cover image The Little Rabbit

The Little Rabbit

Nicola Killen. Simon & Schuster/Wiseman, $15.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-5344-3828-6

In a follow-up to The Little Reindeer, a child called Ollie—dressed in a bunny costume—and her toy rabbit, Bunny, are eager to splash in rain puddles. When a petal tickles Bunny’s nose, he comes to life, leaping from the basket to join a group of wild rabbits. Ollie gives chase—over a pond, into a treehouse, onto a cloud, and (“Whooooosh!”) all the way back home. Killen uses a grayscale palette with springtime yellow and green accents. Periodic die-cuts provide a greater sense of dimension, while occasional comics-style panels offer an episodic quality to the story. Raindrops, splashing water, and blowing petals are rendered in embossed flecks of gold foil, providing light enchantment to this quiet story of a rainy day adventure. Ages 4–8. (Feb.)