There’snoneighborhoodlikeaMarianneDubucneighborhood--thistimeinanapartmentbuilding!It’saspecialdayat3MapleStreet.It’sLittleRabbit’sbirthday!Hismothermakeshimhisfavoritebreakfast.Hissisterhasdrawnhimapicture.And,bestofall,he’shavingabirthdayparty!Hisfriendsareinvited,hisfatherisdecorating,andhismotherisbakingacake.Butthat’snottheonlythinggoingonat3MapleStreettoday.TheCatfamilyismovinginupstairs...theFoxfamilyishavinganewbaby...Mr.Owlistryingtosleep...there’ssomuchhappeninginside(andoutside)thislivelybuilding,it’shardtokeeptrack!Thismultilayeredpicturebookfrominternationalaward-winningMarianneDubucallowsreaderstopeerintothehomesofallthecharminganimalfamiliesinthebuildingoneveryspread.Thoughthereisonemainstory,capturedinthetext,therearemultitudesofotherstories-within-the-story,toldinvisualnarratives.Dubuc’swinsomeone-of-a-kindillustrationsincludeheapsofcleverdetailsforchildrentoporeover,promisingsomethingnewtodiscoverwitheverylookandencouragingvisualliteracyinreadersandprereaders.Thereareterrificsocialstudiesconnectionshereontheconceptsofcommunity,inclusivenessandbelonging.
