March 2001

Bunny Books

by Susan Heyboer O’Keefe

March brings the welcome promise of spring after what always seems like an unending February.  With spring comes the inevitable assortment of bunny books.  There’s the Easter Bunny, of course, but you needn’t subscribe to any particular belief to enjoy bunnies for either their seasonal message of green grass and tulips or their general cuteness.

Bunnies have a long history in children’s books.  Nowadays they, along with other animals, are a subtle way to be inclusive; that is, a main character that’s a bunny or a bear will by its nature not be defined by race or ethnicity.  And in many instances, unless the character is Betty Bunny with a pink ribbon between her ears, even the gender is open to whichever the reader imagines.

Here are some classic bunny books and a few new ones:

The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd.  Some sixty years old, this is the perfect model for every children’s book that has a parent’s unconditional love as its theme.  No matter how far away the little bunny will run, no matter how cleverly he or she will hide, Mother Bunny will find him and join him there.  Hurd’s wonderful illustrations combine pages of black and white drawings with full pages of bright primary colors.  A true classic that holds up to years of re-reading.

Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt.  Decades before “interactive” was a buzz word, kids were hearing the words, “Judy can pat the bunny.  Now you pat the bunny."  Even though the rest of the book has to do with playing peek-a-boo, looking in a mirror, and other non-rabbitty activities, the opening words and that soft fuzzy bunny on the cover keep this solidly in the bunny book category.

The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams, various illustrators.  Another enduring theme in children’s books -- from Pinocchio to the Toy Story movie series -- is that of toys or other objects having a “secret life” and/or becoming real.  The Velveteen Rabbit towers above most because of the beauty of its writing and because it works perfectly as both children’s story and adult metaphor.  How do any of us become real?  Only when we love and are loved till we fade in spots and our buttons wear off.  The Velveteen Rabbit is in the public domain, meaning its copyright has expired, which is why there are so many different versions of the story with so many different illustrators.

Guess How Much I Love You? by Sam McBratney, illustrated by Anita Jeram.  If The Runaway Bunny is the “mother” of all “I love you” bunny books, this is the father, and the one that’s triggered the current round of titles about unconditional love.  Instead of the soft rounded images of the Hurd book, this one has a masculine look to long lean Nutbrown Hare and offspring Little Nutbrown Hare.  Here the two trade declarations on the size of their love.  But no matter how big the little hare’s love is, his father’s is always more.

Two brand new bunny books on different themes are these --

Tickle Tum! by Nancy Van Laan, illustrated by Bernadette Pons.  A mother rabbit serves up lunch with near-nonsense rhymes to mark every part of eating, from “Whirl aroundsy/ Sit sit downsy” to “Time for a nappa/ so Mama can rest.”  The bright bold cartoons make this a fun book to look at (and may even encourage more cooperative behavior at the high chair).  And the almost-familiar but always understandable wordplay that every parent uses makes this a fun book for reading aloud.

Love Me, Love You by Susan Heyboer O’Keefe, illustrated by Robin Spowart.  Aha, my ulterior motive is revealed!  My newest book has just been reviewed by Publishers Weekly as “a valentine to the mother-child bond” and “perfect for an extended snuggle.”  Mother Bunny and Little Bunny go through a day’s activities and find in each an opportunity to share, in the sweet, gently funny way that only kids have: “Love me, love my thumb./ Tastes so good, I’ll give you some!”  Shameless self-interest aside, I think that Spowart’s soft pastel bunnies are the most endearing you’ll find anywhere.

Children's Book-of-the-Month Club author Susan Heyboer O'Keefe has two new books this spring: Love Me. Love You and a board-book edition of One Hungry Monster.  Her other titles include Angel Prayers, Sleepy Angel’s First Bedtime Story, and Good Night, God Bless.  For fun, book info, and great parrot photos, visit http://www.susanheyboerokeefe.homestead.com