Annie and the Wild Animals

by Jan Brett, Jan Brett (Illustrator)

Overview

A lively tale sure to be loved by fans of The Mitten

Originally published in 1985, Annie and the Wild Animals is back in a large hardcover format with a striking new jacket that makes this new edition the perfect gift for young readers.

Annie's cat, Taffy, disappears and she is lonely. She looks for a friendly, furry pet near the woods, but a giant moose, a grumpy bear and others show up to eat her corn cakes until they are all gone. They leave, and to Annie's surprise, out of the woods comes Taffy with her three new kittens.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780399161049
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	10/11/2012
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.50(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Jan Brett is the beloved New York Times bestselling author/illustrator of many books for children. She lives in Norwell, Massachusetts.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"The pictures hold countless surprises. Indisputably, this is a work of wonder that deserves highest honors." Publishers Weekly

Editorial Reviews

It is truly winter outside Annie's snowbound, but snug, log house surrounded by snow-laden evergreens. Annie's cat Taffy is acting strange and, to make things worse, she suddenly disappears. The little girl's search for a new pet gives Brett the chance to introduce a cast of hungry wild creatures, as Annie bakes corn cakes and sets them out as lures by the edge of the woods. As the days go on, she meets an enormous brown moose with flaring palmate antlers, a spotted, sharp-eared wildcat, and a surly brown bear—each too wild for a pet. Annie persists with her corncakes, while a grey wolf, a black bear, and an antlered stag join the group of rowdy visitors roaring for food. Perceptive readers, keeping their eyes on Brett's signature borders, will pick up clues about what is happening. Both the large illustrations and borders hint that snow is melting and winter is fading. First, Brett illustrates winter birds (blue jays, sparrows), then new arrivals like robins, a kinglet, and a vireo. Cautious new growth produces snowdrops, skunk cabbage, pussy willows, and trilliums. Meanwhile, Taffy's story is unfolding in the top borders, finally surprising Annie and bringing excitement and satisfaction to even the youngest viewers. Brett is a master at combining text and pictured details of nature and folk-art in her many stories with diverse environments. Annie's tale, set in the north woods of New England or Canada, has been a classic since 1985. Young readers who have loved the story and those who are discovering it for the first time will be delighted with this celebratory edition and its appealing new cover—marvelous for winter reading and a perfect companion to Brett's The Mitten (Putnam, 1989) with its own wintry set of Ukrainian wild animals. Reviewer: Barbara L. Talcroft

Children's Literature - Barbara L. Talcroft

Here is a different kind of a board book. Jan Brett's original picture book has been reduced to fit the squarish, hold-in-a-toddler's-hand format. When a real story is being told—as is the case here—this reduction process makes for very small print and also minimalizes the border marginalia, a very important part of Brett's storytelling. All that being noted, her tale is still lovely and welcome in any reincarnation. Annie lives in a cabin deep in the snowy woods with her cat Tabby. When Tabby mysteriously disappears, little Annie sets corn cakes in the snow in hopes of making other animal friends. Alas, very hungry moose, bears, wildcats, and wolves really will not do as playmates. When the cornmeal is all gone, what is Annie to do? Brett's touching story and wonderfully evocative illustrations of deep winter and its animals make this a very special book for nighttime snuggling-in-bed reading.

Children's Literature - Kathleen Karr

"The pictures hold countless surprises. Indisputably, this is a work of wonder that deserves highest honors." Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher