Aggle flaggle klabble!

Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale

by Mo Wiliems

Summary

In Mo Williems’ Knuffle Bunny, Trixie, who is still at the age “before she could even speak words,” goes to the laundromat with her daddy. The two walk through a Brooklyn neighborhood, then arrive at the laundromat, where Trixie’s antics distract her father, causing him to shove her beloved Knuffle Bunny into the wash with all the clothing. As the two walk home, Trixie realizes Knuffle Bunny is gone, and does her best to tell her daddy what’s wrong. But without words, her cries and sputters do nothing more than baffle her father.

Worth staying up past bedtime?

You definitely need to stay up to find out what happens in Knuffle Bunny. This book is a treat and I found myself laughing out loud at Williems’ depiction of young Trixie’s behavior. The sepia-toned photographs of a real neighborhood layered with color sketches are fun to explore, and Trixie’s attempts to tell her father that Knuffle Bunny is missing had me in stitches. Williems has done an excellent job of portraying the toddler temper tantrum: babbled words ("aggle flaggle klabble! wumby flappy!"), going “boneless” when her daddy tries to pick her up, and eventual wide-eyed shock and worry as the family tries to find her beloved toy. Any child who has ever lost or misplaced a favorite toy will relate to this story, and adults will recognize the children they have known, making this a great read for any age.

Reviews

"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." School Library Journal

“Willems chronicles this domestic drama with pitch-perfect text and illustrations that boldly depart from the spare formula of his previous books. Sepia-tone photographs of a Brooklyn neighborhood provide the backdrops for his hand-drawn artwork, intensifying the humor of the gleefully stylized characters--especially Trixie herself, who effectively registers all the universal signs of toddler distress, from the first quavery grimace to the uncooperative, "boneless" stage to the googly-eyed, gape-mouthed crisis point. 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. Jennifer Mattson, Booklist

In the library

This book can be enjoyed by young children and adults alike. Read aloud and use exaggerated voices and faces to express the emotions of the characters. Go “boneless” like Trixie does for extra laughs.

Module 5

Week of Sept. 28 - Oct. 3