I wondered what happened to that marvelous children’s book creator. As it turns out, Wong heard our episode and not only contacted me but also sent me a copy of his middle grade novel Bicycle Dreams. So glad to hear from you, sir!

Oddly, it appears that you can see a goodly chunk of the Weston Woods video all thanks to AppleTV here (as of this posting, of course).

Not sure if your library has Bookflix? Ask them today!

This may be the Easter Bunny, but I prefer Kate’s assessment that this is Max’s dad who has a side job as a magician for kids’ birthday parties. Or a kangaroo. Both work.

As you can see, the chocolate duck’s beak has a tendency to move about, even from one page to the next:

For what it’s worth, Max’s Dragon Shirt came out in 1991 and this book was released in 1989. So this is actually the older text.

Ruby, your competition here is not up to your skills.

They don’t say that the Easter Bunny sees you when you’re sleep and knows when you’re awake, but this statement certainly seems to apply with this shot.

Personally, I think this illustration is gold. Ruby is looking right at YOU! How could YOU let this happen?

I believe the reason Max says “I love you” to the duck is because he’s stolen its tail to consume. I am open to other interpretations, however.

The Passover graphic novel for kids I recommended was One Little Goat: A Passover Catastrophe by Dara Horn. It odd and WELL worth your time.

And by the way, I just really enjoyed this review of the book as well.

Betsy Recommends: All the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley

Kate Recommends: Monarch and Mourning Cloak by Melissa Stewart, illustrated by friend of the show, Sarah Brannen.

Filed under: Fuse 8 n' Kate