Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems

Knuffle Bunny
Mo Willems
Willems, Mo. 2004. Knuffle Bunny. New York: Hyperion Books. ISBN: 0786818700.

For any person who has ever loved and lost a best friend this book will tug at the heartstrings. Perfect for children and adults alike this picture book tells the story of Trixie and her stuffed animal Knuffle Bunny. On a trip to the Laundromat with her father, Trixie loses Knuffle Bunny. Trixie is unable to communicate her frustration at losing Knuffle Bunny, which leads Trixie’s father to misunderstand her outburst. When Trixie’s mother and father realize the loss, the race is on to get back to the Laundromat to reunite the two. A happy ending and Trixie speaking her first words, “Knuffle Bunny” create a perfect ending filled with love and family unity.

The theme of this picture book centers around security. Often children (and sometimes adults) will have an emotional attachment to a stuffed animal or toy that gives them a sense of security. Losing that security can be traumatic made even more so if you cannot communicate your distress. In Trixie’s case she was too young to have established a vocabulary to coherently make her needs clear. It is only with the mother’s help that the loss of Knuffle Bunny is rectified. Children will be able to sense the urgency by the different styles and fonts of type in the picture book. Using different types of fonts will also assist if read out loud, where the reader will sense the change in tone and (hopefully) inflect appropriately.

The illustrations are also a very heavy indicator where the action is centered in this book. Using two types of artistic mediums to illustrate this book leads to the characters being the focus of the novel. Photographs done in sepia with large color pictures drawn into them draw the reader’s eyes to the characters and focus on them as the center of the book. This type of illustration is great for children as it is not too busy and the action is noticeable. It is good that one does not have to hunt for what they are being shown, it is obvious and the facial expressions of the characters tell the whole story.

Overall, this “cautionary tale” by Caldecott Honoree Mo Willems touches on very real experiences that a child can relate to and understand. As the old saying goes, it is better to have loved and lost, then never to have loved at all.

These reviews from Book Index with Reviews speak to the powerful narrative and creativity that Willems puts into his work:

•Publishers Weekly, 08/16/2004
“Any child who has ever had a favorite toy will identify with the toddler star of this tale. The plot is simple: Trixie loses bunny, finds bunny and then exuberantly says her first words—"Knuffle Bunny!!!" The fun comes from the details. In an innovative style that employs dappled black-and-white photographs of Brooklyn as backdrop to wickedly funny color cartoons, Willems (Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! ) creates an entertaining story for parents and children alike.”

•Kirkus Reviews, 08/01/2004
“Willems is a master of body language; Trixie's despair and her daddy's frazzlement as expressive as her joy ("KNUFFLE BUNNY!") and his triumph at the excavation of the errant bunny from the washing machine. The natural audience for this offering is a little older than its main character: they will easily identify with Trixie's grief and at the same time feel superior to her hapless parent—and rejoice wholeheartedly at the happy reunion.”

Personally, I think this book is a great example of a fun bed time story. It has all the literary requirements for a good book: action, emotion, resolution, and a happy ending. What more could one ask for before bed every night.