28 Feb / Dear Bunny … by Katie Cotton, illustrated by Bianca Gómez [in Booklist]
A little girl answers her bunny’s question of “What’s your favourite thing in the world?” in a sweetly revealing letter. She chronicles their day together, listing everything she likes to do with her furry buddy, from choosing socks to appreciating how her bunny cools her breakfast porridge.
On the playground, the inseparable pair take turns swinging, climbing trees, and watching birds; at the zoo, their companionship provides courage. They share rainy laughter and hand-holding comfort through sadness; their nights are cozier because of each other.
London author Katie Cotton’s unembellished prose is a grateful ode to friendship, celebrating the fun but also mindful of necessary moments of apology and occasional tears. Madrid-based artist Bianca Gómez’s whimsical drawings lend a childlike charm to polka-dotted pajamas, many-colored falling leaves, and sparsely lit windows in an evening cityscape.
The girl’s final reveal of her single “favourite thing” is the perfect reminder that even in a wide world of endless possibilities, life’s best joy is but a hug away.
Reviewed from UK edition; spellings may change.
Review: “Books for Youth,” Booklist Online, February 12, 2016
Readers: Children
Published: 2016 (United States)