Growth is a journey of constant farewell—picture book recommendation "Goodbye, Gunash Rabbit"

Picture book reading age: 3-6 years old

The picture book recommended in this issue is "Goodbye," the final chapter of the Gunash Rabbit trilogy by American Mo Williams. Gunash Bunny". Similarly, this work still continues the form of combining real-life photos and hand-drawn illustrations. The story scenes are richer and run through the United States, the Netherlands and China. Although it did not win the Caldecott Medal like the previous two books, I personally think, This is still a very good work and highly recommended.

Let’s open the book and read together!

The title page of this picture book still uses several photos to record the important events of the protagonist Tracy’s family: Mom and dad got married, they had the baby Tracy, they took Tracy out for the first time, and what Tracy said In one sentence (see "Gunash Bunny"), Trish's first friend (see "Gunash Bunny Again"). Similarly, the author still placed a large photo at the back, showing Trish holding a Gunash bunny and looking at something with a smile. What is the story behind this photo? From here we can naturally cut into the story scene.

It is recommended that every family prepare such a photo wall or photo album. As time goes by and the photos gradually become more abundant, we will find that the days pass by calmly, but the memories gradually fade away. It enriches our hearts.

One day not long ago, Tracy went on a long trip with her parents. They were going to Holland to visit Tracey's grandparents. The Netherlands is far away.

I wonder if any of you moms have a globe at home? If not, you can really join in. Children are very curious and have no resistance to delicate, colorful and spinning globes. When it comes to concepts about space, it's easier for young children to understand if there's a physical object. For example, when telling this picture book, we can find the United States and the Netherlands on the globe, and then tell the children that these two places are far away and can only be reached by plane, allowing them to see and feel them themselves. , the effect is better.

That means taking a taxi to the airport, waiting in line, watching the Gunash bunny go through the big machine, waiting some more, and then (finally) getting on a really big plane! On the plane, Tracy was playing and reading, and before she knew it, the plane landed. Trish left the airport with her parents and took the train to... her grandparents' house.

The description of this journey is really great, the language is simple but precise, and it gives us a model for simulation. In the future, when we take our children out for long-distance trips abroad or to nearby parks, we can use this language to tell our children the route of action, what kind of transportation they will take, and what they will experience before going out, and we will review it after the trip is over. Unknowingly, children will naturally master this kind of logical thinking in chronological narrative, which is extremely beneficial to the development of their language ability.

Grandpa and grandma are so happy to see Tracy! Soon, Grandma and Trish were sitting in the garden drinking iced chocolate milk. Suddenly, Trish remembered something! At this moment, Trish hasn't told her father that the Gunash bunny is missing. She really shouldn't have told her father. Trish's dad called the airline and asked them to come to the plane to find Gunash Bunny. But the plane had already left for China. China is far, far away...

It’s time to use the globe again and tell the children where our country, China, is.

Mom hugged Tracy and asked her to face it bravely. Dad told Trish a little story about how when he was a little boy, he said goodbye to his "little sheep". Grandma poured Trish another glass of chocolate milk and praised her for growing into a big kid. Trish gets it, she's grown up. Even though she wished she hadn't grown up.

The growth of a child always catches people off guard. Tracy is no longer the baby who cried when she lost the Gunash bunny, nor is she the one who found out she had picked up the wrong bunny at 2:30 in the morning. The willful little girl who needs to be replaced immediately (please see the first two Gunash Rabbits for the story), she can already listen to reason and is sensible. However, seeing her sad expression sitting alone in the bathtub, will readers feel a little distressed?

The next morning, Trish tried to have fun. She went to a sidewalk cafe, went to the playground to swing, and went to the carnival in the city. There were many fun things to do throughout the next week, such as eating French fries on the street, visiting a real windmill, and feeding ducklings... But Tracy was still unhappy. She misses her Gunash bunny. Grandparents understand. Grandparents have a plan. That night, they brought a surprise gift to Tracy: a brand new and top-notch-the super invincible cute and funny rabbit in the universe! It can walk! It can talk! It can dance! But it doesn't make Trish happy.

The Gunash bunny is not around, and she has to sleep in a strange bed - Tracey feels that she will not be able to sleep here for one more night! But unknowingly, she fell into sleep... She dreamed about Gunash Rabbit and the places he traveled to. She dreamed about the children Gunash Rabbit met. She dreamed that the Gunash bunny brought them comfort and joy.

The next morning, Trish felt better. Tracey had a wonderful breakfast.

She and her grandma were playing on the swings at the playground. She even took a sip of her grandpa’s coffee at a roadside cafe! I had a very happy day.

Although Tracy didn’t cry or make trouble on the surface, she still missed Gunash Bunny very much. The child’s emotions were all reflected on her face, until she had a dream. The author used a four-dimensional The large pull-out page shows the dream to the reader, and the visual effect is very good. This dream was also an opportunity for Tracy to grow up. She realized the beauty of giving roses to others and left a lingering fragrance in their hands. Because Gunash Bunny brought comfort and happiness to other children, she also felt comfort and satisfaction. Therefore, She is happy again, which is the sign of growing up.

Before you know it, the vacation is over and it’s time to go home. Tracy hugged her grandparents and didn't let go. Tracy and her parents took the train to the airport and then got on the return plane. As the plane took off, they heard a baby crying. But do you believe it? Right there, on the same plane, Trish found something... "Gunash Bunny!!! Gunash Bunny!!!" Trish was so happy that she could hold Gunash Bunny again. In my arms.

The happy Trish made a decision... She turned around and said: "Does your little baby want my Gunash bunny?" "Really?" The baby's mother ask. "Really?" Trish's dad asked. "Really?" Trish's mother asked. "Pula machine?" the little baby asked.

"Really!" Tracy said. She has really grown up. The baby is very happy. The baby's mother is grateful. Trish's parents are very proud. Other passengers on the plane also breathed a sigh of relief.

Just like that, a few weeks later, Tracy received her first letter. From a mom of little babies.

The story takes a turn, the Gunash bunny is lost and found, but Tracy makes an unexpected decision and gives the beloved bunny to a baby, and the body odor in the dream becomes a reality. Feeling that Tracy, who has truly grown up at this time, is shining brightly.

To Tracey: Tracey, I hope to watch you grow up, find the person you love, start a small family, and be happy. I also hope that one day, many years from now, you will receive a package... from your old pen pal. Love you, dad.

I don’t know how many people, like me, shed tears of joy after seeing this warm ending.

Growth is a journey of constant farewell. From the crotch to the old age, from babbling to the frost on the temples, a person's life is a process of constant loss and falling, but slowly learning to be strong, tolerant, and to say goodbye. From weaning, saying goodbye to toys, to Farewell to relatives to study abroad, parting between life and death... cruel and helpless.

I always thought that the author would write more stories about Tracy, but I didn’t expect that the ending would come so soon, which was so unexpected. In fact, if you think about it carefully, children may grow up just like Tracy, growing up overnight, which is so fast that it makes people feel trance-like. Just like this moment, when I look at the almost four-year-old baby next to me, I can no longer remember what he looked like when he was just born.

Raising children is also a process of gradually letting go. We only need to accompany them to grow up slowly, patiently capture the moments when they grow up, and watch them step by step towards a distance that is beyond our reach.

As a mother, I just want to do my best to teach him to protect himself, give him enough knowledge to arm himself, and do my best throughout my life to pave a less difficult life path for him so that he can be himself. Things you like, other things, you can only let go of.

As a mother, I will live my life well, I will try my best to have a healthy body, and I will live more for myself. My child, I hope you can move forward with ease, come on!

About the author:

Mo Williams

Born in New Orleans, USA in 1968, he graduated from The Tisch School of Art at New York University the Arts). He has written scripts for many well-known children's TV programs such as "Sesame Street" and created many famous cartoon characters. He has won 6 American TV Emmy Awards. He started writing children's books in 2003 and has published more than 10 children's picture books. He has won many children's book awards including the American Caldecott Medal and the American Library Association's Book of the Year Award. Hailed as "the biggest new talent to emerge thus far in the 00's" by the New York Times.

His picture books include "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!" "(2004 Caldecott Silver Medal), "Gunash Bunny" (2005 Caldecott Silver Medal), "Gunash Bunny Is Here Again" (2008 Caldecott Silver Medal), "Little Elephant and Piggy Series" , "Leonardo the Terrible Monster", "Edwina the Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct", "Time to Pee!" "Time to Pee!"), "You Can Never Find a Rickshaw When It Monsoons", etc. Currently lives in Brooklyn, New York with his family.