Take-Aways for Writers from “Knuffle Bunny” by Author and Illustrator Mo Willems

Trixie takes her beloved stuffed animal Knuffle Bunny to the laundromat with her dad. Later, she realizes that Knuffle Bunny has been left behind and struggles to communicate the problem to her dad. 

Mo Willems is celebrated for his engaging, humorous stories, especially his “Pigeon” series. Knuffle Bunny showcases Willems’ expressive storytelling and big-hearted sense of humor. The book manages to make both adults and kids feel seen, generating gentle laughter as we join Trixie and her dad on an adventure–full of miscommunication–to their neighborhood laundromat.  Let’s take a look at a few of the major craft elements that make Knuffle Bunny work: 

1. The art is outstanding, and enhances the text. The illustrations in Knuffle Bunny are set against a backdrop of sepia-toned photographs. This rich, multimedia approach is a powerful choice, and pairs well with the tone and themes of the story: the photographs draw adults in, the brightly-colored characters pop in contrast to the photos, their life-like expressiveness seems even more real given the real-ness of the photographic settings. In short, the art enhances the text, drawing readers in and adding emotional depths that underscore the story. 

2. There’s some tension, which makes things funny. Trixie is a pre-verbal toddler. The narrator lets readers know that Knuffle Bunny has been left behind, but Trixie can’t tell her dad the bad news herself. She tries, but all that comes out is gibberish. This tension between what the reader knows, and what the dad knows (or, rather, doesn’t know) is called dramatic irony. Willems creates a child-friendly, gentle dramatic irony in the story. The result? Sweet, witty comedy that is fun for adults and kids alike. 

3. The text is tight. Knuffle Bunny clocks in at under 200 words. The positives: A book so short is accessible for very young children. Small amounts of text leave room for the excellent art to breathe, and allow the art to do some of the heavy lifting. The hard part? Every single word does a lot of work when there are so few. This book is a masterclass is succinct writing that still feels lively because humorous, unexpected word choices are dolled out sparingly (but at the right moments). Take, for example, Trixie’s babbling, “Aggle flabble klabble!” She cries. “Wumby flappy?!” These nonsensical, yet expressive, words leap off the page in contrast to the sparse descriptive text around them. Further, the author selects words like “bawled,” and “boneless,” which pack a major punch and say a whole lot with very little. 

How can Mo Willems’ Knuffle Bunny inspire or improve your writing?

• In picture books, the art is a partner to the words, not second fiddle. Brainstorm ways that the art for your book can complement the text and delight your readers. Can you try a style that you’ve never seen before? Consider trimming some descriptive language out of your text and using the art to share that information instead. PS Knuffle Bunny was made into a musical! This short video featuring Mo Willems has some inspiring thoughts on creativity and how to reach readers in new ways. 

• One form of humor is found in the space between what the reader knows and what the characters know. In this case, the readers know what Trixie is trying to tell her dad, and can laugh and sympathize with her while he misunderstands. Are there opportunities to create tension in your book between what your reader knows/understands, and what the characters know on the page? 

• Make every word count! Choose supercharged words; can “cried” become “bawled”? Trim words that aren’t needed so that the necessary ones can shine. 
  

Knuffle Bunny, written and illustrated by Mo Willems, was published by Hyperion in 2004.