Julie's Review: Knuffle Bunny and Knuffle Bunny Too

Knuffle Bunny: Trixie steps lively as she goes on an errand with her daddy, down the block, through the park, past the school, to the Laundromat. For the toddler, loading and putting money into the machine invoke wide-eyed pleasure. But, on the return home, she realizes something. Readers will know immediately that her stuffed bunny has been left behind but try as she might, (in hilarious gibberish), she cannot get her father to understand her problem. Despite his plea of "please don't get fussy," she gives it her all, bawling and going "boneless." They both arrive home unhappy. Mom immediately sees that "Knuffle Bunny" is missing and so it's back to the Laundromat they go. After several tries, dad finds the toy among the wet laundry and reclaims hero status. Yet, this is not simply a lost-and-found tale. The toddler exuberantly exclaims, "Knuffle Bunny!!!" "And those were the first words Trixie ever said." The concise, deftly told narrative becomes the perfect springboard for the pictures. They, in turn, augment the story's emotional acuity. 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.

Knuffle Bunny Too: Trixie can't wait to bring her one-of-a-kind Knuffle Bunny to school and show him off to everyone. But when she gets there, she sees something awful: Sonja has the same bunny. Suddenly, Knuffle Bunny doesn't seem so one-of-a-kind anymore. Chaos ensues until the bunnies are taken away by Ms. Greengrove. After school, Trixie finally gets her beloved bunny back. But in the middle of the night, Trixie realizes something. She has the wrong bunny! Daddy comes to the rescue again as a midnight swap is arranged with the other bunny, the other little girl, and the other daddy. Needless to say, the daddies are not very happy. By the end of the story Trixie has her beloved bunny back, but she has also gained something new: her very first best friend. In the tradition of the Caldecott Honor-winner Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale , this is another heartfelt, hilarious picture book that children (and their parents) will love.

Review: I try not to review children's books here because well it's not really "our" thing but I couldn't resist writing a blurb here about these wonderful and delightful books. Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale (Bccb Blue Ribbon Picture Book Awards (Awards)) and the sequel Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity are a great combination of cartoon characters over photos of New York City.

My 3 year old daughter love these "girl" books and we are currently on a Knuffle Bunny Too kick. I heard about these books from a co-worker who thought they were hilarious and recommended them to me. They are a hoot. For anyone who has a toddler they will identify with the tantrums and "going boneless" of Trixie. We started reading these books to her shortly after she turned 2 and as the year has gone by she's definitely gotten more "into" the story. She liked the books so much that she got a stuffed Knuffle Bunny of her own for Christmas.

She now is getting to the point where she can fill in parts of the story and after I'm done reading it to her, it's her turn to "read". I'm thrilled that at this age she loves to read already and I only hope it will continue throughout her life. I will only encourage it as I will with my son (because boys typically don't read as much as girl).

Final Take: Knuffle Bunny - 5/5 Knuffle Bunny Too - 4.5/5