What You Need to Know:
• This is the third and final Knuffle Bunny.
• For those that have read all the Knuffle Bunny books, we have grown up with Trixie..
• The illustrations are cool and original. The background is a photograph with the characters, drawn by Willems,
superimposed in the photo. |
Sweet Book Summary:
Mo Willems talents are many, as you have heard from us before. This picture book trilogy is genius on many levels, most especially Willems' wholly original illustrations and, as always, his innate sense of what kids are thinking. Trixie has had Knuffle Bunny since she was a baby. In "Knuffle Bunny", Trixie forgets him at the laundromat and she can't talk so Willems allows the reader to see Trixie's thoughts and the reader gets to watch Trixie's dad comically try to figure out what is bothering her. In the second "Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity", we watch Trixie go to school for the first time. Trixie brings Knuffle Bunny with her and horror of horrors, another little girl has the same bunny and they get switched. In this final episode, "Knuffle Bunny Free", Trixie loses Knuffle Bunny!
On the way to Oma and Opa's house in Holland, Trixie leaves Knuffle Bunny on the plane. Trixie realizes this upon arrival at her grandparents house. The spread depicting Trixie telling her dad she has lost him, is priceless. Willems doesn't even have Trixie speak, instead he uses Trixie's body language and Dad just knows. That is the genius of all of Willems' illustrations. With one swipe of his pen, he can convey a whole lot of emotion. I am guessing his background in animation has something to do with this.
But back to the narrative at hand. While on vacation at Oma and Opa's house, Trixie realizes that she can live without Knuffle Bunny because of an epiphany she had while sleeping. In her dream, Knuffle Bunny was making other children, somewhere, very happy. So imagine her surprise when on the plane ride home she finds Knuffle Bunny right in the seat pocket in front of her! While happy, Trixie realizes that the screaming baby behind her needs Knuffle Bunny more than she, and she hands him over to the very surprised mother. This is a very touching story especially when she passes knuffle bunny on to another child.
I have read all three and I feel like we have grown up with Trixie and Knuffle Bunny. My youngest is five years old and is quite sensitive and found the story sad. I suspect he is sad because he isn't ready to give up his bunny and has held on more tightly to that bunny than I have seen in a while:). |
Author: Mo Willems Illustrator: Mo Willems Published: 2010, 48 pages
Themes: Humor, Compassion/Empathy, Feelings |
Sweet Discussion Questions:
• Have you ever lost something that was important to you?
• Do you have a lovie or a blankie?
• Do you think Knuffle Bunny found his way back to Trixie's baby? (Wouldn't it be great if it did!) |
| This recommendation was written by: Melissa Y. |
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