Illustrations by Mo Willems

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Willems, Mo. KNUFFLE BUNNY: A CAUTIONARY TALE. New York: Hyperion, 2004. ISBN 0-7868-1870-0

PLOT SUMMARY

This story is about a father and young daughter, not yet at the age to speak, that take a trip to the laundry mat to clean their clothes. On the way home from the laundry mat the young girl throws a fit but her father does not know what is wrong with her because she cannot speak to tell him. Just when he becomes frustrated they arrive home to find that the young girl’s bunny has been left at the laundry mat. They rush back to find the bunny. When they finally find it, the young girl says her first words, “knuffle bunny”.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This story seems like an updated version of stories we have either heard or experienced our whole lives. The characters consist of the father who is clueless and easily frustrated, the mother who knows it all, and the daughter who simply wants what she wants. This is the typical family dynamic that is seen over and over again.

Luckily for this book, the illustrations were unique and interesting. The use of actual photos of the Brooklyn setting combined with the completely unrealistic cartoon people made this book visually appealing. This is a book that parents would not mind reading to their children because they are equally intrigued with the illustrations.

This book combines a typical story line with a new, unique illustration format to create a fabulous book.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

“This everyday drama will immediately register with even pre-verbal listeners.” HORN BOOKS

“This amusing, universal tale is cleverly illustrated with hand-drawn cartoons juxtaposed onto digital photographs that reflect a well-traveled and familiar city neighborhood route.” SLJ


CONNECTIONS

If I were going to use this book as a resource for a lesson I would incorporate the idea that real life and fiction literature can be tied together.
For example; I would give the assignment that the students should take one simple experience they have had such as going on a picnic and creating a fiction story around it. This would show the students that you can make something new and interesting out of something that happens every day.