Emmaline and the Bunny

Our next pick is Emmaline and the Bunny by Katherine Hannigan.

The Basics:

Published: February 24, 2009
Length: 112 pages
Reading Level: Age 8-12 (grades 2-7)

Synopsis:

"Emmaline lives in a very tidy town, but Emmaline is not tidy. Emmaline likes to hop, hop, hop and holler, “Hoopalala!” And, more than anything, Emmaline wants a bunny.

Orson Oliphant is mayor of the town. He is very tidy. Orson Oliphant does not like hopping and hollering. And, more than anything, Orson Oliphant does not like animals. He has banished them all, including bunnies.

But there is still one special, secret place in town where animals can hop and fly and be free—a place where there is a bunny.

Is there a way for Emmaline to have a bunny of her own?

Written and illustrated in full color by Katherine Hannigan—the best-selling author of Ida B—Emmaline and the Bunny is a celebration of ingenuity . . . and untidiness."

Our Ratings (out of 5 stars):

Guinevere: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Lindsay: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Guinevere's Thoughts: 

"I LOVED it! My favorite part is all the pictures and the cute bunny! It's so cute!"

My Thoughts:

This is a sweet book with a great message; life is messy and wild and that's what makes it so wonderful! Emmaline is a spirited yet kind protagonist and her love for the little wild bunny and all things untidy is endearing. Short chapters and soft, beautiful watercolor illustrations make this an excellent choice for young chapter book readers(we were able to finish it in three sittings), but older children will appreciate the deeper themes of respect for nature and conservation. The language used is whimsical and frequently nonsensical, so if reading aloud such silly made up words as "dinglederrydee", "hoopalala", and "whackadoodlewhipperpoo" and tongue-twisting phrases such as "stamp-stomping" and "thwap-thumping" makes you cringe, this may not be the story for you. I found the language and sentence structure inventive and charming, but it may not be your cup of tea.

Read it or leave it?:

Read it! If you enjoy sweet stories with quirky language and independent, young female heroines, head over to your local library and check out Emmaline and the Bunny or add it to your personal library!

Read this book and liked it(or not)? Let me know in the comments!