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  • Tops & Bottoms by Janet Stevens book cover
  • Tops & Bottoms by Janet Stevens book cover
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Tops & Bottoms

by Janet Stevens

A trickster’s bargain over the harvest

$19.77 USD
$32.96 USD $19.77 USD
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Awards & Recognition

  • Award recognition

    Caldecott Honor

    The book is described as a Caldecott Honor-winning picture book.

AlbakiReads Editorial

A trickster’s bargain over the harvest

Hare has hungry children to feed, while Bear owns plenty of land but would rather sleep than farm it. Their arrangement divides each crop into “tops” and “bottoms,” giving Hare room to turn the terms of the deal to his advantage. Janet Stevens retells a traditional-style trickster tale through a comic contest over work, wealth, and who gets to choose the useful part of a harvest. The central joke rests on the gap between what the two animals think they have agreed to—and what grows above or below the soil.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Suitable for children ages 4–8, according to the supplied audience information.
  • A choice for young listeners who enjoy animal tales and clever trickster characters.
  • Could work for shared reading at home or in preschool and kindergarten settings.

Themes

Cleverness and trickeryWork and lazinessWealth and fairnessCooperation and bargaining

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

In this funny Caldecott Honor-winning fairy-tale retelling by Janet Stevens, wily Hare solves his family's problems by tricking rich and lazy Bear into giving up half his crops.

Once a upon a time, there was a lazy Bear and a clever Hare. Bear had lots of money and lots of land but all he wanted to do was sleep. Hare had nothing but hungry children, so he came up with a plan to convince Bear to split his land down the middle--tops and bottoms. Hare can work all day and Bear can sleep.

It's the perfect solution! Or is it?

A trickster story sure to spark giggles at home or in preschool and kindergarten classrooms, this hilarious Caldecott Honor picture book is perfect for fans of Louis and Unicorns Are the Worst!

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