1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Willems, Mo. Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale.
Ill. by Mo Willems. New York: Hyperion Books, 2004. ISBN 0786818700
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Trixie, a precocious toddler goes
on an excited errand to the Laundromat, where her dad even lets her put money
into the big machines for their clothes.
However, on the way back she realizes her beloved stuffed bunny, Knuffle
Bunny, is missing! She gets upset but
can’t explain to daddy what’s wrong.
When they get home, mommy realizes the problem and they rush back to
look for poor Knuffle Bunny. Daddy
finally finds him among the wet clothes and returns him to Trixie, who is so
grateful she says her first words: “Knuffle Bunny.”
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Little readers will relate to the
joys of running big kid errands with their parents and being entrusted with
putting money into the slots of a machine.
They’ll also share the anxiety of being unable to communicate a problem,
or even losing a favorite toy. The
simple text of Mo Willem’s book coupled with the unique backdrop of his pages
will entrance young listeners and keep early readers entertained as well.
By pairing muted tone and black
and white photographs with silly doodle sketched colorful characters, the
readers eye will dance from page to page with Trixie as she tries to communicate
in her own language. The simple city blocks will provide a familiar setting to
many readers and the fun speech bubbles will help them read along.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
2005 CALDECOTT MEDAL
Top 100 Picture Books #7 by School
Library Journal
From SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL – “Printed
on olive-green backdrops, the illustrations are a combination of muted,
sepia-toned photographs upon which bright cartoon drawings of people have been
superimposed. Personalities are artfully created so that both parents and
children will recognize themselves within these pages. A seamless and supremely
satisfying presentation of art and text.”
From BOOKLIST – “Even
children who can already talk a blue streak will come away satisfied that their
own strong emotions have been mirrored and legitimized, and readers of all ages
will recognize the agonizing frustration of a little girl who knows far more
than she can articulate.”
5. CONNECTIONS
Gather other Caldecott Medal books
about precocious children to read such as:
• Falconer, Ian. OLIVIA. ISBN 0689829531
• Rylant, Cynthia. THE RELATIVES CAME. ISBN 0689717385
Gather other Mo Willems' books about
Trixie and Knuffle Bunny to read such as:
• KNUFFLE BUNNY TOO: A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY. ISBN 1423102991
• KNUFFLE BUNNY FREE: AN UNEXPECTED DIVERSION. ISBN 9780061929571
Both of these sets of books can be
used to talk to small children and even older children about growing up and
family.
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