Dust Bunny Wants a Friend

October 15, 2018
A dust bunny is swept up into a quest for companionship. From a spot behind a potted plant, a dust bunny (depicted as an actual bunny, with light gray scribbles superimposed denoting puffs of dust) moves to a place under a chair. A double-page spread shows the full expanse of the room, revealing a small bug, some ants, a sleeping cat, and scattered toys. The small bug is the first to come into contact with the dust bunny. As the two meet, the art's scale zooms in, and the dust bunny offers up an enthusiastic greeting ("Hi!"). Unfortunately for the dust bunny, the bug continues on its way. As do the ants, who visit next. The cat sneezes, sending the dust bunny flying onto a blanket next to a teddy bear. Soon, a pair of tiny brown hands lifts the blanket up. The dust bunny clings on, but a broom sweeps them away. The discombobulated dust bunny looks like they've had enough. But, across the gutter, a pile of other dust bunnies crowding underneath a bed joyfully welcomes one of their own. Wordless, except for a few hand-lettered exclamatory phrases (in addition to "hi," there's "bye" and "ACHOO!"), Hevron's authorial debut is distinguished by well-paced repetition and humor. Her whimsical art, rendered in digitally collaged acrylic and marker on wood, is richly textured. Even the white space of the background shows the wood grain--an exquisite touch. Who knew uncleanliness could be so cute? (Picture book. 2-5)

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PreS-K-In this nearly wordless story (the only words being "hi," "bye," and "achoo"), a dust bunny seeks to make friends with various creatures in her environment. From her place beneath a chair, she greets a bug that, unfortunately, passes her by. To her delight, a parade of ants crawls all over her, but then moves on. When an orange cat noses the bunny, the cat sneezes, causing the dust bunny to tumble across the room onto a blanket containing a stuffed bear. "Hi," exclaims dust bunny, but when human hands shake the blanket, the bear falls out of reach. Finally, a broom sweeps the room, and dust bunny lands among others of her kind under a table. Enthusiastic "hi's" echo all around as the now-happy bunny is among friends. The illustrations, executed in acrylic and marker on wood and collaged digitally, depict an actual bunny surrounded by gray swirls of dust. A spread of the room with its wood-grained walls, chair, potted fern, sleeping cat, insects, and toys gives way to close-up dust bunny's-eye views. The cat, a giant compared to the bunny, stretches beyond the book's gutter, its nose pressed to bunny's face. Touches of humor include a donut-carrying ant walking in the parade and dust bunny's "bye" as the cat's sneeze sends it flying. VERDICT This offering is perfect for one-on-one sharing and will enable very young children to join in telling the story and chiming in on the few repeated words.-Marianne Saccardi, Children's Literature Consultant, Cambridge, MA

December 1, 2018
Preschool-K An opening two-page spread introduces the world of the book: a room containing a rug, blanket, plant, chair, cat, beetle, ants, and some toys. Under the chair sits a lonely dust bunny, rendered in loopy tangles and a sweet, simple face. In this almost wordless book, each time something passes the bunny, it hopefully calls out, "Hi!" The only other thing it says is a disappointed "Bye" when the toys are moved or the insects continue on their way. Using acrylic and marker on wood creates a visually interesting mix of textures among the digital-collage illustrations. The dust bunny cannot propel itself, but shifts in perspective provide movement. A cat's sneeze sends the bunny tumbling, as does the motion of a broom, which finally flings the bunny under a bed and, hooray, into a group of fellow dust bunnies. Friends at last! Children who appreciate the gentle comedy of depicting a dust bunny as an actual rabbit will get an extra kick out of this lighthearted book.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)