TOM RABBIT

Shades of The Velveteen Rabbit: young Sammy takes his plush friend Tom out one day to see "real rabbits," then runs off, distracted. Perched atop a stone wall, Tom tries to make the best of things as the sun sets, the moon rises (" 'I've never seen that before,' thought Tom Rabbit"), and wild rabbits gambol below (" 'I'm not scared one bit' ”). Using her characteristic soft lines and pale palette, Firth creates large, simply drawn scenes, subtly conveying Tom's growing apprehension with changes in the length of his mouth or the attitude of his stubby front limbs. Just when Tom is sure that he's been abandoned, Sammy comes for him, and the two are last seen snuggling down contentedly in bed together. As is only to be expected from the team that created the Big Bear and Little Bear stories, the emotional landscape here will be familiar to any toddler or post-toddler, and the ending positively glows with comfort. Read this to your bunny (to paraphrase Rosemary Wells) only if you're prepared for repeat performances. (Picture book. 3-5)