review: Muncha Muncha Muncha
I hear from Kids Lit that there is a sequel to MMM, which I haven't been lucky enough to read yet, but you can see why I want to...
Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Candace Fleming. Illustrated by G.
Brian Karas. Atheneum, 2002 (0-689-83152-8) $16.00
Reminiscent of The Tale of Peter Rabbit--if it had been written from McGregor's point of view--this tale of Man vs. Bunny is equally delightful in its own right. Mr. McGreely has dreamed for years of planting a garden, and finally one Spring he hoes and sows and watches his garden grow. But his dreams of crisp, fresh veggies are ruined by three hungry bunnies. As Mr. McGreely gets angrier and angrier at the devastation of his garden, he builds more and bigger structures around it--but the bunnies always find a way through. Until one day he builds such a huge, enormous thing around his garden, the bunnies can't possibly get in. Or can they?
Fleming uses a combination of repetitive and cumulative prose that makes the story simply sing when read aloud, and Karas' lively illustrations give it great expression and charm--especially the last page, which shows Mr. McGreely sitting on the grass and moodily gnawing a carrot along with the three happy gnawing bunnies. Adults who choose to can find lots of lessons here about the futility of escalation, the benefits of sharing, and the drawbacks of trying to overcontrol nature... or they can simply share a terrific story. * (2-8)
Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Candace Fleming. Illustrated by G.
Brian Karas. Atheneum, 2002 (0-689-83152-8) $16.00
Reminiscent of The Tale of Peter Rabbit--if it had been written from McGregor's point of view--this tale of Man vs. Bunny is equally delightful in its own right. Mr. McGreely has dreamed for years of planting a garden, and finally one Spring he hoes and sows and watches his garden grow. But his dreams of crisp, fresh veggies are ruined by three hungry bunnies. As Mr. McGreely gets angrier and angrier at the devastation of his garden, he builds more and bigger structures around it--but the bunnies always find a way through. Until one day he builds such a huge, enormous thing around his garden, the bunnies can't possibly get in. Or can they?
Fleming uses a combination of repetitive and cumulative prose that makes the story simply sing when read aloud, and Karas' lively illustrations give it great expression and charm--especially the last page, which shows Mr. McGreely sitting on the grass and moodily gnawing a carrot along with the three happy gnawing bunnies. Adults who choose to can find lots of lessons here about the futility of escalation, the benefits of sharing, and the drawbacks of trying to overcontrol nature... or they can simply share a terrific story. * (2-8)
Labels: gardening, picture-books, reviews
posted by web at 11:40 AM
4Bligs:
WEB,
I love this book. It was a favorite read-aloud when I was a school librarian. I haven't seen the sequel either.
Love this book. You're determined to make Spring come by your book reviews aren't you?
I live in California - it's been Spring for months here! ;-)
Go ahead...rub it in. We're due for a Nor'easter tomorrow. I hope we only get rain here in Massachusetts.
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