Not a Book About Bunnies

A confident and chatty porcupine stars in this giggle-inducing book, which includes more about bunnies than the title states. Narrating via speech bubbles, Porcupine graciously welcomes the reader (“Thank you for opening this book. You saw the title and you still want to read it”), before launching into a monologue about all the traits that make porcupines “even more dazzling” than bunnies. For instance, the protagonist describes how porcupettes start out life fuzzy (“Can you think of any other animal so soft, so cuddly, so lovable?”). Meanwhile, a small white rabbit shadows and calls out to the narrator, who understandably doesn’t take kindly to the bun’s efforts at self-insertion (“What is it with these carrot-crunchers?”). When at last Bunny’s motives become clear, the reveal leads to a winning conclusion that emphasizes the way good friends celebrate one another. Digital artwork layers colors and markings for a painterly effect, and a note, ostensibly written by Bunny, concludes. Ages 3–7. (Feb.)