Jellybeans [Hardcover]

Sylvia Van Ommen (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up

George, a young rabbit, gets a message from his pal Oscar, a cat. "How about going to the park to eat jellybeans?" And so the two friends meet up and have a hilarious, poignant, and surprisingly trenchant discussion about the existence of heaven, and what might or might not go on there, while munching on their favorite food, jellybeans. Funny, winsome, with a touch of Frog and Toad, this little book is an absolute delight.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3–Sitting in the park on a lovely day, George, a rabbit, and Oscar, a cat, enjoy hot chocolate and jelly beans. A blue one reminds them of the sky, which prompts a discussion of heaven. In a low-key, conversational tone very much like the musings of young children, the friends wonder, "Do you think there's a heaven up there?...Will we go there, too–both of us?" They decide that even if they don't recognize one another, they could "become friends all over again. Eat jellybeans together, stuff like that." Naive, black-line drawings on a cream-colored background, many small and framed, depict the two friends. One especially poignant illustration shows a tiny rabbit alone on the page with the words, "…what if it's really big and you never bump into anybody?" This unsentimental story may comfort children who see their own questions and concerns mirrored in the ruminations of the two protagonists. A one-on-one reading might spark further discussion.– Marianne Saccardi, Norwalk Community College, CT
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 1-3. Like Steven Salerno's Coco The Carrot on p.1461, this can be read at different levels by different ages. The small book looks deceptively easy. A rabbit and a cat are friends. Drawn simply in ink, the duo decides to meet in the woods. Rabbit will bring jelly beans; Cat, something to drink. They munch on their goodies, and then they start musing on heaven. Does it exist? Will they meet there? Will they have jelly beans? Well, they will because Rabbit will bring them. The book is very pure, very basic. Its quiet pursuit of friendship and discussion of the ultimate reunion may not knock kids' socks off, but many youngsters will think about the friends' dialogue after they close the book. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Roaring Brook Press; First Edition edition (April 14, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596430354
• ISBN-13: 978-1596430358
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 6.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,892,580 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, thoughtful, simple, August 4, 2005

By 

Anna L. Bergmann - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Jellybeans (Hardcover)

I have never done a review, but this one moved me to do so. This book has quiet eloquence that tries to answer some lofty questions. I purchased it for an adult friend. The simplicity is actually forceful.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very sweet little tale, November 24, 2005

By 

Karen E. Belding "momofsamiam" (Philadelphia, PA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Jellybeans (Hardcover)

I first heard this read on NPR by Daniel Pinkwater (great author!) and Scott Simon. I immediately bought it for our 7 year old. It is a sweet little story about friendship. The simple line drawings add to the charm. Daniel Pinkwater picked it as a children's story that he loves, and I agree!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweetness for the soul, August 17, 2005

By 

C. Nicholas Lee "bibliophile" (Longmont, CO USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Jellybeans (Hardcover)

We ordered the book after hearing excerpts from it on NPR, read by Scott Simon and Daniel Pinkwater. We found it touching in its simplicity, and thought-provoking for both adults and children. The schematic drawings reminded us of the illustrations to *Pat the Bunny.* It's a disarmingly artless way of getting parents and their offspring to express and compare their ideas about death, loss, and the permanence of love.