Cress Watercress
Sale price
$1859
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2022 · Est. 4.5 hour read

Cress Watercress

By Gregory Maguire

A young rabbit faces a new home and missing father in a perilous world.

3.7/5 Goodreads · 1,674 ratings
224 pages· 33,262 words· Est. 4.5 hour read
$19.99Save 7%

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Bookroo's summary

Cress, a young rabbit, clings to hope when her father vanishes during a honey-gathering trip. Her family relocates to the Broken Arms, a dilapidated tree with quirky neighbors like a suspicious owl and gossiping songbirds. Amidst the chaos, Cress must navigate her fears and find a sense of belonging. Can this strange new place ever feel like home without Papa? Discover a heartwarming tale of resilience and community in a world where danger lurks and friendships blossom.

From the publisher

A lavishly illustrated woodland tale with a classic sensibility and modern flair–from the fertile imagination behind Wicked Gregory Maguire turns his trademark wit and wisdom to an animal adventure about growing up, moving on, and finding community. When Papa doesn’t return from a nocturnal honey-gathering expedition, Cress holds out hope, but her mother assumes the worst. It’s a dangerous world for rabbits, after all. Mama moves what’s left of the Watercress family to the basement unit of the Broken Arms, a run-down apartment oak with a suspect owl landlord, a nosy mouse super, a rowdy family of squirrels, and a pair of songbirds who broadcast everyone’s business. Can a dead tree full of annoying neighbors, and no Papa, ever be home? In the timeless spirit of E. B. White and The Wind and the Willows–yet thoroughly of its time–this read-aloud and read-alone gem for animal lovers of all ages features an unforgettable cast that leaps off the page in glowing illustrations by David Litchfield. This tender meditation on coming-of-age invites us to flourish wherever we find ourselves.

At a glance
Format
Pages
224
Words
33,262
Reading age
8–12
Audience
Middle Grade
Lexile
~669L
Themes & topics
Books about animalsBooks about communityBooks about familyBooks about bunnies and rabbitsBooks about family life
For the grown-ups

The parent guide

What families may want to know

Every family reads differently. These are the concepts our editors noticed in this book — worth seeking out for some readers, worth knowing about for others. The list isn't exhaustive, but it's a spoiler-light head start.

LGBTQ

A female character says she's in love with another character. They become friends but there is no romance, so it's unclear how it's meant when it's first said.

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The fine print

Book details

Reading levels
ATOS
4.3
F&P level
~P
AR points
5
AR interest level
MG
AR quiz
515688
Publication
Published
March 29, 2022
Publisher
Candlewick
Edition
Language
English
Type
Chapter Book
Identifiers
ISBN
9781536211009

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