Reggie [Hardcover]

Eve Bunting (Author), D. Brent Burkett (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 18, 2006 | Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up

Alex and his dog Patch are out for a walk when the boy discovers a little toy mouse dressed in a red vest. He falls in love with the tiny creature — promptly named Reggie — and takes it home. Soon, “lost mouse” signs appear in Alex’s neighborhood, but he ignores them — after all, anyone who could lose such an adorable thing must deserve to lose it. His friend Brian tries to convince him to return the mouse to its heartbroken owner, but Alex won’t hear of it. The boys quarrel, and poor Patch ends up in the middle. Brian storms off — and so does the jealous Patch. When Alex calls the dog to his supper, the gate is open and Patch is gone. Alex and his parents search the neighborhood, but no Patch. They put up flyers, but still no Patch. Whoever’s found a beloved pet like Patch wouldn’t just keep him . . . would they? Alex’s struggle to overcome selfishness rings true with young readers.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3–While out for a walk with his dog, Alex notices something gray and red and very small floating down out of the sky. Closer inspection reveals a stuffed toy mouse wearing a red vest, and the eight-year-old is immediately smitten with the all-time coolest mouse he has ever seen. Later, when reward posters begin appearing throughout the neighborhood, he finds himself with a moral dilemma. Once he realizes he cannot bear to part with the raggedy rodent he calls Reggie, he becomes entangled in a web of half-truths concocted to protect his prized possession. But, when his dog runs away and cannot be found, the child examines his actions and begins taking steps to make amends. A bit heavy-handed in its karma-filled message, this chapter book is certainly an opening to discussions of selfishness and dishonesty. Although there is an attempt to provide a rationale for Alex's behavior, his extraordinary attachment to a babyish stuffed animal lacks plausibility, and the immature content combined with some fairly sophisticated vocabulary may cause this book to have trouble finding an audience. A smattering of shadowy, indistinct black-and-white illustrations adds little to the story.–Debbie Lewis O'Donnell, Alachua County Library District, Gainesville, FL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Eight-year-old Alex discovers a stuffed mouse connected to a deflating balloon and feels strangely attracted to it. He decides to keep it, even after noticing reward posters all over the neighborhood. His best friend, Brian, tells him he is stealing--and though Alex knows in his heart that he should return the mouse, he has a hard time convincing himself to do the right thing. Then his own dog, Patch, suddenly disappears. Bunting presents Alex as a thoroughly believable kid confronted with an unpleasant moral dilemma, offering a plausible explanation for Alex's connection to the toy (he lost a stuffed pony as a young child) and realistically showing him working through the problem. Short chapters, large type, and frequent black-and-white illustrations make for an appealing format that will attract beginning chapter-book readers. The story will also make a good read-aloud to start discussions about right and wrong. Kay Weisman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher: Cricket Books (August 18, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812627466
• ISBN-13: 978-0812627466
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,387,406 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Eve Bunting has written more than 200 books for children, many of which can be found in libraries around the world. Her other Clarion titles for very young readers include My Big Boy Bed, which was also illustrated by Maggie Smith, and Little Bear's Little Boat, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. She lives in Pasadena, California.