Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity

Knuffle Bunny Too

Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity
By: Mo Willems
Hyperion Books for Children
Ages: 4-6
2007

The Summary: When we last saw Trixie she was a drooling, happy baby who loved to take her Knuffle Bunny everywhere. Now, Trixie is older and talking non-stop, but still loves to take Knuffle Bunny wherever she goes.  On this particular day, she is taking her Knuffle Bunny to school for show and tell, but when she gets there she is in for a surprise…someone else has an identical Knuffle! What ensues is a battle of the Knuffle’s (do you say Kuh-nuffle or Nuffle?) that can only end in misery. Finally, it is the end of the day and each girl goes home with her Bunny…or does she? In the middle of the night Trixie realizes the horrible truth – she has the wrong Knuffle! A midnight rendezvous does more than reunite the right Knuffle with the right girl as a new friendship is discovered.

The Good: Mo Willems’ books are just so different from anything else out there on the picture book shelves. The illustrations often look like photographs, which almost leaves the impression that you, the reader, are looking at a photo album rather than a picture book. The characters are hand-drawn ink sketches by Willems, but the background, or world that the characters live in, are real-life photographs. This use of mixed media creates a unique experience for the eyes as illustration is blended with reality. As in the Elephant and Piggie books, any time a character speaks there is a speech bubble, but the narrator’s text, which is bold and free-floating, remains appropriately placed around the illustrations without ever getting in the way. In other words, the text and illustrations (bubble or no bubble) are perfectly balanced so that one does not distract from the other, and together they create a cohesive whole. As always, the story is full of humor and emotion. I could not help but feel a little teary at the end when the girls are reunited with their Knuffle’s and realize that they share a common bond that could lead to friendship. All in all, this a touching, humorous sequel to Knuffle Bunny that any kid (or adult) will love reading over and over again.

The verdict: I would read this to anyone, child or adult.

The rating: 9

Filed under: Caldecott, Mo Willems, Picture Book

Bookmas Unleashed

Here’s the deal: it is the week before Christmas and there are last minute gifts to finish, review deadlines, and packing to do. You probably have a similar list. Anyway, due to the giveaway earlier this week I’ve fallen a bit behind on my book recommendations. Also, since I don’t really want to recommend a book on Christmas day (kind of late notice anyway) I’m going to give you three recommendations right now. One for yesterday, one for today, and one for Christmas.

Got it?

Great.

Bookmas Day 6:

Grandpa Green

Grandpa Green
by: Lane Smith
Roaring Book Press
Ages: 5 & up
2011 

The story about grandpa Green’s life is told by his young, great-grandson, who is traipsing through grandpa’s beautiful garden, full of topiary creatures. The greenery is the visual element to the story, so we see grandpa growing up on a farm, stealing a kiss in middle school, meeting his wife in Paris, serving in the Army, and on and on. What really makes this a great picture book (for me) are the topiary’s. I loved the creativity and inventiveness of telling a story through bushes. The story itself is sweet, but not very memorable. For me, it was the artwork that made me want to look at it again, whereas the story did not pull on my heart strings like I expected.

Rating: 6

Bookmas Day 5:

Divergent

Divergent
by: Veronica Roth
Katherine Tegen Books
Ages: 14 & up
2011

This is a perfect read for the teenage girl in your life, or for your inner teenager. If you read Hunger Games (and loved it) you’ll love this one. Dystopian Chicago is divided into five factions: Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the kind), and Erudite (the intelligent). At the age of 16, teenagers are required to choose a faction, and there is no turning back. When Beatrice chooses Dauntless, instead of the Abnegation faction she had grown up in, her life will never be the same.

Rating: 7

Bookmas Day 4:

Junonia

Junonia
by: Kevin Henkes
Greenwillow Books
Ages: 8 & up
2011 

Alice, soon to be ten, and her parents are headed to the coast for their annual visit. She can’t wait to collect shells (Alice really wants to find the rare junonia shell this time), play on the beach, and say hello to old friends. However, everything is different this year, and Alice struggles with all the change. This is such a tender, coming of age story that I got super choked up at the end. Not only is it beautifully written (some of the sentences are simply profound), but Henkes accurately portrayed one child’s process of moving from childhood into maturity.  This is one of my favorite reads of 2011.

Rating: 9

Filed under: Middle Grade, Picture Book, Young Adult

The Princess and the Pig

The Princess and the Pig

The Princess and the Pig
by: Jonathan Emmett
Illustrated by: Poly Bernatene
Walker Childrens
Ages: 4 & up
2011 

The summary: A baby princess and piglet are switched by accident. Pigmella, the pig, becomes Priscilla, the princess, and vice versa.

It’s a little confusing, I know. Stick with me.

The adults in this book are pretty gullible. Instead of assuming that the pig and baby were switched, they assume that fairies turned the baby into a pig and the pig into a baby, because, obviously, that happens all the time in books.

I won’t spoil the ending for you, wait, yes I will. The farmer and his wife find out the truth, and being honest folk, they take Pigmella (who is really the princess) back to the castle. However, the king and queen don’t believe them and still think the pig is the true princess. So, the real princess stays Pigmella while the pig remains Princess Priscilla.

I love this.

I love that the girl doesn’t end up being the princess in the happily ever after. She still has a happy ending, but instead of ending up a princess, she’s a normal girl who marries a normal guy and they live a normal life.

The artwork is really fun to look at, and the layout is different, but easy to follow. The text is witty, with plenty of references to old fairy tales that you either get or you don’t. If your child is too young to understand, it won’t effect their understanding of the story; however, it gives you an opportunity to tell those fairy tales for the first time.

Rating: 7

 

 

Filed under: Fairy Tale, Picture Book