Taking Care of Mama Rabbit

November 18, 2013
The clan from 10 Hungry Rabbits: Counting and Color Concepts returns in this sweet story about how the young ones cheer up their sick mother. The concepts run deeper in this follow-up, as readers get an affecting look at sibling compassion and cooperation, family cohesiveness, and parent-child love. Since Papa has gone out to fetch medicine for his wife, one rabbit decides, “We have to cheer up Mama,” and the others agree. In stacked images on each page, Lobel’s richly patterned, folkloric gouache and watercolor art reveals where each rabbit finds his or her gift for the bedridden mother (a cup of hot chocolate from the kitchen, a flower from a vase, a necklace from a jewelry box) and then shows an increasingly healthy-looking Mama welcoming each therapeutic offering. The pared-down text plays a secondary role to the pictures, which feature some sly flourishes: the “good book” one bunny brings to Mama is a copy of 10 Hungry Rabbits, and the bunnies’ final present for their mother is a show in which each rabbit pops out of a magician’s top hat. Ages 3–7.

December 15, 2013
Who can make Mama Rabbit feel better? Mama Rabbit's 10 little ones are worried when she feels too poorly to get out of bed. She assures them that their Papa has gone to fetch medicine, but these caring bunnies don't wait idly by for their father's return; instead, in a narrative that feels akin to DuBose Heyward and Marjorie Flack's Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes (1939), each little kit offers Mama a gift to help her recover as she rests. By the time Papa comes back with the medicine, Mama doesn't need it, since her children's efforts have worked to make her feel better. Then the 10 little rabbits put on a show for their parents, complete with top hats and carrots. While the story is a bit slim, the conceit of a role reversal that finds children caring for a parent feels fresh, and Lobel's soft style and Easter-egg palette of gouache and watercolors create a gentle and inviting lapine world. As always with Lobel, the treats are in the details. One by one, each little bunny finds something to comfort Mama with (a handkerchief, an apple) in a medallion at the top of the page and below bestows it, in a larger, rectangular illustration. Sharp-eyed children will notice that the bags under Mama's eyes smooth out and she sits up straighter with each gift. A sweet little family tale. (Picture book. 2-5)

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February 1, 2014

PreS-Gr 1-The family from Lobel's 10 Hungry Rabbits (Knopf, 2012) is back. When Mama gets sick, her little bunnies go out of their way to cheer her up while they wait for Papa to come home with the medicine. They bring her a fresh handkerchief, hot chocolate, a bright picture, a toy, a book (which just happens to be 10 Hungry Rabbits), and oodles of other odds and ends until their caring makes their mother feel better. Illustrated in Lobel's characteristic folk-art style, the mix of vignettes and spreads bursts with lively colors. Though small in size and length, this sweet and funny story does not lack for cozy charm and would be a wonderful book for little ones to share when comforting their own indisposed mamas (or papas).-Yelena Alekseyeva-Popova, formerly at Chappaqua Library, NY

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2014
Preschool-K Looking pale, Mama stays in bed one morning, while Papa goes out for medicine, and her 10 little rabbits try to help her feel better. Each finds something to comfort her or cheer her up. One by one, they bring their choices: a handkerchief, hot chocolate, a toy lamb, an apple, a cookie, a flower, a ribbon, a necklace, a crayoned picture, and a book. When Papa returns, Mama no longer needs medicine, as the little rabbits have made her feel better. In the bouyant acrylic-and-watercolor artwork, the helpers are intent on their tasks. Young children will be charmed by the notion that, when needed, the little rabbits become thoughtful caregivers for their mother. The text is short and the illustrations are long on color, lively patterns, and interesting details. Attentive viewers may notice Mama's large girth and, after the copyright information on the last page, a little painting of a basket with 10 tiny pink-and-blue-clad bunnies, but that's another story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)