In my bag: Knuffle Bunny

Anyone who has ever had a beloved childhood toy or "lovie" will thoroughly enjoy the Knuffle Bunny trilogy from Mo Willems.  These are three books that I think every kid should know!

The first book, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, deals with the trauma that comes when Trixie loses her precious Knuffle Bunny and the lengths her parents go to in order to find him.

Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity  takes place during school show-and-tell when Trixie meets a Sonja, a girl with her own Knuffle Bunny.  It also allows Willems the opportunity to highlight one of the biggest debates surrounding the Knuffle Bunny books.  How do you pronounce "Knuffle?" 

The final and most poignant installment, Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion (Knuffle Bunny Series) finds Knuffle Bunny being lost once again, this time on a trip to Holland.  After dreaming about all the love Knuffle Bunny could give to others, an older and wiser Trixie decides to pass on her favorite toy to someone who needs it more than she does.

All three books are cleverly illustrated.  The backgrounds of the illustrations are created by black and white photos of locations in New York City, while the characters are color cartoon images drawn by the author. 

Mo Willems is able to do so much with simple story lines and illustrations.  He captures the humor, distress, and sweetness of a situation familiar to so many.  I guarantee that these books will become like your very own Knuffle Bunny.