Parents' Guide to

Give and Take

By Patricia Tauzer, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Folksy tale, whimsical art teach value of give and take.

Book Chris Raschka Picture Book 2014
Give and Take Poster Image

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What's the Story?

In his apple orchard, a farmer learns a valuable lesson when he meets two different little elf-like men in pointy hats who give him bum advice. The first day, the little man named Take convinces him to trade all his apples for pumpkins, and he ends up making gallons of pumpkin soup. A bad move, since neither he nor his dog likes the stuff. The next day, after he boots Take out of his house, he meets up with Give. This little man also steers the farmer in the wrong direction by telling him to give his apples, and his opinions, away. As a result, the farmer finds himself alone and hungry. He kicks Give out and, as he begins to think about his situation, he hears loud squabbling in the orchard and finds Take and Give fighting over whose way is better. "Neither," the farmer decides. Combining a little give with a little take is the best solution. He then trades some of his apples to the miller for flour, and in the end the farmer, his dog, Take, and Give all share in a delicious surprise that comes with their new found wisdom.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

GIVE AND TAKE is a lightly humorous folk tale with a story that is engaging, thought-provoking, and enjoyable to read aloud. The artwork is fantastic, especially if you like less-than realistic, playful illustrations. Black India ink lines stretch around strong images that are dabbed artistically with subtle yet vivid watercolors. The apples are red red, the pumpkins various shades of orange, with a little green and gray here and there, all splashed against whatever white space remains on the page. The artwork alone will hold the imagination of young readers, and the story will spark plenty of discussion about what went wrong and what went right because of the farmer's decisions to take everything, give everything, and make his own decisions. Give and Take is one book parents won't mind reading over and over again, and kids will continue to love for a long time.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about decision making. How do you decide when different people give you conflicting advice? What happens if their advice doesn't work out for you?

  • Why do you think Raschka draws such heavy black lines to outline his images? Do you think the almost blurry dabs of watercolor to fill them in look messy, or do they look free and playful? If the drawings were glossier and more realistic, would it change how you feel about the story?

  • Did you notice the change in the farmer's ear? Why do you think Raschka added those touches?

Book Details

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