I Will Always Be Your Bunny

November 1, 2019
The Velveteen Rabbit shares all the ways he'll be there for his beloved friends. "When it's dark and when it's sunny, / I will always be your bunny. // If the world feels like a muddle, / come on over for a cuddle." Against simple backgrounds that keep eyes focused on the action and the relationship, Swaney places charming, seemingly watercolor illustrations of diverse children interacting with the Velveteen Rabbit, a long, brown-and-white bunny who is, of course, "alive." From snuggling in bed and refereeing a sibling disagreement to either moping indoors through the rain or enjoying the puddles, the situations will be familiar to young readers. Though the rabbit lacks a mouth, both the line of his chin and the area where the white of his belly meets brown suggest one, and his emotions are clear through body language. The tiny trim size makes this ideal for sharing one-on-one, and the gift plate on the front endpaper suggests personal rather than public-library use. But the audience remains a question; some vocabulary suits this to older children ("morale," "BFF," "ref"), who would also truly understand and appreciate the original Velveteen Rabbit book, but the rhyming and simple pictures are aimed at a younger age group. Either sweet or treacly depending on any given reader's mindset and love for the classic. (Picture book. 4-7)

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December 16, 2019
No mention is made of The Velveteen Rabbit beyond the title and a book plate epigraph (“Once you are Real you can’t become unreal again. It lasts for always”), but the long-eared brown bunny gracing this book’s pages accompanies the various characters like that title’s beloved companion. Gilbert’s sentimental rhyming text rambles through an assortment of assurances: “When it’s dark and when it’s sunny,/ I will always be your bunny..../ You and me, we never end./ I will always be your friend.” Swaney’s simple vignettes radiate affectionate charm as different children play with the rabbit in familiar situations: snuggling in bed, waiting out a rainstorm, creating art. Its sweetness can edge into cloying (there’s no sign of the original’s macabre tone), but its small trim size makes this book fittingly giftable. All ages.