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What Are You Waiting For?
What are you waiting for?
Is it quiet?
Does it have wings?
Will I miss it if I blink?
Join a badger and a rabbit in this simple tale about the wonder of anticipation that follows the two friends in search of a surprise. What they find might just surprise you, too.
A Neal Porter Book
Is it quiet?
Does it have wings?
Will I miss it if I blink?
Join a badger and a rabbit in this simple tale about the wonder of anticipation that follows the two friends in search of a surprise. What they find might just surprise you, too.
A Neal Porter Book
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2017
1 person is currently reading
45 people want to read
About the author
Scott Menchin
19 books14 followersScott Menchin is the author-illustrator of TAKING A BATH WITH THE DOG and OTHER THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY, which received the Christopher Medal. He also illustrated SONG OF MIDDLE C by Alison McGhee and MAN GAVE NAMES TO ALL THE ANIMALS, an award winning children’s book based on a hit song by Bob Dylan. Scott Menchin lives in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
January 29, 2018
I loved the pastel illustrations but found the text to be tiresome and completely beyond the target audience of 2 to 4 year olds. I was especially turned off by the rabbit's response to the badgers question on the second page : "What are you waiting for?"(badger) "Wouldn't you like to know."(rabbit). That phrase is smart-alecky to me and has no place in a book directed at little children.
May 31, 2017
I was not impressed by the title or the cover, but the "what is it?" game took me to the end and I was not disappointed.
June 21, 2017
Pencil and pastel illustrations created against a backdrop of toned paper accompany this simple but relevant story about two friends in the woods. One is waiting for something, and the other one is curious as to what in the world he is waiting for. A series of questions and answers keeps readers and the friend guessing about what this mysterious something might be. (It sort of reminds me of a game of 20 Questions or Animal, Vegetable, Mineral, in that respect.) After exhausting its questions and almost its patience, the badger is ready to give up and even falls asleep, but the rabbit knows something wonderful is about to happen, something that happens every night. Although I've read many picture books that celebrate the wonders of the moon or the sun rising, I still liked this one because it keeps readers guessing up until the final pages. Youngsters might enjoy reading it and trying to figure out why the something might be different on the next night. I liked having the dialogue between the two animals in different font colors so that two readers could play the two parts and easily see their lines.
October 19, 2017
Menchin, Scott. What Are You Waiting For? Pictures by Matt Phelan. Roaring Book Press, 2017. $16.99. Content: G. PICTURE BOOK.
A badger asks his friend, a rabbit, what he is waiting for. The rabbit doesn’t want to ruin the surprise, so he doesn’t tell his friend. The badger asks questions, like how big it is and if it has a mustache. The rabbit says that it doesn’t have legs or a tail. The badger is confused, the rabbit assures him that it isn’t scary and that it’s always changing. Badger asks even more questions before falling asleep. Rabbit wakes him up to see the moon.
Children will be like the badger, eager to find out what the rabbit is waiting for and trying to guess what it is. The dialogue between the two friends is charming. The illustrations were created with pencil and pastel and compliment the natural scenery of the story. Both badger and rabbit are endearingly drawn and will appeal to children.
Pre-K, EL (K-3)-ADVISABLE. Samantha Hastings, MA, MLS.
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017...
A badger asks his friend, a rabbit, what he is waiting for. The rabbit doesn’t want to ruin the surprise, so he doesn’t tell his friend. The badger asks questions, like how big it is and if it has a mustache. The rabbit says that it doesn’t have legs or a tail. The badger is confused, the rabbit assures him that it isn’t scary and that it’s always changing. Badger asks even more questions before falling asleep. Rabbit wakes him up to see the moon.
Children will be like the badger, eager to find out what the rabbit is waiting for and trying to guess what it is. The dialogue between the two friends is charming. The illustrations were created with pencil and pastel and compliment the natural scenery of the story. Both badger and rabbit are endearingly drawn and will appeal to children.
Pre-K, EL (K-3)-ADVISABLE. Samantha Hastings, MA, MLS.
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017...
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October 17, 2018ATA Storytime Kit -- Review
What are you waiting for?Is it quiet? Does it have wings? Will I miss it if I blink? This simple tale about the wonder of anticipation follows two friends in search of a surprise, and what they find might surprise us all.
Subject: Patience -- Juvenile fiction.
Badgers -- Juvenile fiction.
Rabbits -- Juvenile fiction.
Friendship -- Juvenile fiction.
Notes
Scott Menchin has written and illustrated many books for children. He lives in New York City where he teaches at Pratt Institute.
Matt Phelan is the illustrator of many books for young readers. He is also the author/illustrator of the picture book Druthers and the graphic novels Bluffton and Snow White. .
What are you waiting for?Is it quiet? Does it have wings? Will I miss it if I blink? This simple tale about the wonder of anticipation follows two friends in search of a surprise, and what they find might surprise us all.
Subject: Patience -- Juvenile fiction.
Badgers -- Juvenile fiction.
Rabbits -- Juvenile fiction.
Friendship -- Juvenile fiction.
Notes
Scott Menchin has written and illustrated many books for children. He lives in New York City where he teaches at Pratt Institute.
Matt Phelan is the illustrator of many books for young readers. He is also the author/illustrator of the picture book Druthers and the graphic novels Bluffton and Snow White. .
July 23, 2017
Waiting for a moonrise can be frustrating (having to wait) but so rewarding once it pops up over the horizon.
This could be a great mentor text to have students learn the game, "20 Questions" or some such similar guessing game.
Soft pencil & pastel illustrations are sometimes full page, sometimes set in a frame, and sometimes several small images per page. In one image the badger looks like an owl, but not sure if that's deliberate to try to keep the bunny guessing.
I thought it might be the sunrise ( believe badgers are mostly nocturnal during the summer), but the text says, "We waited all day."
This could be a great mentor text to have students learn the game, "20 Questions" or some such similar guessing game.
Soft pencil & pastel illustrations are sometimes full page, sometimes set in a frame, and sometimes several small images per page. In one image the badger looks like an owl, but not sure if that's deliberate to try to keep the bunny guessing.
I thought it might be the sunrise ( believe badgers are mostly nocturnal during the summer), but the text says, "We waited all day."
July 30, 2018
Badger asks his friend rabbit what he’s doing up so early in the morning. Rabbit answers keep badger guessing and the game ensues. He’s waiting for something that is quiet, can fly, is always changing and is very old. Finally, Badger learns about the beautiful surprise that rabbit has been waiting for.
Response: I read this book to my 2nd graders and they loved it! This is the perfect book to use in introducing riddles to children. Children love using the clues to guess what rabbit is waiting for. The illustrations were riveting as my class was glued to the book as I read it. After reading this book, I asked my class to write riddles! They were enthused and inspired by this book.
Response: I read this book to my 2nd graders and they loved it! This is the perfect book to use in introducing riddles to children. Children love using the clues to guess what rabbit is waiting for. The illustrations were riveting as my class was glued to the book as I read it. After reading this book, I asked my class to write riddles! They were enthused and inspired by this book.
February 5, 2020
It's interesting because this and Mo Willems "Waiting Isn't Easy" are both really similar in that they are about patience and waiting. They both have two characters who are both animals. And in the end, the thing that is waited for is the same as well. That being said, both are good and have their differences that make them great.
With this book the character (the badger) who does not know what is being waited for spends time guessing, but it looks like the badger and the rabbit still have a lot of fun throughout the day doing various things whole the badger is also guessing.
I like the illustrations, they are simple and pretty.
A cute book over all.
With this book the character (the badger) who does not know what is being waited for spends time guessing, but it looks like the badger and the rabbit still have a lot of fun throughout the day doing various things whole the badger is also guessing.
I like the illustrations, they are simple and pretty.
A cute book over all.
June 2, 2017
Two friends are waiting for a mysterious something. One friend asks the other a series of questions trying to guess what the something is, but just becomes further confused by the answers. When the mystery is revealed, the friends rejoice in its beauty.
The text definitely kept me guessing and then, upon the big reveal, I had to go back and reread all the questions and answers with the object in mind. Overall, very poetic in its execution and the ending is very satisfying.
Pencil and pastel illustrations. PreK-2.
The text definitely kept me guessing and then, upon the big reveal, I had to go back and reread all the questions and answers with the object in mind. Overall, very poetic in its execution and the ending is very satisfying.
Pencil and pastel illustrations. PreK-2.
September 1, 2017
A good concept book about waiting and being patient. Two friends, a badger and a rabbit, wait together for a surprise - one knows what they patiently await while the other asks a couple dozen questions trying to guess what it is! In the end, they are happy they waited and look forward to enjoying this same surprise again in the future! But, could it be different next time?
November 1, 2017
This is a very neat story about two animals waiting for the moon. One knows what is coming and the other spends all day trying to figure it out. The illustrations are beautiful. The only thing that can be difficult is reading the two animals conversation. Their words are in different colors, but it can still be a little confusing which is which.
July 10, 2017
I always refer to books like these as "quiet" books, the kind that is best read when cuddling and before bedtime. Lovely illustrations and children - and adults - will have fun trying to guess what these two friends are waiting for.
June 8, 2023
Basically the same plotline as "Waiting is not easy" with elephant and piggie, but I do love the sweet illustrations in this one, and it would be fun for storytime kids to try to guess what badger and bunny are waiting for.
May 15, 2017
Very cute illustrations as raccoon tries to guess what rabbit is waiting for. Clues like riddles abound until the surprise arrives.
May 24, 2017
Simple, thoughtful story with a great message.
June 1, 2017
A guessing game with lovely energetic pictures
July 26, 2017
Great for a read-aloud with 3-5 y/o. Gentle story with lovely illustrations.
August 21, 2017
This would be excellent for storytime read by two people or turned into a puppet show. Matt Phelan's illustrations are beautiful, wonderful pencil drawings.
August 21, 2017
Wonderful, wonderful illustrations and an ending that I did not see coming but highly satisfying. A little gem.
August 26, 2017
Can you follow the clues to figure out what rabbit is waiting for? Pencil illustrations are ideally suited to this story.
September 2, 2017
Beautifully illustrated picture book. It is a twenty question, guessing book. Would be a good book to use for a story time. You could play 20 question games after reading the book.
September 3, 2017
So what is rabbit waiting for? He gives many hints to Badger (and the reader) to try to figure it out. Would make a fun read aloud.
September 16, 2017
two animals spend the day waiting for something. the older one gives clues while the younger one tries to guess. what will it be. Very calming. All Ages.
September 21, 2017
Excellent book for parents and kids. The question/response nature of the story is so indicative of parent/child interactions!
October 25, 2017
What is rabbit waiting for? His friend Badger keeps asking questions, but Rabbit needs him to be patient. Beautiful illustrations.
June 27, 2018
Good gimmick, and good-looking! I read it at Whole Foods.
November 23, 2017
Kept us guessing until the end. Sweet friends and I thought some of the facial expressions of the raccoon were so entertaining!
January 12, 2018
Cute story where one is waiting, and the other is guessing what they are waiting for. There is always a surprise in store.
February 5, 2018
I love Matt Phelan's illustrations! The story is cute too. A fun book to read together.
April 13, 2018
I loved the illustrations!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews