Author: Anika Denise
Illustrator: Christopher Denise
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano/Henry Holt and Co, 2019
Age: 3-7
Themes: Siblings, family life, rabbits
Opening: When you’re ihn the middle…you’re not the oldest and you’re not the youngest. You are right in between .
Summary: (from my library catalog) Illustrations and easy-to-read text celebrate the joys of being the middle child in a loving family of rabbits.
I like this book because: I’m a middlest child, and can identify with every whisker twist of this in between bunny. The illustrations themselves are lighting up all the adorable markers in my brain, but feeling noticed is what made me fall in love. I would have worn the pages onion-skin-thin had I had a book like this when I needed it.
Resources/activities: list the pros and cons of different positions in the family – maybe even include parents!; discuss within a class or larger group, reform new ‘family’ groups with oldest, middle, youngest, twin, members – we might find we are more able to listen to the woes of a friend over a sibling; talk about what positions our parents, grandparents, teachers, guardians had in their families and see if their feelings are the same today as they might have been in the past.
For more Perfect Picture Book Friday picks with teacher/parent resources, check out the list on Susanna Hill’s blog HERE.
Julie, what an adorable book. This would be fun to combine with BUB by Elizabeth Rose Stanton, another middlest child.
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Oy – I never got round to reading Bub – thanks for the reminder!
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I love Anika’s work but haven’t seen this one…yet! Thanks for sharing it.
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What adorable illustrations!!
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The whole book is huggable, Jarm!
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This one seems full of, aww moments.
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It is!
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So many middle children will identify with this story. It is so adorable and I love the soft and expressive illustrations. Remind me of books I read as a child.
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My husband is the middle child, and I’m thinking he would identify with this story. I’m the baby, so my experience is different. And our son? well, then there’s the ONLY child. Poor kid….
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