To Rabbittown (Blue Ribbon) - Softcover

PreSchool-Grade 2-- A dream-like fantasy whose soft-edged illustrations are reminiscent of Brown's Runaway Bunny (Harper, 1972). Here a young child holds a conversation with her pet rabbit. The rabbit invites the child beyond the rolling hills to a pine forest, to the edge of Rabbittown. While in Rabbittown the child assumes the physical characteristics of a rabbit, and learns to observe the quiet beauty of the world as a rabbit would. After a fashion the rabbits of Rabbittown are curious about the child's world, and at this point the child wants to return "to houses filled with the people I love." Once home the child assumes her own human physical characteristics, and returns to her special moments playing with a pet bunny (who holds memories of Rabbittown). This should work well with the preschool set during storytime, and with children who want to enjoy a solitary escape to a fantasy world. A very gentle and uncomplicated book, with a special beauty and grace that make it better than most fantasies for this age level. --J. J. Votapka, Oyster Bay-East Norwich Public Library, Oyster Bay, N.Y.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In this dreamy picture-book fantasy, a girl asks her pet rabbit, "Where do the rolling hills go?" and the white rabbit gives her directions "to the edge of it all / to Rabbittown." She journeys to the home of the rabbits, where she is invited to stay and gradually turns into a rabbit herself: "I grew ears / I heard butterflies fly / I heard the movement of worms in the soil / I heard clouds coming." She lives happily in Rabbittown until a baby rabbit snuggles close and asks, "Where do the rolling hills go?" and the girl remembers her family and wants "to grow legs again / to grow arms again / to hold my pet bunny again / who holds memories / of Rabbittown." Wayland's fuzzy narrative poem lacks craft, and Spowert's scumbled illustrations, though well designed, seem repetitious. Ages 7-10.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.