Listen Buddy Grade 1, Level Library: Harcourt School Publishers Collections

A hilarious romp about a bunny who just can't seem to listen. He is constantly confusing instructions. For example, when his parents ask for a slice of bread, he saws off a piece of his bed. But everything changes when he takes a wrong turn and meets up with Scruffy Varmint. Listening to your parents and the people around you can keep you out of trouble. That is the lesson that children can learn after reading this story. This tale of young Buddy took on a humorous approach to a topic that parents know all too well, children not listening. The language itself was very funny. When Buddy got "fifty potatoes" instead of the "fifteen tomatoes" his parents asked for, I laughed, like the author intended for the audience to do. The writing was very clear and easy to follow with clear rising action, climax, and falling action. The book really pushes the reader to think about bigger issues. Children who read this might think about the negative consequences of not listening to their parents, and how much trouble they could get themselves in to. The illustrations were a tad on the plain side, but other than that I have no complaints about this book. I really enjoyed the storyline, and the sweet lesson at the end.