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Jul 01, 2019 Calista rated it really liked it

Hare'due south are very smart. This fable is saying, don't slumber through harvest; you lot have to work to reap annihilation. Here's the part that isn't really off-white. Hare made a bad investment with rabbit and he had to sell off his land to carry so he could pay off the debt to rabbit. And then that is all his error. Does that mean it's now ok to trick bear who simply bought the land? Anyhow, that'due south not the story.

Bear's father worked hard, merely now acquit just sleeps. He sleeps through the growing season. One twenty-four hours Hare come up

Hare's are very smart. This fable is saying, don't sleep through harvest; you have to work to reap anything. Here's the office that isn't actually fair. Hare made a bad investment with rabbit and he had to sell off his land to bear so he could pay off the debt to rabbit. And then that is all his fault. Does that hateful information technology's now ok to fob bear who simply bought the land? Anyway, that's not the story.

Bear's father worked hard, only now bear just sleeps. He sleeps through the growing season. One day Hare comes over and makes a deal. He'll do the planting and dissever the crop 'tops and bottoms'. Bears calls tops, so Hare plants carrots and beets and tubers. So bear only gets the tops of those things and rabbit gets the most vegetables. Behave is upset and he next wants the bottoms. Hare agrees and he plants lettuce and all kinds of proficient vegetables. Conduct is left with the roots and Hare, once again, gets most of the good vegetables. Next Bear wants a new crop and he gets the tops and bottoms. Hare agrees and plants corn. Hare keeps the heart and bears once again loses out.

I guess it's best non to let someone else do your work for yous, huh.

The book is printed sideways so you lot open it like a calendar and nosotros can see the bottoms of the veggies and the tops split in the middle. The artwork is lovely and the Hare and his family are amusing. They work difficult and smart. I'k told that is what we want to practise is work smart.

I have to admit this title cracks me upwards. It could exist a whole different story seen through an adult lens, merely I like the story told.

The kids loved this story. Every time they would fissure up at rabbit getting the best of behave. I felt just a picayune sad for bear. I know he'south lazy but that's no reason to have advantage of him. Anyway, the kids laughed at this story. The niece loved how smart the Hare was. She gave this 4 stars. The nephew as well gave this 4 stars. He thought this was a funny story.

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While I nigh definitely enjoyed Janet Stevens' Tops & Bottoms (and exercise sympathise why and how information technology won a Caldecott Honour designation), on a purely personal level, I actually find the illustrations a fleck likewise advised, assuming and in-your-face for my ain tastes (and having to turn the volume on its side, really rather majorly annoyed me at first). That existence said, I tin can capeesh that this cumulative and often slyly humorous folktale adaptation will probable be a hit with most youngsters, and that the illust While I virtually definitely enjoyed Janet Stevens' Tops & Bottoms (and do understand why and how information technology won a Caldecott Accolade designation), on a purely personal level, I actually detect the illustrations a bit too advised, bold and in-your-face for my own tastes (and having to turn the book on its side, actually rather majorly annoyed me at first). That being said, I tin can capeesh that this cumulative and often slyly humorous folktale adaptation will likely exist a hit with about youngsters, and that the illustrations truly both compliment and complement the narrative (text and paradigm certainly work exceedingly well together).Tops & Bottoms rather strongly reminds me of the numerous European folktales where a ordinarily male peasant or farmer trickster like personage makes a deal with the Devil (or another kind of an evil demonic entity) to share his crops (and of course, wins against the same, always picking the choicest parts of the harvest, leaving the Devil with the chaff so to speak). With that fact in mind, I retrieve that for me, the biggest and nigh troublesome issue with this otherwise fantabulous offering is the absence of a detailed author'southward note showing the story's origins and which specific tale or combination of tales the writer used for her adaptation. I would certainly be interested knowing whether Janet Stevens had adapted her narrative from i of the "outsmarting the Devil folktales" with which I am familiar, and whether the original tale or tales she used every bit a source, feature animal trickster characters (like Tops & Bottoms itself does). I guess the absence of an author's notation is non all that essential for the enjoyment of the story itself, but I think it would accept been a helpful addition, every bit I always tend to retrieve that if you are going to be adapting a folk or fairy tale, y'all actually ought to exist providing information equally to its origin, genesis, history and the similar. And considering I have now discovered that Tope & Bottoms is actually considered to be an adaptation of an African American folktale, this makes the lack of an author's note even more of a potential effect for me, as it would take most definitely increased the folkloric value to have been able to compare and dissimilarity different types of tops and bottoms similar tales (the European outsmarting the Devil ones with those that deal generally with animal tricksters and are perceived as being primarily African in origin). ...more

Aug sixteen, 2018 Matt rated it really liked it

With Neo's garden beginning to flower, I thought this would be a wonderful story to share with him. Comport is a lazy and very sleepy animal, rich from his family inheritance. Hare is poor with a big brood and nothing to feed them. Hare and his wife devise a plan to piece of work with their neighbour and his plentiful fields. Hare approaches Acquit to offer up a deal and ensure they both turn a profit from planing vegetables. After Hare and his family do the planting, watering, and weeding he will cultivate the cro With Neo'due south garden outset to bloom, I idea this would be a wonderful story to share with him. Behave is a lazy and very sleepy animate being, rich from his family inheritance. Hare is poor with a big breed and naught to feed them. Hare and his wife devise a programme to work with their neighbour and his plentiful fields. Hare approaches Bear to offer upwardly a deal and ensure they both profit from planing vegetables. Afterwards Hare and his family unit do the planting, watering, and weeding he will cultivate the crops and offering some to Bear and others to himself. Bear agrees to take the tops, leaving Hare the bottoms. The outset season proves fruitful, but Hare ends up benefitting profoundly. Not wanting to exist tricked again, Bear takes the bottoms the second time effectually, but to exist led into another trap. Will Bear fall for a trick when the 3rd planting flavour comes to pass? Have a read and detect out. Neo has been happy to run into some of his vegetables growing so well over the past few weeks and looks forward to more than compensation in the coming weeks. He got a kick out of how Hare was able to turn the tables on Bear, but hopes that our gardening agreement does not yield the aforementioned trickery. ...more

Mar 10, 2010 Ronyell rated it it was amazing

I have been reading many stories that were inspired by Uncle Remus' "Brer Rabbit" stories for many years, but I take never come beyond a story quite like this one! "Tops and Bottoms" is a Caldecott Laurels Book that is written and illustrated beautifully past Janet Stevens and information technology is a trickster tale that is inspired by many European folktales and African-American folktales of the Due south that bargain with the subject field of a trickster character teaching their rivals a lesson in difficult work and conclusion

I have been reading many stories that were inspired past Uncle Remus' "Brer Rabbit" stories for many years, but I accept never come across a story quite similar this one! "Tops and Bottoms" is a Caldecott Honor Volume that is written and illustrated beautifully by Janet Stevens and it is a trickster tale that is inspired by many European folktales and African-American folktales of the South that deal with the discipline of a trickster character didactics their rivals a lesson in difficult work and decision!

In this tale, Bear was rich as he has lots of state due to inheriting it from his father. Unfortunately, Conduct was extremely lazy and he would spend his days sleeping away on the porch of his business firm. His neighbor Hare however, was poor as he was forced to give up his land due to losing a bet to Tortoise and he and his family were in an extremely poor land. Information technology was so that Hare and his wife, Mrs. Hare decided to come up with a program to take some of Deport'south wealth to make their lives easier. And so, Hare decided to propose to Conduct to become business partners and Hare will plant the harvest for each flavor, while Acquit can take a nap during the harvesting. All that Hare asks for in render is for Bear to cull which side he wants from the vegetables he grows in the garden: the tops or the bottoms?

Will Hare and his family unit outwit Behave?

Read this book to find out!

Once again, Janet Stevens had created another volume that actually got my folktale senses tingling! I loved the way that Janet Stevens based this story on the classic "Brer Rabbit" stories as Hare is shown getting what he wants by tricking Bear out of his ingather by using his wits, which is extremely prevalent in the "Brer Rabbit" stories. I actually enjoyed the tone of this book as it is lighthearted and clever and I thought information technology was hilarious when Hare and his family unit tricked Deport out of his crop as it also teaches readers that being lazy all the time will not assistance y'all succeed in life. Janet Stevens' illustrations as usual are beautifully done as the characters look gorgeous, especially the images of Bear and Hare as they look shaggy yet realistic. I likewise loved the fact that this volume is gear up equally existence read from literally "superlative to bottom" as it really fits the title of this story!

Overall, "Tops and Bottoms" is a truly brilliant book for anyone who is a huge fan of folktales that deal with characters who are tricksters and information technology would be a great care for for children and adults everywhere! I would recommend this volume to children ages four and upwards since the book is pretty piece of cake for younger children to read (unless they get confused about reading the book from top to lesser).

Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog

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Hare and his family are hungry. You see, Hare lost all his country in a bad bet with tortoise (haha, become it?) Deport sleeps all day on the front porch of his firm, presiding over his large front yard. Hare decides to strike up a concern deal with Bear. Hare will farm the state and requite Bear half the veggies. "Which one-half exercise you want, tops or bottoms?" asks Hare. "Tops!" Behave declares, before promptly falling dorsum asleep. And he sleeps all through the work of planting and harvesting the crops. When th Hare and his family are hungry. You lot see, Hare lost all his land in a bad bet with tortoise (haha, get information technology?) Behave sleeps all twenty-four hours on the forepart porch of his house, presiding over his large front end g. Hare decides to strike upward a business organisation deal with Carry. Hare will subcontract the land and give Bear half the veggies. "Which half do you want, tops or bottoms?" asks Hare. "Tops!" Bear declares, before promptly falling back asleep. And he sleeps all through the work of planting and harvesting the crops. When the time comes to receive the rewards, Hare gives him the top half of the veggies--the tops of carrots, potatoes, etc. -- that is, the crummy half. And so it goes with other veggies every bit Bear changes his mind to want the bottoms, then the middles, e'er getting burned by clever Hare.

At present, I recall the lesson hither is supposed to exist that beingness lazy and not working your fair share is a bad matter, and that hard work and cleverness should be rewarded. And I don't have a problem with that! I take enjoyed such tales as "The Petty Reddish Hen" or "The Grasshopper and the Ant" for just such a reason. I retrieve they teach an important lesson.

My problem with this particular story is that Behave DID contribute something to the deal. He gave his land. Granted, he was not using it for annihilation else. But, it was HIS land. Hare had no land considering he was stupid and wagered information technology in a bet with Tortoise (non very responsible, if you inquire me!) So, Behave gave something to the bargain and deserved to receive some compensation for it, in my opinion.

The story is creative, the illustrations and format engaging, and I do see I am in the minority in finding something troublesome in the story. I don't mean to imply that other readers are wrong in finding merit in the book (indeed, as I said, I recollect the surface message is a good one), and I know Hare is supposed to exist a trickster figure so maybe ane could emphasize that fact with children and testify how perhaps it wasn't really fair of him to play tricks Conduct like he did.

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Tops & Bottoms is a humorous trickster tale based in European folktales and slave stories from the American S. The hare uses his wit to outsmart the lazy carry and maximize his profits during the cropping season. The play a trick on is in whether the hare or the bear will collect either the "tops" or "bottoms" of crops. Of course, the sleeping bear is unaware of the crops being planted and e'er manages to get the useless parts of the produce. Janet Stevens' text and illustrations are balanced well in Tops & Bottoms is a humorous trickster tale based in European folktales and slave stories from the American South. The hare uses his wit to outsmart the lazy bear and maximize his profits during the cropping flavor. The fox is in whether the hare or the bear volition collect either the "tops" or "bottoms" of crops. Of course, the sleeping conduct is unaware of the crops being planted and e'er manages to become the useless parts of the produce. Janet Stevens' text and illustrations are balanced well in quality, talent, and detail.

This volume could be used to discuss partnerships, pointing out all the ways in which bear and hare's partnership is flawed. It could also be used to innovate vegetables, farming, or to highlight the characteristics of trickster tales.

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Oct 29, 2011 Kathryn rated it it was amazing

The fashion the book opens, the artwork is incredible and the story such a good 1. I loved everything nearly this book.

June 2014: I have loved this volume since I showtime read it, while I was in college, probably a year or two after it was published. At the time, the orientation of the book seemed quite unique and I loved (and nevertheless love) that the illustrations for the book were created on paper made from vegetables. While I think the story is adept, a fun trickster type tale, the illustrations are the best. Despite loving this book (and having read it to my students), I had apparently never read information technology to my own childre June 2014: I accept loved this book since I first read it, while I was in college, probably a year or two after it was published. At the time, the orientation of the volume seemed quite unique and I loved (and even so love) that the illustrations for the book were created on newspaper made from vegetables. While I think the story is good, a fun trickster blazon tale, the illustrations are the all-time. Despite loving this volume (and having read it to my students), I had apparently never read it to my ain children until this past week. They really loved how clever Hare was...although nosotros all kind of felt like the 3rd time, when he promised the Deport the tops and bottoms, that he could have and should accept planted some vegetables that grew on the top or bottom...and so conduct could have at least SOME vegetables. That would have been more kind and off-white, they said.

Reread November 2016: A few more thoughts I had as I read this again today. Start, I was actually struck by the starting time which said that Conduct's father had been a hard worker and a smart business bear and had given all his wealth to his son. Just bear just wanted to sleep. I've spent most of my teaching career working with children in poverty (17 years) but the by two years I have been at a school where many of the students come from privileged, fifty-fifty wealthy backgrounds and some (certainly not all, not fifty-fifty almost...simply some) are very entitled. Much like deport. These children need to learn to piece of work and exist responsible..and it can be challenging to help them develop a work ethic and take responsibility.

Considering bear was lazy and entitled and Hare's family unit was destitute (due to Hare'due south poor conclusion making/gambling), it reminded me a bit of a Robin Hood tale. Not entirely simply at least some element of the poor deserving the riches...specially since Hare and his family worked the state...and acquit was a poor caretaker of his land...He never once woke up to supervise or made any agreement almost what would be grown or anything. Peradventure Hare even sort of learned his lesson at present that he is working then hard (although he conspicuously nevertheless makes agreements that border on bets.)

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May twenty, 2015 Marta Buryan rated it information technology was astonishing

A hilarious book about a bear and a rabbit tangled in a farm business. From the very first page, the story surprises the readers with the professional, business organization-related words and phrases, for case "a smart business bear," which sound incredibly funny when used in relation to the typical fairy-tale characters, such as a deport, a rabbit, or fifty-fifty a tortoise.

The layout of the book is really well-done. First of all, I liked the correspondence between the the vertical pattern of the book and its ti

A hilarious book about a comport and a rabbit tangled in a farm business. From the very showtime folio, the story surprises the readers with the professional, business-related words and phrases, for instance "a smart business organisation bear," which audio incredibly funny when used in relation to the typical fairy-tale characters, such every bit a behave, a rabbit, or fifty-fifty a tortoise.

The layout of the book is really well-done. First of all, I liked the correspondence between the the vertical pattern of the book and its title. I also enjoyed the fact that the text is placed in bright frames which makes it like shooting fish in a barrel to read. The only cases in which the text is non framed are the scenes of waking the bear up. These are as well the only scenes when the pictures are framed, which highlights the recurrent nature of these situations and in a way distinguishes them from the rest of the plot.

As far as the illustrations are concerned, there is no negative space in the book and the pictures oft reach across the boundaries of particular pages. Dark-brown, sandy, yellow and beige are the dominating colours, that constitute a monolithic canva on which other colours, such as green, orange, reddish and white pop out. All these colours can be associated with soil, farm, and crops-growing, which again constitutes a well-designed correspondence between the color palette and the plot.
Although the illustrations occured quite simple to me at the first sign, they surprised me with details afer a thorough examination. For case, I actually loved the carrot-impress on the rabbit's T-shirt and the bee-print on the comport's scarf. I also liked the distribution of particular characters on the pages that was a reflection of the plot: after the bear has chosen to get the top parts of the vegetables, he appeared on the top page, subsequently he has called the bottom ones, he appeared on the bottom page.

What also seemed especially highly-seasoned to me in Tops & Bottoms is the fact that this story has a moral: remember anybody, do not sleep during the working time, or a shrewd entrepreneur rabbit might play tricks you!

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This tale is derived from European folktales and slave stories of the American South. In it, the industrious just unscrupulous Hare is pitted against the greatly lazy Bear. Hare proposes that he and his family work Carry's land (some of which which had originally been his) in exchange for half of the crops produced, and Conduct may have first choice of whether he gets the tops or bottoms of the crops. Acquit agrees, chooses tops, and goes to slumber on the porch of his falling-apart house while Hare p This tale is derived from European folktales and slave stories of the American South. In information technology, the industrious merely unscrupulous Hare is pitted against the profoundly lazy Bear. Hare proposes that he and his family unit piece of work Bear's state (some of which which had originally been his) in commutation for half of the crops produced, and Bear may have starting time selection of whether he gets the tops or bottoms of the crops. Bear agrees, chooses tops, and goes to sleep on the porch of his falling-apart house while Hare plants root vegetables. At harvest time, when he receives simply inedible leaves, Acquit chooses bottoms for the post-obit year, then sleeps through Hare's planting of broccoli, tomatoes, and other surface-growing vegetables. Roaring in fury at beingness tricked again, he demands a twelvemonth of tops and bottoms -- and Hare obliges with a corn ingather, leaving Bear the tassels and stalks but keeping the corn cobs in the centre.

Trickster stories are moral tales, only not the kind in which a hero sets a good example. In that location is no hero in this story -- rather, the lazy bear provides an example of how not to act, since his laziness makes him vulnerable to being cheated. He provides an excellent illustration for Proverbs 25:28, which states that a person without self-control is "like a city whose [defensive:] walls are broken downwards." The uncomplicated, repetitive humor is all at the foolish Bear's expense, but later the tertiary transaction he learns his lesson. From so on he farms his own land outside his well-maintained house), and never enters into another business deal with Hare.

At that place aren't many funny books for children near the dangers of laziness, and this one is a keeper. The story is brilliantly illustrated with lively, detailed paintings that comport the story, and and rather than reading from left to right it opens vertically to be read from top to bottom. This feature complements the story theme, but does have a piffling getting used to for reading aloud.

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Jun 05, 2015 Dominik rated it it was amazing

In that location aren't many picture show books which are funny, educative, and visually attractive at the same time. "Tops & Bottoms" by Janet Stevens is ane of such books.

The story is strong criticism of feudal system, which is presented in the book. In that location is Bear, who owns country, and Hare, who doesn't accept land, just who is willing to work. In return for the work, he has a right to take half of the ingather. Yet, as we could run into, Hare is a born business person and he is the one who makes profits from the land.

There aren't many film books which are funny, educative, and visually attractive at the same time. "Tops & Bottoms" by Janet Stevens is one of such books.

The story is potent criticism of feudal system, which is presented in the volume. There is Behave, who owns state, and Hare, who doesn't have land, but who is willing to piece of work. In return for the work, he has a right to have half of the crop. Yet, as we could see, Hare is a built-in business person and he is the i who makes profits from the land. The volume teaches a child that he or she should trust nobody and that he or she should rely on hard piece of work rather than hollow promises of other people. And that laziness is bad.

The vertical layout of the books is a very interesting thought. A child may come across that books don't have to be prepared in a traditional way. I admire all the illustrations which are very complex and detailed - for case, there are bees on Carry'due south scarf, his house is a shack which is to autumn apart in a minute, and we see that he'southward likewise lazy to tie his laces upward. As for the story, the volume is not overloaded with text. There are many dialogues, thank you to which the plot is easy to follow for kids.

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April 03, 2009 Dolly rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: parents reading with their children

This is a fantastic 'trickster' fable type of story with an interesting "peak and bottom" volume format. It made the book a scrap cumbersome to read, but we still had a lot fun reading it. The illustrations are very fun and expressive; our girls really enjoyed reading this book.

This book was selected equally one of the books for the May 2014 - Gardening discussion at the Film-Book Club in the Children'due south Books Grouping here at Goodreads.

This book was also selected equally one of the books for the November 2016

This is a fantastic 'trickster' fable type of story with an interesting "top and bottom" volume format. It made the book a bit cumbersome to read, only we still had a lot fun reading information technology. The illustrations are very fun and expressive; our girls really enjoyed reading this book.

This volume was selected as one of the books for the May 2014 - Gardening give-and-take at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.

This volume was also selected as one of the books for the November 2016- Caldecott Honor discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.

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Bear inherited a lot of money and property from his hard-working parents. He is lazy and lives in a business firm where the porch is sagging the the shutters are crooked from weather condition conditions. One of the members of the rabbit family gambled his country away to the turtle who and then sold information technology to the bear or a profit.

Destitute, the rabbits originally had no way to cultivate their food. Rabbits made deal with lazy behave that they would cultivate the front role of the the house and save the produce to the bear; T

Bear inherited a lot of coin and property from his difficult-working parents. He is lazy and lives in a house where the porch is sagging the the shutters are crooked from weather condition conditions. One of the members of the rabbit family gambled his land away to the turtle who then sold information technology to the bear or a profit.

Destitute, the rabbits originally had no way to cultivate their food. Rabbits made deal with lazy bear that they would cultivate the forepart part of the the house and salvage the produce to the bear; They cultivated the back plot and the full crop would be theirs.

Purposely taking intendance of their plot, the bear complained that the top part did not yeild every bit much.

The next year, the land distribution was inverse to a switch of acme and bottom portions.

The rabbits carefully cultivated the middle portion to best.

Thereater, the bear was no longer lazy. He planted out in the hot sun, and pulled weeds all summertime time.

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Mar 31, 2011 Lauren rated it liked it

This works equally a read aloud. My students always relish it but I detect it cumbersome to try to concord the book. It works meliorate with older students because the language is more mature and plot it takes awhile to unfold.

Mar 05, 2013 Brindi Michele rated it really liked it

1996 Caldecott Award

This book was too cute and fun because it has a vertical layout...and of course, there's a moral to the story. Swell for this year'south Dig into reading theme.

read for The Butler
read for garden gang #1

1996 Caldecott Honor

This volume was also cute and fun because information technology has a vertical layout...and of grade, there's a moral to the story. Great for this year's Dig into reading theme.

read for The Butler
read for garden gang #1

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Jan 22, 2017 Anna rated information technology really liked information technology

Our students actually like this one. They've grasped the lesson that it isn't nice to trick people. They're still working on the lesson that information technology's likewise not nice to make others practise all the work and then expect to all the same reap the benefits. Our students really like this one. They've grasped the lesson that it isn't nice to trick people. They're still working on the lesson that information technology'southward also not nice to make others exercise all the work and then look to notwithstanding reap the benefits. ...more

Apr 05, 2017 Melanie rated it really liked it

This is one of those books that stands the exam of fourth dimension. I read information technology to my class when I first started out teaching at age 23 and now that I'thou a library teacher I demand to utilise it to teach students about the Caldecott medal. This is one of those books that stands the test of time. I read it to my course when I outset started out didactics at historic period 23 and now that I'm a library teacher I need to use it to teach students about the Caldecott medal. ...more

Feb 07, 2012 Shannon rated it really liked information technology

Fantastic page formatting -- our students say they recall this book was the showtime case of #teambear vs. #teamrabbit, and I have to agree with them!

information technology was funny and i exercise recommend information technology

Aug 02, 2020 Katy rated it it was astonishing

Delightful childrens picture volume -- for Junior Chief Gardeners.

November 12, 2018 Natascha rated information technology really liked it

Book level: 3.two
Lextile: 580
Fountas and Pinnell: 50

Book summary: This is a tale of a partnership betwixt a lazy bear and an enterprising hare. Hare will do whatever he can to make sure his family is taken care of while bear's laziness may mean that he gets the short stop of the deal.

Genre: Traditional literature. These tales are typically created to teach the reader a lesson through the events and characters included in the story. The interactions between bear and hare and what results from both of

Book level: 3.two
Lextile: 580
Fountas and Pinnell: L

Volume summary: This is a tale of a partnership between a lazy bear and an enterprising hare. Hare volition do whatever he tin to make certain his family unit is taken intendance of while deport's laziness may hateful that he gets the short terminate of the deal.

Genre: Traditional literature. These tales are typically created to teach the reader a lesson through the events and characters included in the story. The interactions between carry and hare and what results from both of their piece of work ethics is the core of this volume's lesson.

Mentor writing traits:
Ideas - at that place is a clear bulletin in this text of if you work hard and are clever, you will reap the benefits of all your hard work. If y'all are lazy, you won't go much. Hare clearly benefits from all the difficult work that he puts into the garden. He is too very clever and does accept advantage of carry's laziness. Acquit's laziness leads to him getting the worse end of their partnership but he somewhen learns that hard piece of work=slap-up benefits.

Presentation - the style the pages are gear up (vertically versus horizontally) is washed on purpose and matches the championship of the book 'Tops and bottoms' and associates overnice with a major setting in the story a garden. The pages that feature illustrations of both the deport and the hare, the bear e'er appears on the summit page and the hare is on the bottom folio. Once again, I think this is done on purpose and reflects the initial agreement in this partnership that bear gets the tops of the harvest and hare gets the bottoms.

Classroom integration/mini lessons/content connections:
This could work equally a mentor text where students can analyze the two main characters in the book and talk over how the characters habits and accomplishments attribute to the story's message. As a class, they tin accept notes on the characteristics, habits, and accomplishments of both main characters. Then students tin explain how each characters' habits and attitude about work affect the effect of this partnership.

This book could besides be used a mentor text to demonstrate an writer's deliberate use of form or layout of the book itself and illustrations. As a class, they can concentrate on the wait and experience of the volume before reading the book aloud. Students will be asked to review the illustrations and the book itself and notation what is interesting. Hopefully students notice that the book is vertically aligned and the teacher can guide students to detect this and some key points in the illustrations. Every bit pairs, students will exist given a short story and will be challenged over a couple of days to create the layout and illustrations for that story.

This book could be used for found growth science unit of measurement and analysis of different vegetable types.

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May 16, 2010 David rated information technology actually liked information technology

Tops & Bottoms by Janet Stevens is a great adaption of European folktales & slave stories of the American South, including the Brer Rabbit tales. Hare uses his wits, in the trickster tradition, to overcome hardhip & profit from the lazy ways of his neighbour, Conduct, who owns lots of country.

Rabbit proposes a partnership, with Bear where Hare'due south family unit volition establish and harvest a ingather while Behave sleeps. Their showtime understanding is to requite Conduct all the tops while the Hares keep the bottoms. So Hare grow carr

Tops & Bottoms past Janet Stevens is a great adaption of European folktales & slave stories of the American S, including the Brer Rabbit tales. Hare uses his wits, in the trickster tradition, to overcome hardhip & profit from the lazy ways of his neighbor, Conduct, who owns lots of land.

Rabbit proposes a partnership, with Acquit where Hare'due south family unit will found and harvest a ingather while Bear sleeps. Their kickoff agreement is to give Bear all the tops while the Hares go on the bottoms. So Hare grow carrots, beets, & radishes, and keeps these root crops while the Comport gets the keafy tops. Bear is not happy & next yr demands the tops. So Hare plants lettuce, broccoli, & celery, and Bear gets the useless bottoms. Bear is very mad and demands both tops & bottoms next year. And so Hare grows corn, and Comport gets tassels & roots & stalks, while Hare keeps the ears of corn in the center.

Lazy Comport so decides to stay up and work during planting and harvest season and go on all the profits, learning a lesson. Hare uses the money from the auction of the crops to buy back the land he'd sold to pay his bet with the Tortoise subsequently their famous race.

Steven's illustrations are gorgeous, using bright colors for the detailed paintings, which acquit the humourous tale. Themes include gardens, vegetables, laziness, the value of hard work, and cleverness. The book opens vertically then the ii page speads are tall. It's a niggling diffferent to get used to belongings the volume for read alouds, but the funny, clever story is well worth it.

For ages half dozen to 10, garden, vegetable, work, humor, and trickster themes, and fans of the Hare and of Janet Stevens.

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Apr 14, 2020 Micaela rated it information technology was amazing

In this volume, Hare tricks a bear so he can solve his problem of feeding his family. Tops and Bottoms is a trickster tale that has a strong and important message. The message I got later on reading this book is that we should work for what we want because it won't come to us that hands. I really liked the illustrations because they were simple yet they included a lot of data that helped reinforce the text. My favorite thing about this volume is the blueprint and layout! I beloved that this book is r In this book, Hare tricks a bear so he can solve his problem of feeding his family. Tops and Bottoms is a trickster tale that has a strong and of import message. The message I got afterward reading this volume is that nosotros should work for what nosotros desire considering information technology won't come up to us that easily. I really liked the illustrations because they were uncomplicated however they included a lot of data that helped reinforce the text. My favorite thing about this book is the design and layout! I honey that this book is read from the top to the lesser, I think it provides a unique manner to read the volume. Not only is it unique but this layout, for me personally, kept me engaged and I merely wanted to keep reading. I also similar how the design and layout of this book relates to the title, this volume is read from the superlative to the bottom, hence the title "Tops and Bottoms."
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Jan 30, 2019 Jen rated it it was amazing

LOVED this clever children'due south pic volume well-nigh a hare who is trying to feed his hungry family unit. The bear is lazy and the hare is willing to work and is able to to reap the benefits. LOVED this clever children's picture volume about a hare who is trying to feed his hungry family unit. The deport is lazy and the hare is willing to piece of work and is able to to reap the benefits. ...more than

Jan 02, 2021 Relyn rated information technology information technology was amazing

I've read this aloud so many times. Every single time the children love information technology. I've read this aloud and so many times. Every single fourth dimension the children dearest information technology. ...more

Folklore-inspired, detailed illustraions, funny (appeal terms from NoveList) - Emma

Janet Stevens began cartoon as a kid. Pictures decorated her walls, mirrors, furniture and school work -- including math assignments. While this didn't always sit well with her teachers, it was what she loved to practice.

Janet'due south father was in the Navy therefore she moved a great deal and attended many schools while growing up.

After graduating from high schoolhouse in Hawaii in 1971 she landed a job creati

Janet Stevens began drawing as a child. Pictures decorated her walls, mirrors, furniture and school work -- including math assignments. While this didn't ever sit well with her teachers, information technology was what she loved to do.

Janet's father was in the Navy therefore she moved a great deal and attended many schools while growing upwards.

Afterward graduating from high school in Hawaii in 1971 she landed a job creating Hawaiian designs for textile. The printed material was then made into aloha shirts and muumuus. After she graduated from the University of Colorado in 1975 with a caste in Fine Arts Janet began compiling a portfolio of "characters", bears in tutus, rhinos in sneakers, and walruses in Hawaiian shirts. In 1977, she attended "The Illustrator'south Workshop" in New York Metropolis, where it was suggested that her characters might discover a home in a children'south volume. Luckily for libraries (and children'due south book readers in full general), publishers agreed and her first book was published in 1979.

Janet is the writer and illustrator of many original stories and often collaborates with her sister, Susan Stevens Crummel. Her trademark humorous animals too back-trail the texts by such authors equally Eric Kimmel and Coleen Salley,

Janet has received numerous book awards, including a Caldecott Accolade Award, Time Magazine'southward Ten Best Children'due south Books , the Wanda Gág Best Read-Aloud Book. Child Magazine'south Best Books of the Year.. Janet's books have been named ALA Notables and have repeatedly appeared on the New York Times Best Seller List.

She is especially proud of her state volume awards, voted on by children -- which include Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, New York, North Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Nebraska and Washington. Janet has received the prestigious Texas Bluebonnet Award twice.

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