Lily (age 8): "Ribbit Rabbit."
Isaac (age 12): By Candace Ryan. Illustrated by Mike Lowery.
Gracie (age 10): I love the way he did those pictures.
Lily: They kind of look like kid drawings.
Gracie: They do.
Lily: But they look like awesome kid drawings.
Gracie: It's not just a scribble.
Isaac: I've tried drawing like that before. It's not as easy as it looks.
Lily: The characters are cuties.
Gracie: They are SO cute!
Isaac: It's about this frog and this rabbit.
Gracie: And Pillowcase Man. He's awesome. I love that Pillowcase Man. It only shows him in two pictures. But he's awesome. The frog and the rabbit were making monsters while they played. Pillowcase Man is just a blue pillow that they scribbled eyes, a mouth, and teeth on. But he's awesome.
Dad: So... Frog or Bunny? Did you have a favorite? Ribbit or Rabbit?
Gracie: Rabbit.
Lily: Ribbit.
Isaac: Ribbit. Rabbit!
Gracie: Rabbit.
Lily: Ribbit. Ribbit.
Gracie: RABBIT!
Isaac: RIBBIT! RABBIT! RIBBIT!
Lily: RIBBIT!
Dad: Alright, alright... Zip it!
Gracie: Zap it!
Lily: Zip it! Zap it!
Isaac: ZAP IT!
Dad: Shhhh.... This is going to be the dumbest review ever...
Gracie: Ha hah haa...
Dad: But is it fun to talk like that?
Kids: YEAH!
Dad: So, can you tell what is going on with the word choices in this book? "Ribbit" and "Rabbit." What is different between those two words?
Gracie: One vowel sound.
Dad: How about "Trip it" and "Trap it"?
Gracie: The vowel. The author changes one vowel sound in the words.
Dad: Can you make your own?
Gracie: Wop it. Wap it.
Isaac: Wap it. Whoop it.
Gracie: Coop it. Keep it. Slip it. Slap it. Lily. Lolly. Shilly. Sholly. Gilly. Golly.
Dad: Gracie's on a roll. Can we do the whole review like this?
Gracie: Sure.
Dad: (pointing at the book) Lookit.
Gracie: (pointing at herself) Like it!
Dad: How about this one... (pointing at Candace Ryan's name) Wrote it.
Gracie: (pointing at herself again) Read it.
Dad: How did you like the book, Lily?
Lily: Loved it. Laughed it.
Dad: Good one! So the word play in the book is fun. The pictures are fun.
Gracie: They are so cute!
Dad: Is there a storyline to the book?
Isaac: The frog and the rabbit are best friends and they do all kinds of stuff together.
Gracie: They should have another adventure with Pillowcase Man.
Isaac: Then this robot they are playing with accidentally breaks. And the frog and the rabbit each grab one part.
Gracie: They are being selfish. Dad... you picked this book out for us on purpose.
Dad: Ha ha! I didn't even notice that plot when I picked it! I was attracted to the art and the wordplay. Honestly, I looked at this book three or four times before I even realized there was a lesson inside. What is the lesson?
Gracie: Share.
Isaac: Don't be selfish.
Gracie: I still think you picked this book out on purpose. Now Dad's going to make us be good.
Dad: Encouragement can never hurt.
Gracie: We try to be good. Trust me. I try and try and try, and it never works.
Dad: Hang in there.
Gracie: I took a personality quiz, and these were the exact words. It said, "You should be a little more patient. You usually think about yourself, and you like to be the center of attention most of the time."
Dad: Ha ha... Hmmmm, that doesn't sound like you at all.
Gracie: Yeah it does!
Dad: But what did Frog and Bunny learn?
Gracie: Things work better when you work together.
Dad: Just like the author and illustrator had to work together to make this book.
Isaac: Candace Ryan, are you the bunny or the frog?
kick it, crack it - by Isaac
rock it, racket - by Gracie
wake it, whack it - by LilyAuthor: Candace Ryan
Illustrator: Mike Lowery
Published, 2011: Walker
Like it? Here it is
Thanks for my starting my Monday with a smile. My oldest (when he was 2) used to tell me that bunnies said, "rabbit, rabbit". So, this title intrigued me.
ReplyDeleteAwesome review as always!
ReplyDeleteI love that Gracie accused you of manipulating them via the plot.
And I always love the pictures best. Keep drawing, kids.
I love your reviews, they always make me smile. Your kids are awesome. Oh and the book sounds cute too!
ReplyDeleteWe had this book from our library a few weeks back, and my kids enjoyed playing with the word sounds, too!
ReplyDeleteAs always, I'm amazed at your children's artistic renderings!!
-Dawn, 5 Minutes for Books
I really like this book, especially the art! But one thing I discovered today that I like even more is this blog. Every writer has a reader that's the reader they write for--you four might not know this yet, but I am that reader for you. (I mean that in a wholly friendly and not at all spooky way.) I love kids talking about books. And I love kid-art. Thank you for putting it all in one happy place for me!
ReplyDeleteAll your reviews make for great reading. In this one, I must say I especially loved when Gracie says: It's not just a scribble.
ReplyDeleteand Isaac replies: I've tried drawing like that before. It's not as easy as it looks.