Picture Book #17

Title:  So Happy!

Author:  Kevin Henkes

Illustrator: Anita Lobel

Genre:  Children's Fiction 

Subgenre:  Early Reader Fantasy Fiction

Themes:  mother and son relationship, rabbits, plants, mother nature

Primary and Secondary Characters: a rabbit, a magic seed, a little boy and his mother, 

Awards:  None

Date of Publication:  2005

Publishing Company:  Greenwillow Books

Summary:

As a magical seed was planted, it was not able to grow due to no rain.  Meanwhile, a rabbit ventured off and got lost.  All the while, there was a little boy who was extremely bored and didn't know what to do.  So all at the same time, the seed could not grow, the rabbit was lost, and the boy was bored.  But, the rain soon came and the boy got excited that it was raining and now the seed could grow.  After the rain, the creek has expanded and the seed continued to grow.  The boy had an idea to build a bridge over the creek.  The rabbit was still scared as he was on the wrong side of the creek.  As the boy began to build his bridge, the seed continued growing and the rabbit continued to be scared.  Within a next few days, the seed became a bud and started to emerge from mother Earth.  The seed had grown into a beautiful flower and the boy had finished his bridge.  The rabbit then darted across the bridge into his thicket and reunited with his family.  When the sun set, the flower was gone and the rabbit was sound asleep.  What had happened to the flower?  The boy had taken it home to his mother, whom he made "so happy!"

How it will be used in the classroom:
I would like to use this book as showing diversity.  This has a setting that could show how Indian Americans lived.  I think it would be relatable to children since the story involves a little boy.  I also like the nature within this book and I think it would be a great way of showing how plants grow in stages.