Author/Illustrator: Willems, Mo
Publisher and Date: Hyperion Books for Children 2007
Genre: Picture Book
Age Range: K-1
Awards: 2008 Honor Book
Summary: This picture book is about a girl named Trixie who was excited to show her Knuffle Bunny to her friends at school. When she got to school she saw that another girl, Sonja, had the same Knuffle Bunny. Their Knuffle Bunnies got switched after the teacher had taken them away and the girls had their fathers switch them in the middle of the night. After the bunnies were returned to their rightful owners, Trixie and Sonja became best friends.
Response: I can relate so well to this book! I know it was absolutely awful to show up at school with the same anything as another kid in the class. After that happens though, you realize you have something in common with the other person and it usually would end in a friendship unless one of the children was a real bully!
Willems did an excellent job with the illustrations in this book. I loved how the background of the picture was a black and white photo and the characters were illustrated. The lighting from the photo was reflected in the illustrated characters, which really pulled the whole picture together. In the picture where Trixie's dad is talking to Sonja's on the phone, Trixie's dad is standing in front of a mirror and his reflection is drawn in on the mirror of the black and white photo. I think the pictures were my favorite part, I love it when artists mix mediums.
I liked how Willems was able to incorporate aspects of his other books into Knuffle Bunny Too. In the picture where Trixie's parents are putting her to bed she has a stuffed animal at the end of her bed which is actually Leonardo The Terrible Monster from one of his other picture books. This reminded me of the Pixar movies, Monsters Inc. and Finding Nemo. In Monsters Inc., the litter girl, Boo, has a fish mobile in her bedroom. In Finding Nemo, Pixar placed that mobile from Boo's room in the dentist office when Nigel, the pelican, flies into the office. [I've included pictures below and circled the mobile in red!]
Teaching Ideas: This would be good for encouraging the children to make new friends and find people they have things in common with. It is also good in talking polite manners and how to share your things with others.
1 comment:
I am pleased to see you reading Mo Willems! He is another one of my favorites! I appreciate your inclusion of the illustration and how you expand on your reaction to his use of mixed media. He combines digital photography and hand-drawn ink sketches with computer graphics to get the cartoon-like people superimposed in the sepia-toned photos. I also appreciate your excitement and enthusiasm for his work!
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