Nubby

by Dan Richards, Shanda McCloskey (Illustrator)

A beloved but overworked toy strikes out on his own to find glory—only to find that the best rewards were at home all along in this sweet and funny picture book that is perfect for fans of Toy Story and Knuffle Bunny .

Nubby the stuffed rabbit is his owner’s favorite toy, but you wouldn’t know it from the way he’s treated. He’s been dropped, dragged, and even used as a nose wipe. He decides to strike out for a fresh start, and his adventure takes him across the realm—or at least around the cul-de-sac—in search of treasure, fame, and glory. But these rewards aren't as sweet as Nubby hoped they'd be. What's missing?
As Nubby travels through the neighborhood, his owner's family begins to search for him. Nubby's journey might not have taken him far, but it does teach him one no amount of glory could replace the love of his owner.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Love, Humor, Animals, Family

40 pages, Hardcover

Published January 3, 2023

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nubby is a grumpy, blue bunny plushie. And he’s tired of being dropped, dragged, torn, and tugged again and again. Sooo… At the first chance he gets, Nubby makes a break for it (with a little help, of course). After hopping around from place to place though, Nubby soon realizes how hard and lonely the world can be on your own. He misses his home. Can he find his way back to the place he belongs and the boy he belongs to? Come see!

These pages are top to bottom full of movement and fun. The art utilizes the whole page—the backgrounds and foregrounds—to show and tell Nubby’s action packed journey. And the eyes! I loved the eyes. Haha…Look at those mischievous dog eyes. Or Nubby’s unibrow! That bunny brow says it all.

A fun, BIG-hearted story that shows the truth about home and family. Sometimes we just don’t see the love and care until we step away and take a look from another angle.

[James Hoffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sentient, but non-mobile protagonist somehow gets from location to location and ultimately learns a valuable lesson. His ability to move is based on the actions of others (dog, children) rather than himself, and raises the question - "Is he providing a hindsight explanation for the things that happen to him as though he had control OR is he somehow able to control reality to get himself around?" The answer is obvious, seeing as how he was not treated as was his preference - meaning that everything that happened to him was outside of his control and yet he spoke of it as though it was. Is there a broader metaphor here? I truly believe so.

[Sarah Fancher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always proofread the books that come in the mail with Imagination Library when I've never heard of them. This one was super cute and good and teaches you to appreciate the things you have through the eyes of a favorite stuffed animal.

[Mo · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Nubby lay staring up at the sky.
The pain in his chest cut deep,
deeper than torn cloth
and strewn stuffing.
It went all the way
to the very fabric of his soul.”

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dolly Parton Imagination Library’s May selection. Very cute book about how the grass is not always greener on the other side. The text is easy to read and simple enough for a 3 year old to comprehend but also up to probably 6 years old without being too babyish. The illustrations are beautiful and I think it was well executed. Overall, I’d give it 4/5 ⭐️.

[Read Ribbet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Believing the grass is always greener on the other side, Nubby a beloved but often abused pet rabbit decides he has had enough and decides to leave his home to explore the world. He quickly discovers the world can be a bit rougher than he thought and begins to wonder if he can ever get back to his home. The reader can follow Nubby's adventures through the illustrations of Shanda McCloskey and discover if he is able to find his way back home perhaps with a new perspective on life.

[Quinn Perkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story is cute, especially within the context of the illustrations.

[Lisa Melenka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute, one of the most reached for books by my 4 yo son.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute story about a mistreated stuffy and his journey to find the ideal life. My stuffy-abusing kids really loved it!

[Brittany · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book as an adult reader for the AR Diamond Book Award. It's a solid 2.5 stars from me. The illustrations were mostly cute, but I didn't think that the search for fame, popularity, and riches were best suited for this book.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This picture book is a 3.5 for me. Anyone who has ever loved a stuffed animal toy to death--literally--will smile in somewhat sheepish recognition at the hard use to which this stuffy is put. Nubby, a stuffed rabbit, decides that he's had enough of being pulled, pushed, and mistreated. His fur has been soaked with tears and snot one too many time, and he's starting to feel rather shabby. In time-honored fashion, he decides that things must be better elsewhere, and with assistance from the family dog, he sets off the find a better life and someone who will appreciate him more. But the grass is definitely not greener on the other side, and Nubby doesn't fare particularly well with those he meets, including a real rabbit and a budding magician. As he ponders the meaning of life and happiness, considering whether it might be fame, popularity or maybe riches, Nubby realizes that he already had what he needed most--the love of his boy. Once they are reunited and Nubby is spruced up again, he doesn't mind all that mistreatment or poor use. After all, it means that he is cherished, just as he has learned to cherish those moments with his boy. Although this is a delightful story in many respects, it's still worth reminding youngsters to take care of what they love and not treat them carelessly. That way they'll last longer. The artwork, created with pencil, Procreate, watercolor, and Photoshop, will entertain young readers just as much as the over-dramatic text since they can see where Nubby is, not far from home even though he makes it sound as though he's been on a lengthy journey, and how desperately his family is searching for him.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

First sentence: Nubby was done. He had been carried, buried, dropped, dragged, torn, worn, chewed on, sat on, and even used as a nose wipe. Repeatedly. A bunny can only take so much. He needed a new beginning.

Premise/plot: Nubby, a toy bunny, thinks the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. (Not really. Well, not literally). Nubby HATES his life. Surely ANYTHING is better than staying "stuck" in the same place. So Nubby runs away from home, but, his new beginning...leads to many new beginnings...all of them equally less than ideal. HOME has never meant more to Nubby. Can this 'prodigal' toy find his way back home???

My thoughts: I enjoyed reading Nubby. It was a lovely read with a great message. It was definitely SHOW not tell. (Any picture book can 'preach' about contentment and gratitude.) The story was entertaining. The illustrations really help tell the story. I loved some of the expressions in the artwork.

[Kate M. Colby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack received this book from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. I picked it up to read tonight before bath and am so glad I did! It follows Nubby, a stuffed animal who feels under appreciated and strikes out on his own to find someone who will adore him…before realizing what he had all along. It sounds simple and cheesy but the writing is so clever and has this funny dry humor to it. It was an instant favorite for me. Jack seemed to like it too. He stood close and watched Nubby’s adventures and asked me to read it to Dada next.

[Aura Keaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nubby is an endearing tale very much in the same vein as The Velveteen Rabbit. Nubby has been thrown, dropped, chewed on, torn, dragged through the mud, had snot wiped on him repeatedly for days, months, years, but he still has faith that even when he is lost, he will be loved again.

Nubby is a cute adventure of a stuffed rabbit that is run through the wringer, but always finds his way back into the arms of those who love him.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought it was a little bit violent for my 2 year old. We read it anyways a handful of times. She had nightmares about her teddy bear the last time we read it, so I think I’ll go with my gut and donate the book. When I asked her if we should get rid of it she said yeah and she pointed to the bunny and said he was an “angry bunny”. This would probably be better for an older age, but I personally found it a little bit morbid with the stuffing ripped out of the bunny’s chest even as an adult.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A funny book about a stuffed toy rabbit who feels underappreciated so he runs away from the boy that uses him and finds the world isn't all it's cracked up to be, and that maybe the boy who he thought didn't love him actually did. The artwork isn't anything memorable, but the story is amusing and I found myself cracking up a few times. My rating - 4/5

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story reminds me of Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion. It's not about a dog, but it is about a stuffed toy getting dirty and being loved and missed by its person. I love the illustrations, they provide a ton of emotional connections that make you care about the stuffed rabbit and what happens to it.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute picture book about an adorable stuffed rabbit who had been carried, buried, dropped, dragged, torn, worn, chewed on, sat on, and used as a nose wipe. Nubby has had it and sets out in search of a better life. But maybe the life he's looking for isn't that far after all. This book is recommended for readers ages 3-7 and is a cute, quick read.

[Nicole Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nubby is a much-loved stuffed rabbit but a little too loved. He decides its time to get away from the snotty, dirty kids and go it alone, only to discover that beneath all the dirt, was a lot of love that he missed. A great book for kids with a much-loved stuffed animal.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poor Nubby is being loved to pieces - literally - and sets out to find a life of his own.

Charming and very funny, kids will love this adventure even though Nubby never gets very far. The grass is always greener on the other side of the cul-de-sac and Nubby learns an important life lesson.

[curiouskat_books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reminds me of some of those other books that center around a dog that decides to run away only to regret their decision. Enjoyable, although there were some parts in the middle where it felt a bit dragging.

[Emily Haage · Rating 3 out of 5]

It started off cute, but the whole search for “popularity, fame, and riches” doesn’t fit the story well. Those bits seemed unnecessary and not like something a child would connect with.

Maybe read aloud for a stuffed animal sleepover, with some modifications.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Finding someone to appreciate him was hard work.”

Nubby doesn’t know how happy he is until he goes away from his boy and his home. Suddenly, all that being carried and buried and dropped doesn’t seem quite so bad. But will he be able to find his way back?

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read 190 picture books this year. This is one of my favorites. It is reminiscent of The Velveteen Rabbit, but with less tears.
A beloved stuffed rabbit feels used and abused, and yet he realizes after running away that being used as a kleenex was actually a sign of appreciation and affection.

[Mo · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of those books that hit me at just the right time. Is the grass greener elsewhere? Or does it just seem that way? You are right where you're meant to be and have plenty to be grateful for. Perspective is key.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

A stuffed rabbit is sick of the standard abuse of the toddler who owns him and thinks the grass will be greener on the other side. But he realizes it's not, and it's better to be loved by his toddler. My daughter also had a stuffed rabbit, so I felt connected to this a little bit.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very adorable book! Highly recommend for your littles.

[Kelly]

One of the "the grass is always greener" books.

[KMitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

The grass always seems greener on the other side of the fence... Nubby explores this in this sweet & humorous picture book.

[Lori Tart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poor Nubby is fed up and wants a new life. Will he get what he wants or will he find out that there is no place like home?