GOODNIGHT, LITTLE BUNNY

A young bunny finds a whole new world waiting outside her cozy burrow in this first book from the Baby Animal Tales series.

Worried she doesn’t have what it takes to be a “big bunny in the big outdoors,” young Bunny is afraid to leave the security of her burrow and see the world outside. Her friend, Mouse, points out her special strengths: a nose that sniffs, whiskers that twitch, and ears that listen. “You have everything you need to be a bunny,” Mouse says. With encouragement from her friend, Bunny wanders away from her comfortable burrow to explore new surroundings. As Bunny learns more about her world and her many capabilities, her confidence grows. When she comes nose to nose with a fox in the woods, she discovers just how well her running, bouncing, and jumping feet can also be used for thumping the ground and warning other bunnies of danger. “ ‘You see,’ said Mouse, proudly, ‘you are very good at being a bunny, after all.’ ” It’s a calming story, although a few word choices (burrow, tunnel) might need to be explained to the very young members of the audience. Chu’s watercolor-style illustrations of plants, bugs, and the friendly mouse appear throughout the story, with Winnel’s photographic images of the young protagonist collaged in. As a whole, the illustrations give the book a charming, vintage feel. Both the look and the quiet, encouraging storyline also appear in series companion Goodnight, Little Llama, which publishes simultaneously. (This book was reviewed digitally with 8.2-by-15-inch double-page spreads viewed at 75% of actual size.)

This quiet book is ideal for bedtime reading.