Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion

by Mo Willems, Mo Willems (Illustrator)

Overview

Trixie and her family are off on a fantastic trip to visit her grandparents—all the way to Holland! But does Knuffle Bunny have different travel plans?

An emotional tour de force, Knuffle Bunny Free concludes one of the most beloved picture-book series in recent memory, with pitch-perfect text and art, photos from around the world, and a stunning foldout spread, culminating in a hilarious and moving surprise that no child or parent will be able to resist.

Bestselling, award-winning author Mo Willems has created an epic love story as only he can, filled with the joys and sadness of growing up—and the unconditional love that binds a father, mother, daughter, and a stuffed bunny.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780061929571
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/28/2010
Series:	Knuffle Bunny Series
Pages:	52
Sales rank:	34,828
Product dimensions:	12.10(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD530L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Mo Willems is all about letting imaginations run wild. He is the beloved artist and author behind #1 NYT bestselling and Caldecott Honors–awarded picture books like Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! and the Knuffle Bunny series as well as his celebrated Elephant & Piggie early reader series. In addition to his Caldecott Honors, he garnered six Emmy Awards for his writing on Sesame Street, where he began his remarkable career. In 2023, Mo cofounded the Hidden Pigeon Company to extend the reach of his beloved characters and stories across multiple platforms. Mo Willems is a former child.

Mo Willems is all about letting imaginations run wild. He is the beloved artist and author behind #1 NYT bestselling and Caldecott Honors–awarded picture books like Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! and the Knuffle Bunny series as well as his celebrated Elephant & Piggie early reader series. In addition to his Caldecott Honors, he garnered six Emmy Awards for his writing on Sesame Street, where he began his remarkable career. In 2023, Mo cofounded the Hidden Pigeon Company to extend the reach of his beloved characters and stories across multiple platforms. Mo Willems is a former child.

Editorial Reviews

In this poignant vacation-themed conclusion to Willems's Knuffle Bunny series, Trixie accidentally forgets her beloved stuffed toy on an international flight, as she travels from Brooklyn to Holland with her parents to visit her Dutch grandparents. Willems emphasizes the way Trixie handles the crisis with all the maturity she can muster: "Trixie tried to enjoy going to the café and the swings in the playground," but "he missed her Knuffle Bunny." Her knowing grandparents note "how big she was getting. Trixie understood. She was getting bigger. Even if she wished she wasn't." Willems's color caricatures, superimposed on grayscale photos, track Trixie's shifting moods and resolve, and a gatefold pictures Trixie's cathartic dream of the rabbit meeting other children worldwide. In the previous books, the prodigal Knuffle Bunny always returns, and Trixie always needs him. Here, a growing Trixie proves capable of letting go and, when the rabbit reappears, she chooses the terms of their good-bye. Willems's affectionate saga comes to a reassuring end, letting readers know they can release the treasured objects of childhood without losing their identities or their families' love. Ages 3–7. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

This denouement is enough to give you goose bumps, and young readers may be wiping the tears from their parents’ cheeks. Good night, Knuffle Bunny.

Booklist (starred review)

"This denouement is enough to give you goose bumps, and young readers may be wiping the tears from their parents’ cheeks. Good night, Knuffle Bunny."

Booklist

PreS-K—Knuffle Bunny goes international when Trixie and her family fly to Holland to see Oma and Opa. Trixie, excited and slightly sleepy, leaves her toy rabbit behind and doesn't miss him until the plane is on the way to China. Although the grown-ups encourage her to be brave because she's "getting bigger," Trixie remains in a funk until she dreams about her special toy and all the children he encounters on his travels. Soon the visit ends, and Trixie is back on the plane where Knuffle Bunny is waiting in the seat pocket. Just when the story might end, Trixie shows just how brave (and grown up) she is. She gives him to a crying baby and becomes Knuffle Bunny free. At the end, Daddy includes a note to his daughter with the hope that the toy might return years later when she has her own child. Willems once again conveys a range of emotions through limited text and outstanding illustrations. His sensitivity to children's needs allows the humor to come through without devaluing the feelings. The familiar style of photographs with original drawings takes readers along on the journey from New York to Holland, but also from babyhood to childhood. Friends and fans of Knuffle Bunny will readily notice the passage of time since the lovable bunny made his first appearance. Mommy and Daddy have new hairdos, and Trixie is a big girl now. This one is a must-have.—Carolyn Janssen, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County

School Library Journal

Having survived a trip through the dryer and a horrific case of mistaken identity, Knuffle Bunny and Trixie are headed for Holland to visit Trixie's Oma and Opa. This means a whole lot of waiting before "(finally) getting onto a real airplane!" It will surprise none of their fans that, once at Oma and Opa's, "Trixie realize[s] something!" Alas, retrieving a forgotten bunny from a China-bound airliner proves impossible, even for daddy. Willems uses his arresting technique of digitally placing full-color cartoons in black-and-white photographs against muted negative space, and his pacing is as pitch-perfect as ever. But this is a tale of a girl who's growing up, and, just as Trixie's lip doesn't quiver quite so much, the emotional arc here is flattened. "She was getting bigger. / Even if she wished she wasn't." This feels more like a book for parents than children, a feeling underscored by the coda, an illustrated note to Trixie from her daddy that imagines her growing up and starting a family of her own. It's a whole lot more palatable than Love You Forever, but still—maybe it would have been better for the fictional Trixie not to grow up. (Picture book. Adult)

Kirkus Reviews

This denouement is enough to give you goose bumps, and young readers may be wiping the tears from their parents’ cheeks. Good night, Knuffle Bunny.” — Booklist (starred review)

From the Publisher