Max's Toys - Max Board Books Author:Rosemary Wells In this first counting book, Max trades his house with 2 chimneys, 3 soldiers, 4 bears, and all the rest of his toys for Ruby's 1 lovely doll, Emily. A fair exchange! Rosemary Wells's original four Max Board Books, published in 1979 by Dial and followed by an additional four in 1985, were the first high-quality board books in the U.S. and becam... more »e immediate classics. Total sales of the eight books were over 1.2 million! But more important, they have been loved by millions of children. For the next generation Rosemary Wells has now completely re-illustrated all eight delightful Max books in her bold, new full-color style. These wonderful stories with real characters are funnier than ever. They are terrific first books, especially with the increased focus on the importance of reading to babies and toddlers, a cause that Mrs. Wells has been wholeheartedly promoting for several years with her The Most Important 20 Minutes of Your Day reading program and now the Prescription for Reading Initiative.« less