Annie and the Wild Animals

Annie's best friend is her cat, but when her cat starts acting strangely, then disappears into the woods completely, Annie is left alone and sad. She decides to lure herself a new animal friend by making corn cakes and leaving them near the woods. But what comes out is not what she expects.

The story is sweet and simple, but the real beauty lies in the borders around the pages that hint of the upcoming pages. Tiny figures reminiscent of woodcuts adorn the border of each richly done main image, making this a book that can be read in a few minutes, or something to be admired for quite a long time. Good for those little ones who like to go back to each page, even after the story is done. I promise, with this book, you won't mind.

Ok. Story doesn't make a lot of sense, and, again, the art is self-indulgent & just so so much. But I can see why she's popular, so I'll just let myself enjoy the cute bits and not worry about the flaws.

Second read; this time I found it rather darling... Annie is younger than most Brett characters, and the text is shorter, with a simpler plot. Almost a 'my first Brett' book. And I figured out one thing that I must've missed the first time - spring came, so the wild animals (fortunately, just in time) went back to their normal territories and foods.

Summary: Annie lives in a cabin in the woods with her cat Taffy. One day Taffy disappears and lonely Annie decided she needed a new friend to keep her company. She attempts to make friends with a variety of woodland animals through setting corn cakes outside, in hopes for the perfect friend. Just as she runs out of corncake and sadness takes over Annie until Taffy comes home with an unexpected gift of kittens! As the story is told, the images on the borders tell a story of the birth of the kittens.

Personal Response: This is a beautiful book about companionship and kindness. Although Annie loses her companion initially Taffy eventually comes back to her. Jan Brett’s illustrations on the page and on the border show two scenes at once, show more telling two stories simultaneously and representing aleatory fiction of postmodernism.

Curriculum Connection: This book can be used in a PreK-1st grade Language Arts make predictions of what might happen in the end. Introducing names of animals and incorporate science through learning about the different animals that come up in the book is also a fun way to incorporate different studies. Additionally, it can be used to teach social-emotional skills through discussions on friendship, kindness and the emotions Annie might have felt during the book would also be a great way for young students to learn and explore emotions. show less

In this early fantasy picture book, Brett introduces us to her gift of creating captivating natural scenes of the forest, seasons and wildlife. With the help of a little girl we are introduced to her lonely life in the mountains and how much she depends on her pet for companionship. When the cat goes missing Brett creates a layered (story in a story) border which tells us that the mommy gave birth to kittens.

Jan Brett writes a beautiful story but the true star of the show are her gorgeous illustrations. I love how the stunning art in the central picture is augmented by the secondary story being told in the images in the side bar. She is a tee master of her craft.

When Annie's cat disappears one winter morning, the lonely little girl tries to befriend the woodland animals behind her home. But instead of finding companionship, a giant moose, a grumpy bear and others show up to eat her corn cakes until they are all gone.

Then they leave, and to Annie's surprise, out of the woods comes Taffy—with three new kittens! Now she has more soft and cuddly friends than she'd ever imagined.

I liked the story a lot. Brett's portrayal of Annie's emotions through the illustrations tugs at your heart strings and the ending is delightful! This could be used in a science lesson with early elementary students to discuss all the different animals in the forest.