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Poppy's Best Babies

Illustrated by Rosalinde Bonnet
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Hardcover
$15.99 US
8.31"W x 10.38"H x 0.45"D   | 15 oz | 32 per carton
On sale May 22, 2018 | 40 Pages | 978-1-58089-770-9
Age 5-8 years | Grades K-3
Reading Level: Lexile 530L | Fountas & Pinnell K
Poppy, the little rabbit with a big personality, has a BIG problem--new baby twins!

Poppy is thrilled when her grandmother comes to help with the new babies. But when the twins keep GeeGee too busy to play, Poppy's jealousy spirals out of control. After some thinking time, Poppy finds a way to use her talent and creativity to welcome both her grandmother and her little sisters. An honest and heartwarming look at sibling rivalry, and readers will identify with Poppy as she struggles with sibling rivalry--and cheer when her big heart helps her overcome her negative feelings.
Poppy the bunny is excited about her grandma GeeGee's visit. When she gets home from school, her hip grandma is pulling up on a motorcycle with her guitar on her back. Poppy has brand-new twin sisters, and those babies are ruining her quality time with GeeGee. Her grandma is too busy helping with the twins to make puppets, or cook Root Beer Carrots. Even reading at bedtime is spoiled when GeeGee falls asleep while reading. After Poppy makes a huge mess in the kitchen, GeeGee confronts her and the bunny can stand it no longer: "Poppy stomped. Worst babies! She stomped again and threw her spoon. Worst Grandma!" GeeGee promptly sends her to her room to do some thinking. After some time (and tears), Poppy comes up with the idea for a party to welcome the twins and GeeGee, and her friends and neighbors show up for the fun. Mixed-media illustrations with a matte quality are visually engaging. Hand-lettered speech bubbles punctuate the text but do not overwhelm it. Poppy, with her long white bunny ears, will charm readers while Poppy's savvy classmate, Petunia, provides comic relief. VERDICT Children adjusting to new siblings will relate to the content, and the ending is a loving resolution to Poppy frustrations. Perfect for one-on-one and small group sharing.
School Library Journal

Poppy, a little bunny with ears so long they trail to the floor, is excited that her beloved grandmother GeeGee has come to help with her new twin sisters. But the twins occupy most of GeeGee’s time; she’s too busy to make crafts with Poppy and can’t even stay awake while reading her a bedtime story. Poppy finally reaches a breaking point. “Worst babies!” she shouts, throwing a tantrum in the kitchen, “Worst Grandma!” Bonnet’s mixed media and collage illustrations start out winsome, but Bonnet soon shows she can make Poppy’s disappointment, hurt, and righteous anger visceral and authentic. In this follow-up to Poppy’s Best Paper, Eaddy takes an unhurried approach to storytelling, giving emotional depth to a familiar tale of displacement. Readers will feel sympathy for Poppy, though the tough situation ultimately leads her to become more self-reliant and capable of putting others first.
—Publisher's Weekly
When her mother framed the rooster she drew in kindergarten, Susan Eaddy decided she wanted to be a verrrry famous artist when she grew up. She now sculpts clay into illustrations for magazines and children's books, including My Love for You Is the Sun (Little Bahalia) and Papa Fish's Lullaby (Cooper Square). Poppy's Best Paper is the first book she has written. View titles by Susan Eaddy
Rosalinde Bonnet is the illustrator of Poppy's Best Paper; The Little Red Elf; Zip! Zoom! On a Broom; Pablo in the Snow; Ella and Penguin: A Perfect Match; and Ella and Penguin Stick Together. She is also the author and illustrator of several picture books, including Daddy Honk Honk! www.rosalindebonnet.com View titles by Rosalinde Bonnet
Poppy had big news.
“I am verrryyy excited to announce that I have new twin sisters, Iris and Ivy! And guess what else? My GeeGee is here for TWO whole weeks!”
Lavender chimed in, “Poppy and her grandmother make the best crafts together.”
Petunia said, “I bet GeeGee will be so wrapped up with Iris and Ivy that she’ll ignore you.”
Poppy gave her a huffy face. “Not true! My GeeGee is coming to see ME!”

 

Poppy rushed home.
“GeeGee!” she cried.
“Hello, my PoppyCakes!”
Mama and Daddy were holding the twins.
“They’re so cute I could eat them up,” said Poppy.

About

Poppy, the little rabbit with a big personality, has a BIG problem--new baby twins!

Poppy is thrilled when her grandmother comes to help with the new babies. But when the twins keep GeeGee too busy to play, Poppy's jealousy spirals out of control. After some thinking time, Poppy finds a way to use her talent and creativity to welcome both her grandmother and her little sisters. An honest and heartwarming look at sibling rivalry, and readers will identify with Poppy as she struggles with sibling rivalry--and cheer when her big heart helps her overcome her negative feelings.

Praise

Poppy the bunny is excited about her grandma GeeGee's visit. When she gets home from school, her hip grandma is pulling up on a motorcycle with her guitar on her back. Poppy has brand-new twin sisters, and those babies are ruining her quality time with GeeGee. Her grandma is too busy helping with the twins to make puppets, or cook Root Beer Carrots. Even reading at bedtime is spoiled when GeeGee falls asleep while reading. After Poppy makes a huge mess in the kitchen, GeeGee confronts her and the bunny can stand it no longer: "Poppy stomped. Worst babies! She stomped again and threw her spoon. Worst Grandma!" GeeGee promptly sends her to her room to do some thinking. After some time (and tears), Poppy comes up with the idea for a party to welcome the twins and GeeGee, and her friends and neighbors show up for the fun. Mixed-media illustrations with a matte quality are visually engaging. Hand-lettered speech bubbles punctuate the text but do not overwhelm it. Poppy, with her long white bunny ears, will charm readers while Poppy's savvy classmate, Petunia, provides comic relief. VERDICT Children adjusting to new siblings will relate to the content, and the ending is a loving resolution to Poppy frustrations. Perfect for one-on-one and small group sharing.
School Library Journal

Poppy, a little bunny with ears so long they trail to the floor, is excited that her beloved grandmother GeeGee has come to help with her new twin sisters. But the twins occupy most of GeeGee’s time; she’s too busy to make crafts with Poppy and can’t even stay awake while reading her a bedtime story. Poppy finally reaches a breaking point. “Worst babies!” she shouts, throwing a tantrum in the kitchen, “Worst Grandma!” Bonnet’s mixed media and collage illustrations start out winsome, but Bonnet soon shows she can make Poppy’s disappointment, hurt, and righteous anger visceral and authentic. In this follow-up to Poppy’s Best Paper, Eaddy takes an unhurried approach to storytelling, giving emotional depth to a familiar tale of displacement. Readers will feel sympathy for Poppy, though the tough situation ultimately leads her to become more self-reliant and capable of putting others first.
—Publisher's Weekly

Author

When her mother framed the rooster she drew in kindergarten, Susan Eaddy decided she wanted to be a verrrry famous artist when she grew up. She now sculpts clay into illustrations for magazines and children's books, including My Love for You Is the Sun (Little Bahalia) and Papa Fish's Lullaby (Cooper Square). Poppy's Best Paper is the first book she has written. View titles by Susan Eaddy
Rosalinde Bonnet is the illustrator of Poppy's Best Paper; The Little Red Elf; Zip! Zoom! On a Broom; Pablo in the Snow; Ella and Penguin: A Perfect Match; and Ella and Penguin Stick Together. She is also the author and illustrator of several picture books, including Daddy Honk Honk! www.rosalindebonnet.com View titles by Rosalinde Bonnet

Excerpt

Poppy had big news.
“I am verrryyy excited to announce that I have new twin sisters, Iris and Ivy! And guess what else? My GeeGee is here for TWO whole weeks!”
Lavender chimed in, “Poppy and her grandmother make the best crafts together.”
Petunia said, “I bet GeeGee will be so wrapped up with Iris and Ivy that she’ll ignore you.”
Poppy gave her a huffy face. “Not true! My GeeGee is coming to see ME!”

 

Poppy rushed home.
“GeeGee!” she cried.
“Hello, my PoppyCakes!”
Mama and Daddy were holding the twins.
“They’re so cute I could eat them up,” said Poppy.