Listen, Buddy (Read-aloud)

September 4, 1995
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.

January 1, 2014
Despite extra-long ears, rabbit Buddy garbles his parents' requests: his father asks for a pen, Buddy brings him a hen, etc. After straying into the den of a hungry bear, Buddy finally learns the value of paying attention. Munsinger's watercolor and ink illustrations are full of amusing details, but the story misses its mark by not making clear that Buddy has a listening, not a hearing, problem. A free audio version is available on the publisher's website.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)