Although you may still be wondering 'what is a Knuffle Bunny?', the real question of this book is where is Knuffle Bunny? This Caldecott Medal winner book is a unique look at an age-old issue most children have to deal with - the day their security toy or blanket goes missing. The pages will catch your child's attention right off the bat, as they use a creative mixed media approach; the adorable sketched cartoon characters are superimposed into real photographed locations. The photograph backgrounds are in black and white, while the characters pop off the page in bright primary colors. The sentences are short and only one per page, so your little one can easily follow along. In traditional Willems style, the words are cleverly displayed in a fun font that changes size and width to add voice, tone, and emphasis in all the right places. There is also humor you can both enjoy, such as when Trixie, 'helps' her daddy with laundry by putting pants on her head and wielding a bra and sock on each hand.
Your little one will easily relate to the protagonist, Trixie, in a variety of ways. Anyone who has had - or still has - a favorite stuffed animal or security blanket will understand the gut-wrenching feeling that overcomes Trixie as soon as she realizes her Knuffle Bunny is missing. Perhaps your child remembers how frustrating it is to communicate something important to their parents, but not have the words to do it. Trixie desperately tries to tell her daddy that Knuffle Bunny is missing, but all that comes out is baby talk, "aggle flaggle klabble" and her daddy doesn't get it. Trixie tries all the usual toddler tactics that your child will certainly recognize; "she had no choice...Trixie bawled. She went boneless. She did everything she could to show how unhappy she was." It wasn't until they got home that Trixie was relieved, because her mommy knew exactly what was wrong. However, after they all ran back to the laundry mat, it was her daddy who persisted until Knuffle Bunny was found. He was a hero! Your child may relate to these feeling that sometimes only parents are the right people for the job.
The pictures were my friend Adam's favorite part of this book when he was 5 years old, as they encouraged his imagination. He used to ask if there was a place on earth where cartoons lived in a city, "like in the pictures." I was honest and said no, but I could tell he didn't believe me. I was glad he didn't.
--Audra