Some stories just stick. You probably remember the first time you saw the cover of Tops and Bottoms the book—it doesn’t even open the right way. Instead of turning pages left to right like every other book on the shelf, you flip it up, like a legal pad or a wall calendar. That’s not just a gimmick. Janet Stevens, the author and illustrator, did that on purpose to mimic the way things grow out of the dirt. It’s vertical storytelling.
Honestly, it’s brilliant.
The book, which earned a Caldecott Honor back in 1996, is based on old European and American South folktales. It features a very lazy Bear and a very "spunky" (read: exhausted and desperate) Hare. Bear has tons of land but zero motivation. Hare has a bunch of hungry kids but no land. They strike a deal. Hare does the work, Bear provides the field, and they split the profits.
But there’s a catch.
The Genius of the "Tops and Bottoms" Strategy
The core of the story is basically a series of contract negotiations. Hare asks Bear, "Do you want the tops or the bottoms?"
Bear, being lazy and not wanting to think too hard, chooses the tops. So, Hare plants root vegetables—carrots, radishes, beets. When harvest time comes, Hare gets the crunchy, edible bottoms. Bear gets a pile of useless green fuzz. It’s hilarious because you can see it coming, but Bear is just so confident in his laziness that he falls for it every single time.
It’s a classic trickster tale.
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The next year, Bear gets smart. Or he thinks he does. He demands the bottoms. So, what does Hare do? He plants lettuce, broccoli, and celery. He takes the tops; Bear gets the roots. By the third round, Bear is fuming. He demands both the tops and the bottoms. Hare, being the tactical genius he is, plants corn. He takes the ears in the middle and leaves Bear with the tassels and the roots.
Why Janet Stevens’ Artwork Changes Everything
If you look at the 1995/1996 reviews from The Horn Book or School Library Journal, they almost always point to the texture. Stevens used watercolor, colored pencils, and gesso on handmade paper. You can see the grit. You can see the exhaustion in the Hare family’s eyes and the literal cobwebs on Bear’s porch.
The vertical orientation—the "top-to-bottom" opening—isn't just a design choice. It forces the reader to look at the garden the way a gardener does. You see the sky, you see the surface, and you see the subterranean world where the carrots are hiding. It’s a literal representation of the "tops" and "bottoms" being discussed.
Bear represents wealth without effort.
Hare represents effort without wealth.
It’s a bit gritty for a kids' book if you think about it too long. It’s about survival. Hare isn't trying to be mean; he's trying to feed his family because he lost all his luck in a race with a tortoise (a nice little nod to Aesop).
Addressing the "Lazy Bear" Controversy
Some people over-analyze this book. They really do. There’s a segment of readers who feel bad for Bear. They see Hare as a scam artist. But if you look at the actual text of Tops and Bottoms the book, Bear is the one who chooses. He has the power. He owns the resources. He just doesn't want to put in the "sweat equity," as we’d call it today.
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It’s a lesson in literacy and attention to detail.
If Bear had just looked at a seed packet, he wouldn't have been "tricked." The book teaches kids that being "in charge" doesn't mean you can stop paying attention. It’s a cautionary tale about complacency. Most teachers use it to teach "character traits" or "cause and effect," but the real-world application is much closer to basic contract law.
Real-World Lessons in the Garden
You can actually use this book to start a garden with kids. It’s probably the most practical "STEM" book out there for the kindergarten crowd. If you’re reading this to a child, you can categorize your grocery list:
- Tops: Spinach, Kale, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage.
- Bottoms: Potatoes (technically tubers, but Bear wouldn't know the difference), Carrots, Parsnips, Onions.
- Middles: Corn, Peppers, Tomatoes, Beans.
It turns a trip to the produce aisle into a game of "Who is Hare going to trick today?"
The Lasting Legacy of the Hare and the Bear
It’s been decades since its release, and it hasn't gone out of print. That’s rare. Most picture books have a shelf life of about five years before they fade into the background. Tops and Bottoms the book stays relevant because it doesn't talk down to kids. It acknowledges that sometimes, life is about outsmarting a situation that seems unfair.
Bear eventually learns his lesson. He wakes up. He starts planting his own crops. He stops being a passive participant in his own life. That’s the "happy ending" that often gets overlooked. Hare gets his land back (buying it with his vegetable profits), and Bear becomes a productive member of society.
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Everyone wins, but only after Bear loses enough "tops" to realize he needs to do the work.
How to Get the Most Out of Reading It
If you’re picking this up for a classroom or a home library, don’t just read the words. Look at the Hare's kids. They are usually in the background doing the actual heavy lifting. It’s a great way to talk about teamwork and the reality of physical labor.
- Read it vertically. Let the child hold the book so they feel the difference in how it opens.
- Predict the crop. Before you turn the page on the third deal, ask them: "What could Hare plant that has nothing useful on the top or the bottom?"
- Check the endpapers. The art at the very beginning and end of the book often has little details about the vegetables mentioned.
Go buy a packet of radish seeds and a packet of lettuce seeds. Plant them. Let the kids see which one gives them a "top" and which one gives them a "bottom." It’s the fastest way to make the story "real" for a five-year-old who thinks carrots come from a plastic bag.
Ultimately, the book is about more than just vegetables. It’s about the fact that if you sleep through the hard work, you shouldn't be surprised when you’re left with the tassels. Use it as a jumping-off point for talking about where food comes from, but also about why it's important to keep your eyes open when you're making a deal. It’s a classic for a reason.
Practical Next Steps
- Audit your library: Check if your copy of Tops and Bottoms the book is the Caldecott Honor version; the printing quality on the textures is significantly better.
- Interactive Reading: When you get to the "Corn" section, explain that the "middle" is the part we eat, which helps children understand that plants aren't just two-dimensional objects.
- Garden Planning: Use the "Tops, Bottoms, and Middles" framework to organize a small raised bed or even just a few pots on a windowsill to demonstrate the biological concepts Stevens illustrates.