Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity

Willems, Mo. Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. 2007.

What I thought of the book…
This book is about a little girl who finds out her knuffle bunny also belongs to someone else in her class. The two girls who have the same bunny do not hit if off right away and fight over who’s is better, or more ‘real’ I guess. At the end the girls become best friends, and it is just so sweet to see them hug! Willems is such a great author and is actually a several time Emmy winner for his Sesame Street writings, and he is also a Caldecott Honor Winner for a couple of his books. I recommend this book for children aged 3-6, just like the book says inside the front cover. I think preschool-Kindergarten is a good match for this book. I think first grade might be stretching it a bit, but then again I guess it would just depend on the interests of one’s students or children.

Craft Lesson…
I would schedule a show and tell day before I actually showed this book to the class, and I would make sure they knew to bring in something they cannot sleep without. After reading the book, I would let each child take turns sharing their type of “knuffle bunny” to the class. From watching my preschoolers I have learned that kids love to share their toys and parts of their life with other friends and especially teachers. While the kids take turns sharing, the kids will have to work on staying quiet and respecting whoever is up at the front explaining their toy. It is a great way to introduce what patience feels like to kids! Of course, I will have to explain everything very carefully before letting the children start taking turns. How you present things with young ones is half the battle, as I have learned the hard way!