Poor Nubby. The plush toy rabbit has been “carried, buried, dropped, dragged, torn, worn, chewed on, sat on, and even used as a nose wipe. Repeatedly.” What a life! No surprise Nubby decides to go off in search of a spot the place he’ll be way more appreciated than he’s at house.
First, Nubby tries making pals with the true rabbits within the yard, however they ignore him. Next, he joins a neighbor baby’s magic present within the hope of attaining stardom, however that doesn’t work out both. Finally, Nubby decides that wealth should be the reply, however he quickly discovers that there isn’t a better treasure than being really beloved.
Nubby is stuffed with hilarious illustrations and well-written prose that begs to be learn aloud. Illustrator Shanda McCloskey excels at creating feelings from easy traces and shapes. Nubby exudes dour displeasure as he’s picked and pulled at, his indignant unibrow a single thick squiggle. He can’t converse to protest his tough remedy, since his mouth is merely a skinny vertical line descending from a pink triangle nostril. Despite the numerous injustices Nubby endures, there’s additionally buoyant pleasure in McCloskey’s illustrations, from the canine who’s all too blissful to run across the neighborhood with Nubby in his mouth to the gratitude of the boy who hugs Nubby tightly upon his return and, sure, nonetheless generally makes use of our hero as a hankie.
Author Dan Richards doesn’t miss a second for humor in his writing, utilizing repetition and grandiosity to offer the story a dramatic aptitude. This method would possibly go over the heads of the youngest of readers, who may additionally be concerned by a picture of Nubby mendacity on the bottom, tattered and surrounded by white stuffing, accompanied by textual content that describes how “the pain in his chest cut deep, deeper than torn cloth and strewn stuffing.” Yet the story’s wit and dramatic pressure are certain to make it a crowd pleaser amongst a barely older and extra worldly readership.
Nubby is a worthy tribute to all of the beleaguered, beloved toys who function fixed, comforting companions by childhood.
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