Crunch!: Child's Play Library-Social and Emotional Learning

by Carolina Rabei

Crunch the guinea pig loves his food, so it’s just as well there’s plenty of it, especially when a hungry little mouse wants a share. So why does Crunch refuse? Later, Crunch can’t settle to his feast for worrying about the mouse. Although he’s never stepped outside his hutch before, Crunch sets off to look for him. Will he find the little mouse, and if so, what else might he discover?

Genres: Picture Books, Storytime, Friendship, Animals, Food, Childrens, Fiction

32 pages, Paperback

First published May 22, 2015

About the author

Ever since she was very small, Carolina loved drawing. She has dedicated eight years of her life to the study of Fine Art, attaining a BA in Graphic Design in Moldova and then achieving a distinction in Children’s Book Illustration at the prestigious Cambridge School of Art in 2015.

Carolina’s stunning first picture book, Snow, published by Faber and Faber in 2014, beautifully illustrates Walter de la Mare’s poem and was published to much critical acclaim. In 2015 it was nominated for the esteemed Kate Greenaway Medal.

Carolina went on to complete the Walter de la Mare series by creating three more gorgeous picture books: The Ride-by-Nights(2015), Summer Evening (2016) and the eagerly awaited Silver (2017), published in the UK, Japan and China.

She also authored and illustrated Crunch! (Child’s Play, 2015) – a warm and touching tale about friendship and sharing which is perfect for little ones. This picture book was shortlisted for the Read It Again competition in 2016, leading Carolina to have lots of fun participating in exciting workshops and school visits. Crunch! is published in France, Denmark and the Netherlands.

Carolina loves working on a diverse range of projects and her artwork reveals a unique mix of practices, as she likes to explore the use of traditional as well as digital techniques in her illustrations.

Reviews

[Megan (ReadingRover) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute picture book about a guinea pig named Crunch who has all the food he could imagine. He meets a mouse named Cheddar who asks if he can share. Crunch says no but later learns that even with all the food in the world something is still missing and that something is friendship.
I liked the illustrations in this book a lot. They had a really rough woodcut stamped type of feel to them.

[laura (bookies & cookies) · Rating 2 out of 5]

It has a nice crunch! Ah, the power of friendship.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crunch, a greedy guinea pig, is very good at eating but not so good when it comes to sharing and when a hungry little mouse comes along looking for a snack Crunch is very quick to refuse. The little mouse must go elsewhere in search for lunch, but Crunch can’t stop worrying about him out there, all alone in the big wide world all.

Rabei successfully highlights the importance of sharing throughout this simple, sweet story. The child friendly language, bright illustrations and loveable characters make this a perfect book for children in Nursery and Reception and could initiate discussions about the importance of sharing and friendships.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cybils nominee for Best Fiction Picture Book 2o16.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations are fabulous and I love the message of sharing and the importance of friendship. I wasn't a big fan of the fact that the mouse went into Crunch's house uninvited and ate all Crunch's food and there was no consequence for that. But, overall a decent story time read.

[Aaliyah Rashid · Rating 4 out of 5]

The colorful and engaging illustrations bring the adorable character, Crunch the guinea pig, to life, captivating young readers with each turn of the page. Rabei's storytelling is both clever and heartwarming, weaving important life lessons about friendship and courage into a simple yet impactful narrative. The book's accessibility for young readers makes it an excellent choice for independent reading or bedtime stories. Overall, "Crunch!" stands out with its enchanting illustrations, well-crafted storyline, and meaningful messages, making it a valuable addition to any children's book collection.

[Gözde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bu kitaba masal kitabı mı hikaye kitabı mı denir hiç bilmiyorum. Birkaç dakika içinde bitirmeme rağmen etkisi hala sürüyor. Bu yaratıcılık, bu öğreti ve özellikle çizimlere bayıldım. Arada böyle şeyler yapmak hoşuma gidiyor. Bu kitap yorumlanmalı mı emin değilim ama ben çok sevdim. Yardım isteyen Çedar' ı, yemeğini paylaşmak istemeyen Çıtır'ı ama en çok dünyadaki en önemli ders olan paylaşmayı anlatan yazarı sevdim. Çedar' ın yemek karşılığı sarılmayı teklif etmesini sevdim, Çıtır' ın vicdan azabı çekmesini sevdim. Birkaç sayfalık bir şey için fazla bile konuştum.

[Eileen Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars is not high enough for this sweet story with an important message. It is about a cute little guinea pig named Crunch. And he loves his bed, but he really loves....eating! Only something was missing in his life only he didn't know it. Crunch learns what was missing, thanks to a little friend.

You and your child will enjoy this story. I know that my students enjoyed the story, and the adorable pictures.

[Amory Blaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

An isolated guinea pig doesn't realize he's lonely until he meets and then rejects a mouse who wants to share his food. Cute but kind of generic. I feel like it could have been more interesting if the book didn't end when Crunch discovers the mouse snuck back to his cage and started eating his food without him. He could have been frustrated and learned more about sharing if the story were longer.

[La Porte sous la Colline · Rating 3 out of 5]

La gourmandise est un vilain défaut...

... lorsqu'elle pousse Croc-Croc le cochon d'Inde à refuser de partager son repas avec Gruyère, une souris affamée. Mais quand celle-ci vient à disparaître, Croc-Croc part à sa recherche, rongé par la culpabilité.Ce bel album aux illustrations soignées et colorées aborde avec humour les notions de partage et d'amitié.

[Rachel B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book requested for reading every day that it was home from the library. I think my daughter just liked saying "crunch" and "cheddar". The story is really sweet and prompts a big hug at the end.

[Esther · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and cute illustrations about sharing and friendship.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a super cute book about sharing and friendship and there is a guinea pig

[Jessica Rowe · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Maddie]

I love this book's pictures and the main idea is wonderful

[Fangtasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

About not sharing food, regretting it and keep the friendship.

[Mehsi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Enorm schattig boek over een lekkere dikke cavia met de naam Mjam die houdt van eten en op een dag een nieuw iemand ontmoet. Er gebeuren dingen en vanaf dat moment heeft Mjam geen eetlust meer, wat ik persoonlijk aanstellerij vond. Oh nee, je hebt (op een niet zo lieve manier) nee gezegd tegen iemand die al jaren op straat woont, ik denk niet dat hij zomaar zal verhongeren of dood gaan hoor. Hij vindt wel ergens anders eten. Maar ja, Mjam moet vriendschap leren en ook leren over delen. Ach, de illustraties waren in ieder geval heel zoet. Ik vond Mjam echt heel lief er uit zien, en ik wenste dat ik hem kon aaien en knuffelen.

[Kate Puleo Unger · Rating 4 out of 5]

ages 3-6

Crunch is a guinea pig who loves eating, but he feels like something is missing from his life. All he does is eat all day. When a mouse named Cheddar comes along asking Crunch to share his food in exchange for a hug, Crunch refuses. But then he starts thinking and worrying about Cheddar. In the end, they become friends and share food and hugs. Super sweet.

http://www.momsradius.com/2016/11/cyb...

[Juliana Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet story of friendship and sharing. Is it possible to have more than enough and still be missing something important? Crunch finds out what's missing in his life when a little mouse asks for food in exchange for friendship.
http://julianaleewriter.com/books-ali...

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really cute book about sharing. I could see it backfiring spectacularly with some kids trying to feed random rodents. And I liked how the mouse ASKED to share but then snuck into Crunch's cage to eat the food anyway. Qualms aside, the artwork is cute.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very effectively illustrated... particularly where the main character is imagining his friend and the colour indicates that the scenes are in his mind. The look is linocut, but I'm not sure if it's a digital imitation.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cannot decide which I love more: the illustrations or the fun text.

[Elisabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great illustrations but I wish it were a bit shorter. With a bit of editing it would be great for storytime.

[Autumn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Woodcut pictures are lovely, but the story is pretty wack. It's about greed, friendship, and forgiveness, I guess. Better to just stick with one of those themes next time.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute! Funny! Cute again! Predictable maybe, but I like!
Good illustrations, and I'm generally a fan of any book that has a literal keyboard slam.

[ErinTheLibrarian · Rating 2 out of 5]

sharing

[Heather Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

megan summer reading 2016, children's book, picture book, animals, guinea pigs, food, friendship, selfishness, prek, kindergarten, first grade

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute! Greedy guinea pig learns to share with his newest friend, Rat (mouse?)

[Laura]

Enjoyable illustrations and standard, nice sharing message.