Really Rabbits

Virginia Kroll. Really Rabbits. Illustrated by Philomena O’Neil. Charlesbridge, 2006. ISBN 139781570918971. $16.95. Ages 4-8.


Two lovable rabbits will win the hearts of children (and adults) in this amusing We’re Really Reading story about doing good deeds. Tulip is a pudgy brown and white rabbit owned by “Grace the girl” when “Peter the boy” brings home a chubby gray bunny, Snuggles. The rabbits soon become best friends but the action really begins when Tulip learns how to open their cage so they can escape and have adventures. Kroll’s simple sentence structure allows children to read for themselves this charming, silly tale that takes them on the rabbits’ escapades all over the house, night after night, page after page. Tulip and Snuggles show how much fun helping others can be after they get bored with only frolicking about the house and Tulip suggests something new—completing chores for the humans. They fold laundry, scrub dishes, straighten the house, and even cook a yummy tuna casserole! The parents think it’s the children, the children think it’s fairies or elves, never guessing that it’s “really rabbits” (hence, the title). The work of the rabbits causes the family to get along better and smile more, and, best of all, the children have more time to play with their sneaky but sweet rabbits. The soft pastel illustrations compliment the humorous explorations of the rabbits, featuring the cuddly bunnies rather than cluttered details. Some pictures pop off the page like photographs with text on top and bottom; other images stretch across the page with the bold text against muted backgrounds. The last page in the book is a note for parents and teachers which includes digraphs and hints for reading the story to kids to encourage learning and helping kids learn to read. This book is an all inclusive story with silly rabbits, lessons about helping others, and useful hints for reading!

Rebecca Halsey, BGSU student