You're Finally Here!

by Mélanie Watt

Overview

This back-to-school favorite is the perfect book for welcoming someone new—or for laughing yourself silly!

Hooray! You're finally here! But where were you? A bunny bounces through a range of emotions in this hilarious picture book about how difficult it is to wait. At first it's ecstatic that you, the reader, have arrived. But then it lets you know that waiting for you took too long, was way too boring, and even became insulting. The bunny is ready to forgive everything if you'll promise to stay. Just hold on one second—it needs to take a phone call. Wait! Come back! Where are you going?

This funny, energetic, in-your-face story is just right for anyone who needs to practice a little patience, or for welcoming a new friend, student, or family member.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316468022
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	07/11/2023
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	26,371
Product dimensions:	9.80(w) x 9.80(h) x 0.10(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Mélanie Watt is the bestselling author and illustrator of many beloved picture books for children, including the Scaredy Squirrel series, the Chester series, You're Finally Here!, Have I Got a Book for You!, and Augustine. Mélanie's books have received numerous starred reviews and have won many state awards in the United States, including the Virginia Readers' Choice Award, the North Carolina Children's Book Award, and the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award. She lives near Montreal with her son and husband and invites readers to visit her online at melaniewatt.blogspot.com.

Editorial Reviews

"Brings to mind the 'Pigeon' series by Mo Willems in both tone and look."—The New York Times

From the Publisher

…brings to mind the "Pigeon" series by Mo Willems in both tone and look.
—The New York Times

Pamela Paul

The title is the accusation/declaration hurled by a mercurial bunny who's peeved that he's been made to wait for readers to show up. "Do you know how RUDE it is to make me wait?" demands the bunny of his audience, as Watt splits her page into four instructional frames. "As rude as talking with my mouth full... As rude as sticking gum under the sofa... As rude as running on carpet with muddy feet... As rude as making faces behind someone's back." (Perceptive readers will recognize that many of the bunny's similes feature common childhood transgressions.) But the bunny, vacillating between anger and apology, is hardly a paragon of polite behavior ("BUT SERIOUSLY, WHERE WERE YOU?" he screams, just one page after cheering readers with a cake, banner, pennant, and dance). And like the rest of the world, he can't resist taking a phone call ("Sure, I'm free to talk—they can wait"). Combining Watt's considerable gifts for metanarrative, social satire, outsize characters, and manic cartooning in one wonderfully silly tale, this is another keeper from a consistently funny talent. Ages 3–6. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

PreS-Gr 2—A demanding bunny is livid. He's been waiting impatiently for readers to open his book. "Do you know how long I've been waiting in here?" "Do you know how annoying it is to have to wait?" "Where were you all this time???" He does think that children have good qualities, though. He likes that they are flealess and good, steady page-turners. Their arrival is celebrated with cake, music, and cartwheels. There is even a contract ready for them to sign, promising they'll stay forever. Before they can sign it, though, the bunny is interrupted. His cell phone rings. As his conversation with Vern leads into another with Aunt Beatrice, he forgets about his guests. The contract, which he was just holding, is now on the floor. As readers turn to the last page, the bunny is puzzled by his friends' departure. He wonders where they're going. "Was it something I said? Seriously, is there a number where I can reach you?" Full-page cartoon art often faces four framed illustrations, giving the bunny's examples of how unfair and boring and rude it is to be kept waiting. Children will delight in being part of this amusing story and enjoy seeing the tables turned as the bunny exhibits rude and unacceptable behavior. The stylized figure has a large oval head and round eyes, and the endpapers are embellished with a carrot design.—Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, AB, Canada

School Library Journal