Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present

by Charlotte Zolotow and Maurice Sendak

For ages 2-6 years

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Let's be blunt, for a moment. The whole topic of birthdays tends to bring out the verging on megalomaniacal self-centeredness of many of our beloved preschoolers. This can be a tiny problem when it's time to go to someone else's birthday party. And, let's face it, most birthday parties are someone else's. You know the scene we're picturing: your darling, all dressed up, hair combed, and on best behavior hands her friend a nicely wrapped present and promptly bursts into tears saying, "I want a present!" Even when that someone else happens to be Mommy herself, jealousies can erupt, as in, "I want to blow out the candles!" (And of course we let her.) So it's nice to find a book for little ones about birthdays that is focused on giving, rather than receiving. The little girl of this story is looking for a birthday present for her mother. Along comes Mr. Rabbit, and the two engage in a gentle Socratic dialogue about what kind of present her mother would like. Their answer teaches about colors and birds and friendship, and is as beautiful as Maurice Sendak's watercolors. A lovely present, indeed.

$16.95
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Review provided by The Savvy Source.