Trick, cheat, swindle, deceive—Tops & Bottoms, adapted and illustrated by Janet Stevens, introduces children to the scam. This theme never gets old. Modern day fraud employs robocalling, online hacking, and face-to-face fast talking. And children have probably been tricked by a sibling or peer at some time in their young lives. In this story, Bear is too lazy to learn the details of Hare's business proposals. Hare doesn't lie; he just doesn't tell the whole truth. Bear doesn't wake up and take notice, doesn't ask questions, and pays dearly for this neglect. Tops & Bottoms invites readers to learn more about business, vegetables, and the trickster trope. The paperback is 11 x 10 inches, and the spine is the head of the book. Pages turn from the bottom up instead of from right to left. Since the illustrations are two-page spreads, Stevens' pictures become poster size at nearly twenty inches tall.
Teaching Travels has Integrated Unit Plan - Tops and Bottoms. Stephanie Santinelli has Tops and Bottoms Story Map.
