Before the snow disappears for good, take the time to enjoy bunny slopes, an interactive skiing book by Claudia Rueda. Even if you can’t ski, you’ll have lots of fun following little bunny on his trip down the slopes!
bunny slopes opens with an invitation from little bunny to join him for a “ski day.” Unfortunately, there is no snow. Little bunny is standing on his skis on bare ground.
That’s where the reader comes in. Little bunny looks out at the reader and says:
Maybe we can make some!
Could you please
shake
the book?
When we read this page, my little one hesitated, then shook the book only a tiny bit.
Ms. Rueda may have anticipated such a tentative response: The illustration on the next page shows that it has started snowing a little, but there’s definitely not enough snow to ski. So little bunny asks the reader to shake the book “much harder.” After that second shake of the book, there is definitely enough snow for skiing!
As the book progresses, the reader is asked to “tap tap tap” the book, to tilt the book, to turn it, and to read part upside down. By the middle of the book, we were giggling as my daughter enthusiastically followed little bunny’s directions. And we “drank” the treat at the end of the book, since we definitely earned it!
I think we read bunny slopes three or four times in a row before we were ready to move on to another book. It is very engaging, and draws young readers in quickly.
bunny slopes is an excellent example of how a picture book can be very successful even while the text remains very simple. The sentences throughout the book are short, and there are not many sentences on each page. A beginning reader could tackle this on his or her own and feel satisfied at having followed each of little bunny’s clear directions.
Claudia Rueda is the author of a number of picture books, including her Cat series (Here Comes The Easter Cat, Here Comes Santa Cat, Here Comes The Tooth Fairy Cat, and Here Comes Valentine Cat). She has a blog at www.claudiarueda.com.
Have you read any great books lately?
Matylda, Bright & Tender is the story of two best friends, Sussy and Guy, who have been together since they built the never-ending potato in the Mr. Potato Head corner in kindergarten. They walk to and from school together, they play together—although not all the time—and spend time at each other’s homes after school.
The Superfairies live in the Cherry Blossom Tree. The Superfairy team is made up of Rose, Berry, Star, and Silk.
Elizabeti lives in a village in Tanzania. In Elizabeti’s Doll, Elizabeti decides after watching her Mama take care of a new baby that she wants to take care of a new baby too.
We see Elizabeti again in Elizabeti’s School. Elizabeti is going to school for the first time, so she puts on her new school uniform and shiny new shoes. “No more bare feet! Elizabeti smiled. School must surely be a very special place.”
Elizabeti hugs her rock doll Eva, her baby sister, and lets her little brother Obedi give her “a sloppy kiss.”
In Aberdeen by Stacey Previn, a little mouse sees a red balloon floating by. The balloon is “taunting Aberdeen as he [tries] to catch it,” and he chases it until he successfully grabs hold of it in the neighbor’s garden.
Haleigh Adams is mourning the end of her summer vacation on the last day of summer. She and her family have been staying by the beach all summer. She has developed a close friendship with neighbor Kevin Damico, but fears that the friendship will end when they return to their respective homes.
Reading the following passage, my mind flashed to some old trade magazines that I’ve been holding onto because “surely someday I’ll read them.” I had to stop myself from putting down the book and going right away to clean out all those years of saved magazines.
2 Cooks Crafting Books 