Knuffle Bunny: a cautionary tale by Mo Willems

  BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Willems, Mo. 2004. KNUFFLE BUNNY: A CAUTIONARY TALE. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 078681870

PLOT SUMMARY:
Trixie goes to the laundromat with her father. She takes her favorite stuffed animal, Knuffle Bunny, with her.  After leaving teh laundromat, they discover that Knuffle Bunny is gone.  Trixie, her mother and father go back to find it.  They discover that the bunny ended up in the washer.  Once they retrieve it, Trixie is happy to be reunited witih it and speaks her first distinguishable words.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
The story is easy to follow with simple dialogue about the story's plot. The illustrations are not full on most pages.  The are shown in segments and are of comic like characters set in real situations that look like real photographs of places you would visit, such as a park, a school and the laundromat. The story is a realistic tale that children can relate to.  The author brings the characters to life with a simple, yet suspensful story of a lost favorite toy of a young child.  Trixie's inabilith to communicate along with the father's inability to understand her sets the tone of frustration and desparation. A feeling of helplessness captivates the reader.  The crises of the lost bunny is a theme that anyone can relate to in the instance of losing a treasured possesion.  The children's story show the parent's love and empathy for their child's loss and then the joy of discovering that it is not gone for good.  Willems uses his talents of storytelling and art to bring a spectaular picture book to children and other readers.  

REVIEW EXCEPT(S):
Starred review in SHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: " A seamless and supremely satisfying presentation of art and text."
Starred review in BOOKLIST: "...readers of all ages will recognize the agonizing  frustration of a little girl who knows far more than she can articulate."

CONNECTIONS: 
* Students write their own lost and found story, true or make believe.
* Discuss feelings of desparation.
*Other books about lost and found:
  Feiffer, Jules. I LOST MY BEAR. ISBN 0688177220