THE BRAVE LITTLE BUNNY
by Linda Jennings & illustrated by Catherine Walters
A lop-eared rabbit named Millie lives in a small backyard hutch and is bored with the same old fare of lettuce, carrots, and no space to hop in. She stares at the tall green hedge at the end of the yard and wonders what it's like on the other side. One day she escapes into the wild where she is scorned for being a lowly pet, and for having droopy ears. Life in the hutch still doesn't look very promising, so Millie and a more tolerant wild rabbit begin a life of their own, in a glade apparently devoid of predators. The crew of characters are expressive and realistically drawn, but it's difficult to read this work without hearing echoes of other stories (The Velveteen Rabbit, The Rabbits' Wedding, The Runaway Bunny) of more enduring interest. (Picture book. 4-7)