The Mystery of the Thinking Rabbit
Clarice Lispector, trans. from the Portuguese by Benjamin Moser, illus. by Kammal João. New York Review Books, $19.95 (48p) ISBN 978-1-68137-898-5
This surrealist picture book in translation describes the enigma posed by white rabbit Joãozinho, who escapes from a close-barred, heavy-
lidded hutch again and again without others discovering how. Intruiging, dry text by Brazilian novelist Lispector reveals that “the special thing that happened with that rabbit was also special for every rabbit in the world”—the way they think by moving their noses rapidly around. Across spreads that feature simplistic human figures portrayed with various skin tones, João works nose-shaped triangles onto backgrounds and faces. Playful lines speculate about the rabbit’s love life as the reason for his disappearances (“If you don’t come to see me, I’ll forget all about you,” his girlfriend says) and about the way his excursions might change his outlook (he’d seek “the things that his nose had figured out, for example, that the earth was round”). It’s a surprising, sparkling meditation on an animal’s nature and inner life. Includes
an author’s note. Ages 5–9. (Apr.)
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Reviewed on: 01/30/2025
Genre: Children's