Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale
Too-young-to-talk Trixie is on a pleasant stroll to the neighborhood Laundromat with her daddy. While Trixie "helps" her father get the laundry in the washer, her beloved stuffed rabbit accidentally joins the clothes for a sudsy ride. On the way home, Trixie suddenly notices she is alone. She panics and tells daddy as best she can. Mom saves the day when the first thing she says upon their arrival home is, "Where's Knuffle Bunny?" Willems' placement of cartoon characters in a photographed city neighborhood is delightful.
Pennsylvania Center for the Book Awards
Book Activities & Discussion Ideas
Invite children to share their own stories of favorite objects (stuffed animals, blankets) and their experiences in losing and finding them. These tales might make a good class book, or a personal, homemade storybook.
This book ought to prompt good discussions of children's attachments to objects such as stuffed animals and blankets, as well as how to handle tantrums. This is a good time to explain the importance of children learning language, and that many times tantrums occur because children cannot make themselves understood.