The SADDEST Children's Book Ever Written - The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (Animated Recap)

#2000skid #2000snostalgia #scholasticbooks #booktube #animation
Hey, remember that one incredibly depressing book your third grade teacher read to your whole class? I animated it!
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[@dootieboot1838]

I did the play version of this book my senior year of high school and me and my actual little sister got to be Bryce and Sarah Ruth. And I pride myself on the fact that I only cried three times.

[@whatalsaid]

That sounds amazing.

[@Minnie_Stronni]

I think Ghibli would do a great job of adapting the book as well, really get those tears flowing!

[@whatalsaid]

Definitely.

[@javagirl98]

This gender-fluid rabbit just had a whole emotional journey and I love that for them.

[@EleanaSmith]

Well in the book he is only refered to as a girl by people in the dialog but in the narration he is always edward

[@Arcade_Cat_]

Seeing Castiel hold a rabbit doll that looks like Post Malone is not something I ever expected, but is very welcome. Anyways, THIS IS MY FAVORITE BOOK!! My teacher read this to us in first grade shortly after it came out and it has just stuck with me since. I even saw the MN Opera adaptation last year! The opera did a fantastic thing where Edward was portrayed by an actor and a doll simultaneously, so whenever one of the other actors moved the doll, the actor for Edward would move in the same way.

[@kyleegilman3537]

How was this a book for children, I'm crying from an animation 😭

[@whatalsaid]

My third grade teacher really chose violence when she inflicted this book on 8 year old me and my class.

[@iamjustkiwi]

Same, when he tells the other doll about how loved he had been, i actually started crying too. What a story!

[@gabrielleengel7476]

There was actually a great article with Kate DiCamillo that explains why all of her books are so dark.

[@wesleyhart1950]

The one other studio I’d love to see take a crack at this is Cartoon Saloon - the studio behind of The Secret of Kells, Wolfwalkers, Song of the Sea, and My Father’s Dragon, among others. A lot of their movies are adaptations of slightly tense and bittersweet children’s books where you’re not always sure things are going to work out okay. This book is so weird and wrenching that I think it takes a weird and feelsy studio to pull it off. I love this kind of video from you, btw!!! I hope it’s the first of many!! 🥳

[@Titleknown]

...Okay, this is a weird thought, but anyone else think Jack Stauber would also be a great filmmaker to do an adaptation of this? Like, with the generally melancholy tone of his work, the themes of childhood, and the unique music and multimedia style that'd work great for the multiple characters in this story, they seem like they'd be perfect!

[@Miraculous_journey]

My best friend in 6th grade gave me this book as a birthday present, right before I was moving back to China a second time. Growing up I moved between China and the US quite often. When I first read this book, I resonated with Edward so much. I would go to a school, stay there for a year or two, develop really great friendships, and then have to say goodbye at the end of my stay. Messaging across time zones was hard and maintaining these friendships was near impossible. The book taught me so much and actually helped me come to terms with my moving around a lot: even though you have to say goodbye at the end, you cherish the memories and the love you received from people. I learned to be content to just know that I had these friendships as a kid, even though I couldn't maintain all of them. Edward Tulane was a big part of my childhood and I will never forget the note my friend wrote to me: even though you're moving, you'll always find love in the places you go! Thanks Al for taking me down memory lane!

[@jharmond3874]

That is so true because you were either reading something silly like if you give a mouse a cookie, or something very sad like Where The Red Ferns Grows, The Giver, Charolettes Web, or Gossamer.

[@whatalsaid]

Charlotte’s Web is another one that wrecked me.

[@jharmond3874]

⁠I loved pigs so much they were my favorite animals as a kid so I read it over and over again and still got sad about the ending. It was my book of choice for the Battle of the Books.

[@mme725]

I know you only walked us through the book and this isn't like some full audiobook transcript, but I gotta say I really enjoyed this story-time with you. Never heard of this story but dang does it tug at the heartstrings.

[@TheoStimac]

Damn, gang. This is my first encounter with this story. It is like if "The Velveteen Rabbit" had even less chill.

[@Jerry_attrick]

Even this recap made me cry. I truly don't think I could read this again

[@huniibeetrapz]

trust me- I just did it in one day bc my SO had never heard this story before and I’ve been sobbing ever since. Don’t reread unless necessary 😭

[@kimberlyhenson7433]

I read this book back in third grade and I can’t tell you how hard I cried at the end of this book. It’s an amazing book but it’s also devastating to hear about all the things that Edward had to go through just when I thought things couldn’t get worse.

[@shpostmile1510]

Oh I'm so glad someone is talking about this book, it absolutely messed me up as a kid. The part where it's just a description of him lying at the bottom of the ocean especially got to me cause the idea of being inescapably sentient in a situation like that freaked me out

[@damekkoDark]

okay I'm crying over retelling of a sad children's book

[@WoodTrose]

I adored this book as a kid. And despite being how sad it is I feel like it deserves more love, so Im so glad you made a video on it.

[@whatalsaid]

Definitely. I’ve actually seen some TikTok videos of teachers reading this book to their class, so I’m glad the kids are still hearing it.

[@flowerheit4512]

i have no idea why this showed up in my recommendations but it meant a lot to me as a child. i really identified with edward's powerlessness. i kind of dont think its likely to get a film adaptation just because it is such a dark book

[@iohu11]

Holy fucks this was so sad, great animation and details, I loved the Malone puppet mode. Thanks for sharing, I never read this book as a kid but I would have probably loved it as Im doing right now.

[@macydammen7812]

Al! My pal!! Once again, you have astounded me with your attention to detail! The water, the crochet pattern, the dirt, his face and body post-clean-up. Even the notch in your glasses!! Why is that there anyway?? Doesn't matter, absolutely beautiful, damn near breath-taking. And your recap was So Good, I'm thinking about gifting this book to my brand new niece. I'm already gifting her a copy of The Velveteen Rabbit, but this version of "Toy Rabbit Who Finds Out What Love Is" is a little more on-the-nose and I like that for a children's book

[@whatalsaid]

Thank you very much. ❤️ and also, DEFINITELY get this book for your niece. It’s such a good book.

[@heathbrinkman3126]

The long form transition is incredible, this video is so good

[@eggalytheegg5567]

Netflix recently made a series that's very different than the miraculous journey of Edward tulane, but the ending is the same and they make me think of them. The series is called lost Ollie

[@ravenrepentance]

This had me sobbing! I didn't think I would cry so much! Thank you for telling this story! 😭😭😭

[@Path6627]

Okay…that was read to kids? I’m kind of glad I missed this one! Sad, dark and so much left unfinished. What happened to the hobo and the dog! What about Bryce? Did the daughter get in trouble for throwing away her parents doll. These questions would have bothered me for weeks!😅

[@whatalsaid]

All the questions I've been asking for the last 17 years.

[@roryhogan2687]

This was my absolute favourite kid’s book

[@winsome.anneurt]

LAIKA!! YESYESYES (Also, as usual, your animation was absolutely baller)

[@DRAGONS1RE]

I saw this as a one act play once. And yeah, I was sobbing bro. It’s such a good story though.

[@nathanlongs]

Al I love this video so much, this is the second time I’m watching it, and I’m still blown away at how much you put into your animations. I hope we get an animated adaptation one day too, Keep up the good work!

[@wdymhoe]

This is still to this day my all time favorite book. My 4th grade teacher read it to us and I still think about it. I remember I even got a stuffed bunny and named him Edward. I hope one day they make a movie about it 💔

[@raemystic8854]

I really loved this book as a kid! (And a lot of other books by Kate DiCamillo as well). Even though I know this story already I still sobbed at your retelling 😭😭😭 fantastic job!

[@Tig3rbutts]

I was just reminded of this book when a memory popped up of having read it last year, so this video is good timing! It wrecked me as an adult reading it on their lunch break, I can’t even begin to fathom the emotional damage reading it to a class of students might do ;o;

[@EvsUnderscore]

My third grade teacher read this book to our class and I vaguely remembered it, so I spent the last 30 minutes trying to find it and here we are. So glad I found this video

[@juriepica1174]

jesus christ I didn't expect to cry during a recap of a sad story. i'm so glad the ending was happy cause otherwise I would have shut down.

[@screamsformemes]

0:21 god i didnt want to feel old today specifically 1:05 i yelled in terror so im gunna have to pass on this one! Thanks for the warning and I'm sure the video is amazing!

[@Olivia-pj9wy]

Oh my gosh, we read it in elementary school too, and I cried

[@daganlove8536]

Gregor the overlander was so good

[@reinholdagustin7029]

I did watch something similar to Edward Tulane, Netflix's "Lost Ollie". It made me tear up like that book, so emotionally mature and dramatic can't help but feel like it was inspired by the latter.

[@lillithefangirl2422]

OH MY GOD I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH

[@iamjustkiwi]

What a beautiful book, i wasnt expecting to get emotional over a fictional toy rabbit today, but here I am. You did a beautiful job telling this.

[@achillespatroclus3587]

This book really made an impression on my childhood just for how bleak it is

[@arwinorso]

poor malone :(((

[@American_Gurly]

Wait I also read it before too when Sarah Ruth died, we were all so sad. It’s wholesome too. We loved it and we also read “all because of Winn Dixie” We loved that too! Well I’m almost in 3rd grade sooo… I’m almost in forth!

[@GamerRCL]

We read this in my 4th grade class and it was one of the most emotionally intense things I'd ever read up until that point.

[@Kinsume1]

This was a great creation, good job

[@gretagoogames]

even the recap hurts my heart

[@Forever_Rayne]

Fuck, now I'm crying too 😭😭😭

[@ijlayugan4149]

13:26 GAGGED. Jesus my tears-

[@RandySForbes]

Hilarious! My wife, a third grade teacher, was telling me about "this book" she read to her class today. 😂

[@roombavoomba]

I LOVED THIS BOOK i remember crying at the growth of this porcelain rabbit. i always wanted to do some art of this book it was that impactful

[@StormyToastOfficalFanPage]

We had to read this as a school book in fifth grade 😭

[@Mirala0618]

I read this book as a child and completely repressed it 😅

[@mimi_h]

dang, based off this, it seems actually great they made kids read about edward's journey! even though it's sad, it definitely seems like a good lesson on how to appreciate found family 🥹

[@bagelraven]

I guess reading Kate DiCamillo in third grade was a common thing, since that was the grade I read _Because of Winn-Dixie_ in

[@wesleyhart1950]

That’s when I read The Tale of Despereaux! When Al showed those two as examples, I thought: ah, the author bringing existential dread to your elementary classroom. :”)

[@4campanella]

if the velveteen rabbit made me sad as a kid, this wouldve crushed me

[@jesse6311]

The princess was turned into a wharthog

[@talkingcatsproductions1140]

I loved this book. I just read it. I'm 41.

[@PenelopeMiller-ni4sm]

My teachers been reading this and I’m only eight years old in second grade this is 2024

[@lokiiago_x0x]

When I was in jr high ish (early 00s) there was this weird trend where every YA book was either about...hm how to say this on KZbin...we'll say "hurting yourself," ED's, or SA as a result of internet stranger danger. NO WONDER WE'RE LIKE THIS! :P

[@Arcidesvasquez5091]

Yo I’m in third grade and we read this book on 1/31/24

[@jonothanthrace1530]

And here I thought Charlotte's Web was a sad story to read to schoolkids, wow.

[@Messer197]

My class is reading it right now we finishing next weak

[@victoriaacevedo3420]

I went to the same school as you

[@thegamerqueen7701]

I’m just reading it Edit:I just finished it and it had an happy ending 2 weeks later

[@flopperplayz6776]

Both m.j.o.e.t and b.o.w.d are great

[@jaslyncrawford4699]

I read this in school

[@AmiHoffman-se7pc]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@catgutinabag]

wait but isnt pellagrina the witch or am i trippin

[@NonisLuck]

Weird 😮

[@PenelopeMiller-ni4sm]

It’s actually not a boy