Listen, Buddy

by Helen Lester, Lynn Munsinger (Illustrator)

Overview

"…this sprightly paced tale amiably nudges kids whose direction-following skills need some honing." —Publishers Weekly

"Buddy’s father had a beautiful big nose. He was a great sniffer. Buddy’s mother had beautiful big teeth. She was a great chomper. Buddy had beautiful big ears. It didn’t matter." When someone says squash, Buddy hears wash. Tomatoes, you say? He buys potatoes. One day—because he didn’t listen—Buddy accidentally ends up at Scruffy Varmint’s scary cave. Unfortunately, he doesn’t listen to Scruffy, either…and almost ends up as bunny stew! This delightful cautionary tale is now part of a fun, 8" x 8" hardcover series about life lessons.

Includes downloadable audio!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780544003224
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	07/09/2013
Series:	Laugh-Along Lessons Series
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	339,931
Product dimensions:	8.20(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.34(d)
Lexile:	520L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Helen Lester has written many hilarious and popular picture books, including the Tacky the Penguin series and Hooway for Wodney Wat. She lives in New York. www.helenlester.com

Lynn Munsinger has illustrated more than ninety books for children, many written by her frequent collaborator, Helen Lester. She lives in Vermont.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Kids will enjoy the slapstick and the word jokes. Munsinger's joyful watercolors extend the farce of the disaster scenarios."—Booklist, ALA      

Editorial Reviews

"Kids will enjoy the slapstick and the word jokes. Munsinger's joyful watercolors extend the farce of the disaster scenarios." Booklist, ALA —

From the Publisher

His ears are enormous, but listening is not the forte of a bunny named Buddy. And his misinterpretations of his parents's requests make for the sort of silly confusion that youngsters love: when his father asks for a pen, Buddy drags in a disgruntled hen; instead of the slice of bread his mother wants, Buddy turns up with the sawed-off headboard from a bed. Taking his first solo "long hop," Buddy forgets whether he is supposed to take a left or a right when the road forks. He selects the wrong route, of course, and ends up at the cave of the Scruffy Varmint, where he unleashes merry mayhem in trying to help that cranky creature cook soup. After the varmint decides that he'd rather eat stew made from "the Bunnyrabbit who never listens," Buddy hears him loud and clear. If lacking the all-out pizazz of Lester and Munsinger's Tacky the Penguin, this sprightly paced tale amiably nudges kids whose direction-following skills need some honing. Munsinger's watercolors-and Buddy's comical expressions in particular-are characteristically entertaining. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

PreS-K-There is a lovely, subtle message here for young children. Buddy is a rabbit whose father has a big nose-he is a great sniffer; whose mother has beautiful teeth-she is a great chomper. Buddy has beautiful, big lop-ears, but he mishears everything his parents say to him, including their directions for his first long hop-solo. Instead of the path to the left and the pond, he takes the path to the right straight to the cave of Scruffy Varmint. In a chuckle-inducing episode, Scruffy directs Buddy to gather ingredients to make soup and the young rabbit's faulty hearing serves him well, although he barely escapes becoming the main ingredient himself. Safely home, Buddy's listening skills are greatly improved. Expressive drawings convey the perplexity of parents weary of reminding a child to listen and extend the text with humorous asides. Sure to bring laughs at story time.-Virginia Opocensky, formerly at Lincoln City Libraries, NE

School Library Journal

Buddy is a daydreaming rabbit who never listens. When his mother asks for a basket of squash, he comes with a basket of wash. When his father asks for a pen, Buddy brings him a hen. One day Buddy meets the Scruffy Varmint monster, who nearly makes him into rabbit soup, but Buddy tricks and blunders his way out of trouble and wakes up to the world around him. Kids will enjoy the slapstick and the word jokes. Munsinger's joyful watercolors extend the farce of the disaster scenarios: in one wonderful scene we see that Buddy has sawed off a piece of bed when he's asked for a slice of bread. Use this with French's retelling of the old English folktale "Lazy Jack" , about a sleepy kid bewildered by adult instructions.

Hazel Rochman