Bunnies on Ice

A confident young rabbit announces herself to be a "champion ice-skater," even if Wright's (Bandits) canvas-textured paintings sometimes tell a different story. Low on conflict but filled with atmosphere, Wright's story begins as the rabbit waits "for the conditions to be just right." This takes her through three seasons: her parents tend to the garden in the spring, the family goes swimming in the summer, and autumn means harvest and a pumpkin-headed scarecrow in a tutu. Finally, it's time to skate, and Wright has gentle fun at her heroine's expense. "I have a lot of fans," the girl says as birds crowd trees that flank the frozen pond; some of those same birds help the rabbit "spin faster than anyone," which results in her getting wrapped up like a mummy in her pink scarf. With books and artwork lining the walls and a blazing fireplace for toasting marshmallows, the rabbit family's %E2%80%A8supremely cozy home will be the subject of many readers' envy, and Wright conveys a strong sense of familial togetherness in every scene. Ages 2%E2%80%936. Agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio. (Jan.)