Brother and sister rabbit deal with Santa's arrival, snow "queen" building, sledding, and ice skating in this winter-themed gathering of the Nick Jr. series Max & Ruby. Rosemary Wells's classic board book siblings come to animated life beautifully with bossy, but inhumanly patient Ruby guiding 3-year-old Max through the traditions of Christmas, the safety precautions of winter sports, and the importance of building regal female snow creatures. Max, of course, utters one-word pronouncements and benignly does what he always intended to do, anyway. Each episode clocks in at just under eight minutes, making it ideal for youngsters' short attention spans. The last two episodes about a surprise party and tent-building are not seasonal. This gentle contemplation of sibling relationships will amuse children, from different standpoints, from ages 2 to 6. --Kimberly Heinrichs
