Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale is a children'spicture book by Mo Willems. Released by Hyperion Books in 2004, Knuffle Bunny won the 2005 Caldecott Honor. The story spawned an animated short and a musical, as well as two sequels. Altogether, the Knuffle Bunny Series has sold more than 750,000 copies. The series' protagonist, Trixie, is named after Willems' real-life child.
Plot
Trixie steps lively as she goes with her father down the block, through the park, past the school, and to the laundromat. For the toddler, loading and putting money into the machine invokes wide-eyed pleasure. But on the return home, she realizes that her stuffed rabbit has been left behind. Because she cannot talk, Trixie cannot explain to her daddy why she is upset. Despite his plea of, "Please don't get fussy," she gives it her all, bawling and going "boneless." They both arrive home unhappy. Mom immediately sees that Knuffle Bunny is missing. The three run back to the laundromat and after several tries, Trixie's dad finds the toy among the wet laundry and reclaims hero status. The toddler exuberantly exclaims, "Knuffle Bunny!!!" — her first words.
Reception
Kirkus Reviews wrote, "The natural audience for this offering is a little older than its main character: they will easily identify with Trixie’s grief and at the same time feel superior to her hapless parent—and rejoice wholeheartedly at the happy reunion." Publishers Weekly asserted that Willems "creates an entertaining story for parents and children alike." and "once again demonstrates his keen insight with a story both witty and wise." Common Sense Media described it "a charming book for all ages" and Inis magazine of Children's Books Ireland wrote "Mo Willems’s book has a unique style that draws you in."
In other media
The story's audio version, narrated by Mo, Cher, and Trixie Willems, won the 2007 Audie Award for Children's Titles for Ages up to 8. It also spawned an animated short, which won the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Children's Video in 2007. The book was also adapted into a musical, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical, by Willems, Michael Silversher, and Deborah Wicks La Puma. It toured with the Kennedy Center to cities all across the United States. A Knuffle Bunny stuffed toy was released by the Yottoy Productions Inc. In 2019, the Park Slope branch of the Brooklyn Public Library unveiled a statue of Knuffle Bunny. Park Slope was chosen because it is the setting of the books and was the home of the author at the time of their writing.
Sequels
In August 2007, a sequel, ' was published. The sequel picks up the original book's main character, Trixie, three years later. In September 2010, ' was released, completing the trilogy. The final installment features an epilogue in which Willems sends a poignant message to his real daughter Trixie, wishing her well in her future as an adult.
