The Spring Rabbit (Dell Picture Yearling book) [Paperback]

Joyce Dunbar (Author), Susan Varley (Illustrator)

Book Description

Smudge is the only rabbit in the woods without a brother or sister.  His mother tells him to wait for spring, but that is a long way off.  In the fall, Smudge builds a leaf-and-twig brother, but he blows away.  He builds a snow sister in the winter, but she melts.  Will Smudge's wish for a sibling ever come true?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-K-A young rabbit wants a brother or sister. His mother replies, "'Wait until the spring.'" Naturally, that is too long to wait, so Smudge tries three sibling substitutes: a leaf-and-twig figure that blows away, a snow bunny that melts, and a mud rabbit that washes away. When spring finally arrives, Smudge finds a mousehole filled with baby mice, a robin standing guard over a nest filled with speckled eggs (strangely, they're brown, not blue), and frog parents sitting on a lily pad protecting their frogspawn. Smudge's mother then points out to her disappointed son, "'You were looking in all the wrong places.'" His family now includes two brothers and a sister, who later play around an enormous moss rabbit he builds for them. The comforting story is too predictable, bordering on bland. Varley's creature-filled wood is cozy, illustrated with full-page, pen-and-ink and watercolor paintings. Her style harks back to Beatrix Potter's work, but lacks subtlety and humor. A run-of-the-mill offering.
Jacqueline Elsner, Athens Regional Library, GA
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Ages 4-7. Smudge is the only rabbit in the woods without a brother or a sister. His mother tells him, "Wait until the spring." To get through the intervening seasons, Smudge makes himself companions--a leaf rabbit, a snow rabbit, a mud rabbit. But these friends can't chase and play and splash. In the spring, Smudge looks outdoors for the promised baby rabbit, but only when he comes home does he find what he's looking for--and then, not one, but three tiny bundles. The prose is tender, and the illustrations are wondrous depictions of gentle woodland life and domestic burrows. Cross the style of William Steig with that of E. H. Shepard, and you'll have a feel for these precise, sweet drawings. Even in a market crowded with bunny books, this one will be successful. Mary Harris Veeder --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Bantam Doubleday Dell (February 9, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 044041458X
• ISBN-13: 978-0440414582
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,227,570 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars it was ok..., September 24, 2000

By 

Laurie (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Spring Rabbit (Dell Picture Yearling book) (Paperback)

the story was fine, but not "magical" and the illustrations were cute. If your child was anticipating a baby brother or sister, it might resonate a little more with your family. My daughter did listen while I read this to her, but it wasn't one she asked me to read over and over. And although I wouldn't classify this as one of my "must-haves", it was a fine book, and certainly a lot more readable than others I have encountered.