Bunnicula Strikes Again!

August 30, 1999
The Monroe animals prove themselves up to scratch in this sublimely silly Bunnicula caper (following Return to Howliday Inn). Newcomers will quickly catch on to the series' premise: Chester the cat has persuaded Harold, the mutt narrator cum author, and Howie, the dachshund puppy, that the Monroe boys' pet rabbit is really a vampire-just look at the way he drains vegetables of their juices. As this installment begins, Harold believes the household safe, and so he is unnerved by Chester's cryptic comment, "Let's just say the matter is under control.... At last." As usual with the Bunnicula books, the plot is less important than Howe's contagious amusement in telling his story. The tone drolly combines high diction and animal nature (e.g., in a note to "his" editor, Harold muses, "Odd, that I, whose greatest ambition has always been the uninterrupted nap, should... find himself the semi-famous author of several books!"). The slyly observed dynamics of the cast act as a foil to the cheerfully loopy conceit. For example, the animals watch as the Monroe brothers fight: "Pete retorted with a backhanded insult. Toby lobbed a high string of colorful adjectives capped by a perfectly executed oxymoron.... `And the match goes to Toby,' Chester commented. `Nice wordplay.'" Howe's wordplay is better than nice, and the match goes to him-and to his readers. Ages 8-12.

December 1, 1999
Gr 3-4-The vampire bunny takes center stage once again. Like the previous books, this one is told by the Monroe family's dog Harold, who tells of strange events involving the household pets. His tale begins with a sense of almost Gothic doom-could it be the beginning of the end of a seemingly ill Bunnicula? It takes the combined efforts of Harold, Chester the cat, and Howie the pup to figure out what is ailing him, and the help of two cats, Felony and Miss Demeanor, whom they had met while being boarded at Chateau Bow-Wow, to bring the events to conclusion. Harold's dog's-eye perspective provides an excellent view of Chester's plans first to do Bunnicula in because he's convinced that the rabbit is dangerous, and then to save him. Howe develops distinct personalities for the animals as well as for the humans. The cover art seems to promise a creepy, scary story; despite this initial indicator of a dark road ahead, the story itself circles around universal sweet dreams-to be safe, to belong, and to have a pet curled up beside you.-Pat Leach, Lincoln City Libraries, NE

Copyright 1999 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 1999
Gr. 3^-6. In this sequel to "Return to Howliday Inn" (1992), Bunnicula and his pals--Harold, Chester, and Howie--reprise their roles in new adventures. Despite a steady prophylactic diet of carrot juice, the fanged rabbit has started draining vegetables of their juices again, and Chester is determined to stop him for good. Actually, the poor bunny simply misses his mother, who abandoned him years ago at the movie "Dracula." Through a series of convoluted machinations, Chester manages to trap his nemesis at the old theater, just before the building is demolished. As always, Harold's deadpan narration, Howie's naivete and bad puns, and Chester's frenzied intensity add to the story's charm. This title stands on its own, but fans of the series will enjoy cameos by Chateau Bow Wow residents Felony, Miss Demeanor, Bob, and Linda. Howe's humor offers something for everyone, with references to Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarity for adults, and mention of a series of "gross horror novels called FleshCrawlers" aimed at kids. It all adds up to a great choice for a family read-aloud. ((Reviewed October 1, 1999))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1999, American Library Association.)