BUNNY AND CLYDE ON THE LAM

A rabbit and her chipmunk BFF attempt to undo the bad reputations they earned in their first outing.

Bunny and Clyde are good eggs, through and through. Though they walked on the wild side in the first book in the series, they’re tired of trying to be naughty, but not everyone realizes that. When Thornton the possum’s tooth fairy money goes mysteriously missing while the animal friends are all attending a magic show, the blame unfairly falls on Bunny and Clyde. They protest their innocence and empty their pockets, but their pals still don’t believe them, so, pursued by their now-furious friends, the pair decide to go on the lam. Kids may wonder why Bunny and Clyde’s pals are so quick to turn on them; though they admittedly did toy with being mischievous in the past, their friends’ refusal to hear them out feels a bit implausible. Still, it’s a humorous setup; the image of these sweet-faced creatures forming an angry mob will elicit plenty of giggles. The laughs keep coming as the two seek a secure hiding place and attempt to find out what became of the gold coin; Bunny and Clyde are utterly earnest and guileless, completely and hilariously at odds with their friends’ conception of them. Clever wordplay abounds, along with comforting references to reading and libraries.

High-spirited frolics carry this whimsical tale to an upbeat conclusion.