I love how picture books are just as much for adults as they are for kids. Through books, we are often given the opportunity to teach our little ones a life lesson which we sometimes need to revisit as adults, too. Barnaby Never Forgets by Pierre Collet-Derby has a lesson you won’t want to pass up!
Publisher’s Summary
Meet Barnaby, an unforgettable bunny (with a few blind spots)!
Barnaby has a very good memory. He remembers to brush his teeth and feed his grasshoppers, and he always, always remembers when it’s ice-cream night. So how can someone with such a good memory forget something so important? As Barnaby soon finds out, sometimes the thing that’s slipped your mind is right under your nose (or right above it). Lovable, scatterbrained Barnaby will win the hearts of adults and kids alike in Pierre Collet-Derby’s funny and familiar tale of remembering what you’ve forgotten — and learning to laugh at yourself.
Review
I LOVED this story. Barnaby is an amazing little bunny that is so entirely relatable. I kept thinking as I read this to my daughter, “I have totally done this before.” The illustrations are bright, fun and smile-inducing! Through the pages of this book, we learn that Barnaby sometimes forgets things, but also remembers lots of important things, too. I love how he puts a positive spin on his forgetfulness and learns to laugh at himself. A great story to share with kids of all ages!
Our family’s favourite page! We reside in a small rural Ontario town and know this scene all too well!
Classroom Connections
This text would be great for primary and junior audiences. During your read aloud, the following questions could be used to support student comprehension and to get kids thinking within, beyond and about the text. The Fountas and Pinnell Prompting Guide 2 is a great tool to help develop rich questions.
Before Reading
What do you think this story will be about?
Look at the bunny’s face on the front cover. How do you think he is feeling? Why do you think that?
Why do you think the author chose to write the title in different fonts?
During Reading
Look at the illustration of Barnaby’s room. What does this make you think about Barnaby?
What things are you really good at remembering?
Do you have a connection to this story? Have you remembered where something was after you thought it was lost for good? How did you feel?
After Reading
Forgetting things can be frustrating. However, Barnaby never appears frustrated. What do you think helps Barnaby stay calm when he forgets?
With a friend, share a story of a time you forgot to do something or when you misplaced something. What happened?
Happy reading!
Heather Lipskie 