Customer Reviews

Which Would You Rather Be?

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As a large, gray, wand wielding rabbit, complete with upturned magician's hat, sits facing a young boy and girl, he asks..."Which would you rather be? A stick or a stone?" And so the game begins. Would you rather be an elbow or a knee, mouse or elephant, rain or snow, snake or crocodile, alone or together? Some of the answers seem to be obvious, as we see a balding, eyeglass wearing, paper reading grown-up come out of the hat, compared to a skateboard riding kid. But it's clear from the start that there are no right or wrong answers. Just thoughtful, clever fun. William Steig's minimal text, floating in dialogue bubbles, sets the stage. But it's Harry Bliss' bold, bright, and expressive artwork that steals the show with its humorous detail. Perfect for preschoolers, Which Would You Rather Be? is a simple and entertaining picture book that will get those creative juices flowing. This is just the beginning; the game is sure to continue long after the book is closed.

Mommy Bookworm's Thoughts: Until I read information about the author, I didn't know he was the creator of Shrek. I read one review online that mentioned it's odd to have him be the author here instead of the illustrator since he was an artist. I think the concept of the book is cute since the rabbit is the one pulling things out of the top hat instead of the humans. However, I feel there is no real point to the book. I guess it is just to get kids thinking of what they prefer, but there's no real story to the book other than just asking question upon question upon question - and the kids in the story don't even answer all of them. The illustrations are VERY colorful and fun though! As I noted above, the reading level is 4-8 years old, but Barnes & Noble has a note saying it's for infants and preschoolers. I believe that it would be a fun book for younger children because of the illustrations and big words, but children would definitely have to be older in order to actually read the book.

Dahlia Bookworm's Thoughts: I liked the book because it was funny. The book was interesting because it had weird-looking pictures. The pictures looked funny.

Daisy Bookworm's Thoughts: I could easily read this book by myself. I like the part where the kids say they'll have to think about whether they'd want to be together or alone. I also think the part where the bunny asked if you'd rather be rain or snow was funny because one is liquid and one is solid and I thought it was funny because they were opposites. I also like the pictures and all the colors.

my twins liked this book straight away. at 2 and a half they picked up on the theme and started making up "which would you rather be" questions of their own. I'd recommend this book. It's a good imagination stimulant.

My 2-year old is entranced by this book and asks for it again and again. The drawings appeal to both a child and adult I think--simple, clear, great color, but with sophisticated humor too. Toddlers enjoy the repetition of the simple text. A great opportunity to compare ordinary objects and various living things.