BIG BUNNY

A little reader adapts their caregiver’s bedtime story.

“Once upon a time, there was a BIG BUNNY,” begins the storyteller. “A ginormously SCARY bunny?” prompts the listening little one. As the story spirals larger and larger and finds the giant bunny ingesting the contents of vegetable trucks driven by trucker penguins, Watkins comments upon the push and pull between adults and children and what each party wants in stories for little ones. Watkins’ illustrations are dynamic and absurd, pushing the boundaries of scale and perspective as the Big Bunny rampages through the story. There is no text but dialogue, the child’s in a boldfaced sans-serif type and the adult’s in a much more staid typeface. The eventual reveal of the storyteller’s and listener’s identities is a great gag, and there are plenty of little jokes scattered through the margins that readers of all ages will enjoy. Watkins’ glee in crafting a near-anarchic tale is infectious, sparking imaginations and appreciation for storytelling in equal measure.

An exciting and endearing tale for young and old alike.