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Picture Book · Ages 4–7 · 1995 · Est. 6 min read-aloud
Tops & Bottoms
Written and illustrated by Janet Stevens
A lazy bear and a clever hare become unlikely business partners in a series of agricultural ventures.
40 pages· 778 words· Est. 6 min read-aloud· 580L
$17.99Save 6%
Bookroo's summary
Hare, with hungry children to feed, devises a cunning plan to outsmart the wealthy but lazy Bear. By proposing a crop-sharing deal, Hare promises to do all the work while Bear sleeps. But as the harvest unfolds, Bear discovers that cleverness can outwit wealth. Will Bear learn his lesson, or will Hare's trickery continue to reap rewards? This lively tale, rooted in the tradition of using wit to overcome adversity, invites readers to ponder who truly wins in this topsy-turvy arrangement.
"Although Hare was clever, he sometimes got into trouble. He had once owned land, too, but now he had nothing. He had lost a risky bet with a tortoise and had sold all of his land to bear to pay off the debt."
— from the book
From the publisher
Hare solves his family’s problems by tricking rich and lazy Bear in this funny, energetic version of an old slave story. With roots in American slave tales, Tops & Bottoms celebrates the trickster tradition of using one’s wits to overcome hardship. “As usual, Stevens’ animal characters, bold and colorful, are delightful. . . . It’s all wonderful fun, and the book opens, fittingly, from top to bottom instead of from side to side, making it perfect for story-time sharing.”–Booklist
This title has been selected as a Common Core Text Exemplar (Grades 2-3, Stories)
Awards
At a glance
- Format
- Pages
- 40
- Words
- 778
- Reading age
- 4–7
- Audience
- Picture
- Lexile
- 580L
What readers & critics say
Reviews
5.1
out of 7
5.5
“There's definitely some nostalgia here for me, but I absolutely love this book! It has its own folksy feel from the original tales, emphasized and added to by the rich illustrations (this is a Caldecott winner after all!) while still being relevant and modern. Is anyone else loving Father Hare's sweet carrot shirt?! While I don't necessarily condone Father Hare's wily business practices, in the spirit of a true folk tale the deserving are fed and the not so deserving learn a lesson... this time about doing your own hard work.”
Marmee
Trusted reviewer
The author & illustrator
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The fine print
Book details
Reading levels
- ATOS
- 3.2
- F&P level
- ~O
- Scholastic level
- M
- AR points
- 0.5
- AR interest level
- LG
- AR quiz
- 11397
Publication
- Published
- January 1, 1995
- First published
- March 29, 1995
- Publisher
- Harcourt Brace
Edition
- Language
- English
- Type
- Picture Book
- Illustration details
- The illustrations in this book were done in watercolor, colored pencil, and gesso on paper made by hand.
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