November 1, 2021
Welcome to Bunnyville, land of a thousand (and no) bunnies! With the Hoppy Day Parade fast approaching, all is well in Bunnyville--until a lone wolf with a hungry look approaches. Desperate not to become lupine lunch, a particularly plucky bunny devises increasingly zany means of convincing Wolf that there are, in fact, no bunnies to be found anywhere, such as by dressing up as a unicorn, popping a lampshade onto another bunny, and pretending another bunny is a puppy. The mission is consistently complicated by the myriad bunnies who hop, pop, and parade into view. Wolf, amusingly, is a creature of few words and is neither fooled nor deterred. Wolf really, really wants to find a bunny--but not for the reasons anyone, least of all the protagonist bunny, suspects. With each new bunny comes a fresh laugh, bolstered by Burach's delightfully expressive characters and bright, busy page layouts. Sauer's text is sparse but energetic; the lead bunny narrates with all the bumbling charm of an overeager salesperson, the loquaciousness playing hilariously off Wolf's pointed gestures, reproachful eyebrows, and glum charts. As humorous as the story is, it's made ultimately poignant with the age-old message to never judge a book by its cover lest one drive off an unlikely friend. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Bun-dles of fun. (Picture book. 3-7)
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December 15, 2021
Grades K-2 In a hilarious parable about the danger of making assumptions, the arrival of a toothy and delighted-looking wolf on the outskirts of Bunnyville ("Land of a Thousand Bunnies!") sparks frantic efforts by one long-eared resident to deny that there are really any bunnies to be had. In the wake of unconvincing efforts to persuade the silent visitor that these furry creatures are really dogs, those just squishy pillows are for napping on, and the marching band passing by is "definitely not a bunny parade," it turns out that the wolf is a bunny-lover of a much more benign sort than supposed: a lonely animal looking for a friend and an official member of the "Bunny Fan Club." Readers raised on Jon Scieszka's The True Story of the Three Little Pigs or Toby Forward's The Wolf's Story (2005) may be justly skeptical, but in this case the oft-maligned predator is apparently sincere and, in a final pileup, receives an exuberant welcome. Take that, hardened cynics.
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February 7, 2022
After a toothy gray wolf arrives in Bunnyville—“land of a thousand bunnies”—a quick-witted white rabbit springs to action trying to persuade the wolf that there are “no bunnies here!” First, with a carrot atop its head, the rabbit declares the wolf has arrived in Unicorn Land; then, when unsuspecting long-eared friends wander by, the hare pivots through possible identities, claiming in turn that they are lamps, puppies, and squishy pillows. And upon the arrival of the “Hoppy Day Parade”—clearly a leporine extravaganza—the protagonist gaslights: “That is definitely not a bunny parade. You must be confused, Wolf.” But when the wolf’s eyes begin to tear up, a boldly stated question reveals a misunderstanding. With over-the-top narration and humorous, crayon-textured illustrations, Sauer and Burach provide a comic send-up to all that’s lovable about fluffy-tailed friends—one that ends fittingly with a basket of treats. Ages 3–7.
April 29, 2022
K-Gr 2-A laugh-out-loud book about thinking fast and sticking to your story. All is well in Bunnyville, the land of a thousand bunnies, until the day a hungry-looking lone wolf arrives. In order to avoid being lunch, a quick-thinking white bunny repeatedly reassures Wolf there are no bunnies to be found. Instead, the bunny reasons that what Wolf is seeing is actually a unicorn, or a lamp, or a puppy dog. Wolf's comical expressions and lack of response reveal he is not fooled, especially when the Hoppy Day Parade begins and Bunnyville residents march along, celebrating all things bunnies. After Wolf begins to cry, a massive misunderstanding is straightened out. "Don't judge a book by its cover" is a timeless theme, explored in numerous titles, but Sauer's latest outing proves a fresh and enjoyable take on the topic. Comical dialogue lends itself superbly for reading aloud at story time, expertly complemented by Burach's humorously detailed and brightly colored spreads. Drawn in a loose, cartoon style, these provide details to pore over once story hours have come to a close, and may invite new readers into the pages to see what's going on. VERDICT A sweet story with a hop-pily ever after-and a wonderful addition to most collections.-Olivia Gorecke
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