When her wee bunny is unable to sleep, a mother rabbit calls upon her entire repertoire of soothing tactics to settle her little one down for the night. Awakened by cries of “I can’t sleep,” the bleary-eyed mother looks into the sparkling eyes of her youngest offspring and knows she’s in for a rambunctious night. Little Bunny has decided that staying up all night is the best way to get some extra-special Mommy time. From lullabies to warm baths, to even warmer milk, nothing seems to tucker out the tireless pip-squeak. Eventually it is the sheer exuberance of the young bunny that wears him out, as he dozes off mid-hop. Yet, as is the lot of weary parents and caregivers everywhere, the beleaguered Mrs. Rabbit just settles into bed when she hears the now-familiar wail from her next youngest child. Johnson’s tale is simply, sweetly told. Mrs. Rabbit exhibits endless patience and care, enveloping her child with warm, albeit weary, affection. Young readers will readily recognize Mrs. Rabbit’s familiar lullaby and playful rhymes, which are given a bunny twist: “Hush-a-bye bunny on the tree top,” and “Rub-a-dub dub, my bunny needs a scrub.” Hansen’s gently shaded, soft-pastel illustrations echo the tender loving care of the tale. Her captivating pictures feature an utterly cuddly bunny with an impish glint in his eye and a jaunty tilt to his long floppy ears. Like its energetic protagonist, this winsome tale is hard to resist. (Picture book. 3-5)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2002
ISBN: 1-58925-017-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2002
This is a tremendously moving story, but some people will be moved only on the second reading, after they’ve Googled “How to...
A hug shouldn’t require an instruction manual—but some do.
A porcupine can frighten even the largest animal. In this picture book, a bear and a deer, along with a small rabbit, each run away when they hear eight simple words and their name: “I need a hug. Will you cuddle me,…?” As they flee, each utters a definitive refusal that rhymes with their name. The repetitive structure gives Blabey plenty of opportunities for humor, because every animal responds to the question with an outlandish, pop-eyed expression of panic. But the understated moments are even funnier. Each animal takes a moment to think over the request, and the drawings are nuanced enough that readers can see the creatures react with slowly building anxiety or, sometimes, a glassy stare. These silent reaction shots not only show exquisite comic timing, but they make the rhymes in the text feel pleasingly subtle by delaying the final line in each stanza. The story is a sort of fable about tolerance. It turns out that a porcupine can give a perfectly adequate hug when its quills are flat and relaxed, but no one stays around long enough to find out except for an animal that has its own experiences with intolerance: a snake. It’s an apt, touching moral, but the climax may confuse some readers as they try to figure out the precise mechanics of the embrace.
This is a tremendously moving story, but some people will be moved only on the second reading, after they’ve Googled “How to pet a porcupine.” (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Jan. 29, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-29710-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Sept. 29, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A funny tale about stress and an ever upping ante, with a comforting end.
Something is preventing Owl from falling asleep.
Owl leans back against his white pillow and headboard. “Squeek!” says something underneath the bed. Owl’s never heard that sound before, so he fastens his pink bathrobe and answers the front door. Nobody. It must be the wind; back to bed. Bidding himself goodnight, he climbs into bed—and hears the noise again. Time after time, he pops out of bed seeking the squeaker. Is it in the cupboard? He empties the shelves. Under the floor? He pulls up his floorboards. As Owl’s actions ratchet up—he destroys the roof and smashes the walls, all in search of the squeak—so does his anxiety. Not until he hunkers down in bed under the night sky (his bed is now outdoors, because the house’s roof and walls are gone), frantically clutching his pillow, does he see what readers have seen all along: a small, gray mouse. In simple illustrations with black outlines, textured coloring, and foreshortened perspective, Pizzoli plays mischievously with mouse placement. Sometimes the mouse is behind Owl or just out of his sightline; other times, the mouse is on a solid, orange-colored page across the spread from Owl, which removes him from Owl’s scene in a rather postmodern manner. Is the mouse toying with Owl? Who knows?
A funny tale about stress and an ever upping ante, with a comforting end. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: April 19, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4847-1275-7
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2016
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