“Nanette’s Baguette,” by Mo Willems, author and illustrator.
Hyperion Books for Children, New York, 2016, 32 pages, Grades K-3.
Learning responsibility for one’s action is a difficult lesson for everyone. It is easy to make blunders because of our human frailty. The real question is what people do after they make mistakes. Do they apologize for their errors or do they blame others for their faults?
True growth usually happens by admitting our mistakes and asking pardon for them. In young children this is a natural part of growing up. Early elementary students frequently lack the confidence to tell their classmates or teachers about their slip-ups. But when they learn that they can be forgiven, they experience a very important life lesson: honesty is always the best policy.
Mo Willems has written a hysterical book about this very point. A young frog is sent to buy a baguette by her mother. Things go well until she buys the delicious baguette. Then the lesson is taught in this funny book, “Nanette’s Baguette.”
Nanette is a young frog living in a nice home. Her mother asks her to go to the bakery and buy a baguette for the family meal. Nanette is especially pleased that her mother has chosen her for this important job. Thrilled, she leaves the house and goes merrily to the bakery.
On the way, she meets several of her frog friends. She sees Mr. Barnette walking his pet bee named Antoinette. After petting her friend Antoinette, Nanette skips all the way to the bakery. The smells coming from the bakery waft through the air. The baker Juliette greets Nanette and finds her the largest, most beautiful baguette in the store.
Holding the baguette in both hands, Nanette proudly walks back home. But as she is walking, the lovely fragrance of the baguette begins to overwhelm her. What would a small taste of it be like? Would her mother even know that she had taken a bite?
Not able to stand it anymore, Nanette takes a mighty bite from the baguette. Oh it is so delicious. It tastes so good. What is a second bite anyway? There is still plenty more left. So Nanette keeps eating the wonderful baguette. Her stomach begins to fill with the happy, warm feeling of the delicious warm baguette.
Suddenly, Nanette is nearly home and looks down at her hands. Where did the baguette go? The truth hits her: she has eaten the whole thing, failed her assignment and disobeyed her mother. What should she do? As Nanette nears home, the idea of running away to Tibet enters her mind. But how could she get there? The moment of truth has arrived. Nanette goes in and faces the music.
What happens? Does her mother punish Nanette for disobeying her? Have you ever disobeyed your parents or supervisors? Did you tell the truth? What does Nanette tell her mother? Why does she learn that honesty is the best policy? To find out, go to the library and check out “Nanette’s Baguette” by Mo Willems.
Mo Willems is one of the funniest writer/illustrators in the field of children’s literature. He has won many awards in the field. This book cleverly uses rhyming meter to tell the story. Young children will want to chant the rhyming words when you read to them. This will make the story all the more enjoyable for everyone.
