Bunny
(Includes DVD of the Oscar Winning Animated Short Film)
By Chris Wedge
ipicturebooks/Little Brown 2002
ISBN: 1-59019-479-9 Hardcover
Children/fiction
Ages 4 - 8

Reviewed by Beverly J. Rowe, MyShelf.Com
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A very different children's story about a widowed rabbit that goes to the "other side" to join her deceased mate. This is adapted from an Oscar-winning animated film. The illustrations have the almost photo-like quality of a realistic kitchen with an animated puppet-like rabbit. She's whipping up something to put in the oven when a moth invades her kitchen. The moth flies into her treasured wedding picture. Bunny evicts the moth, and continues with her baking project. The irritating moth manages to get back in and Bunny, in a rage, knocks it into the batter with a swing of her spoon. She furiously mixes it into the batter, and puts it in the oven.

Bunny dozes off while the cake is baking, and when she awakens, there is no cake in the oven, but the moth is there, and a very bright light. Bunny flies off with the moth to join her husband. The book is very well done, and the graphics in the DVD are impressive.

The profound moral message of the book escapes me. The story can be interpreted to meet the needs of parents and children at whatever level the children can understand the concept of the elderly Bunny's transition to "the other side."

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