Saturday, February 20, 2016

Kid Konnection: The Rabbit Who Wants to Go to Harvard


Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week I'm going to share with you a parody of the picture book THE RABBIT WHO WANTS TO FALL ASLEEP.

Summary: For fans of Goodnight iPad and Go the F**k to Sleep, this hilarious picture-book parody satirizes helicopter parents and our culture’s extreme focus on childhood achievement. It’s an irresistible gift for moms and dads with a sense of humor!

Are you concerned that your four-year-old is not taking Pre-K seriously? Is your child napping when he could instead be cramming for his SAT? Have you heard about the new hypnotize-your-kid-to-sleep book and thought, SLACKER? Join parents all over the world who have embraced this groundbreaking book as their new nightly routine.

In this uproariously funny parody, Ronald and Mommy Rabbit get help from Adderall Aardvark, Kollege Koach Kitty, and Admission Officer Owl, who know just how to help children stop their incessant sleeping and other quaint relics of youth for a much worthier goal: the Ivy League. Make your dreams your child‘s dreams today! -- Dial

Last year, I reviewed THE RABBIT WHO WANTS TO FALL ASLEEP. This best-selling picture book claimed to help parents everywhere get their children to bed. People say imitation is the best form of flattery, but what about mockery? The new parody picture book THE RABBIT WHO WANTS TO GO TO HARVARD by Zelda the Great with help from Diana Holquist and Christopher Eliopoulos teaches high achieving parents how to get their kids ready for Harvard!

This tongue-in-cheek book goes one step further than just getting your kid to sleep. By using similar psychological methods (including instructions on how to read bold, bold italic, etc.), you can start preparing your children for Harvard from the get-go. In this funny picture book, Ronald the Rabbit couldn't fall asleep because his mother was obsessed with Harvard.

In THE RABBIT WHO WANTS TO FALL ASLEEP, Mommy Rabbit and Ronald the Rabbit meet Adderall Aardvark, Kollege Koach Kitty, and Admission Officer Owl. These experts agree that Ronald should stop trying to sleep and work on getting into Harvard by joining a varsity sports team, taking up an orchestral instrument, publishing a scientific paper, taking the SATs, and more! No pressure on the little ones, right?

I will admit that those of you familiar with THE RABBIT WHO WANTS TO FALL ASLEEP will find THE RABBIT WHO WANTS TO GO TO HARVARD to be absolutely hilarious. This clever parody incorporates the same principals (kind of...) that the original book uses to get your kids to sleep but with much more humor and silliness. Truth be told, I had to laugh at Mother Rabbit the most. Unfortunately, she does represent some of those parents who want the "best" for their kids.

I'm sure THE RABBIT WHO WANTS TO GO TO HARVARD isn't for everyone, but I will say that I definitely got a kick out of it. Recommended for fans of parodies and adults who like to laugh at helicopter parents!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this book.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!

3 comments:

Stacie said...

Sharing a book with a much-needed lesson on being kind and leaving a legacy - WHEN I GROW UP I WANT TO BE A...GOOD PERSON from Wigu Publishing - http://www.sincerelystacie.com/2016/02/childrens-book-review-when-i-grow-up-i.html

Kate Unger said...

I love interactive books. We're in the Wrong Book is a fun one by Richard Byrne. http://www.momsradius.com/2016/02/kid-lit-were-in-wrong-book.html

bermudaonion said...

This sounds hilarious! I reviewed THE TROUBLE WITH ANTS by Claudia Mills.