Stuff

PreS-Gr 2—Young Edward, a rabbit, is a bit of a hoarder. He is obsessed with his stuff, and can't seem to stop collecting it, even when it drives away his two best friends. One day a large truck causes so much vibration that he becomes buried under an avalanche of his treasures. Although unharmed, Edward is trapped along with many of his possessions. He soon tires of them and longs for his friends. Responding to his cries for help, Anthony and Marguerite burrow through the mess and free Edward, who emerges with an epiphany: there is more to life than stuff. With the help of his friends, he gives everything away. Unencumbered, he once again has the time to play with them, which is really the "best STUFF of all." The message is a bit heavy-handed and might have done better to promote a healthy balance between material possessions and friendship. Few children would like to be put in the position of having to choose between one or the other. The bright cartoon illustrations are quite appealing, and there's a lot going on in the pages. The characters' faces are expressive and will help clue in young readers.—Debbie Lewis, Alachua County Library District, FL