School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Rabbit is grumpy. While his friends Bird, Mouse, and Bear extol the highlights of the changing season, Rabbit sees only the negative in warming temperatures. He's sad that winter is over and all the snow is melting. That means there will be no more snow forts or throwing snowballs or easily tracking his friends. For each criticism Rabbit voices, his buddies explain why the changes are positive: "'The thing about spring,' said Rabbit, 'is that it rains when you're not expecting it!' 'But rain brings out the flowers,' said Mouse. 'And the worms,' said Bird." Illustrations, created using pen and ink with their color and texture added digitally, are varied and pleasing. When Rabbit discovers that winter has left him one last gift, he finally smiles about the inevitable change. VERDICT A fun and engaging addition to seasonal collections.-Maryann H. Owen, Children's Literature Specialist, Mt. Pleasant, WI © Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
The arrival of spring makes Mouse and Bird "feel warm and happy," but their friend Rabbit finds a lot to complain about. He anxiously shovels the last remnants of snow into a pail ("We won't see any more of this until next year!") and grumbles that spring means he can't follow his friends' tracks in the snow, build snow forts, or throw snowballs. Rabbit's friends patiently put up with his litany of Eeyore-like rants, even when they take some strange turns: "The thing about spring," he says, "is that Bear is waking up! You know how bad he smells at the end of a long winter, and I'm sure he's going to want a hug." Eventually, Rabbit's chirpy pals bring grouchy Rabbit around to their upbeat perspective, though the turnaround comes quickly after all of his griping. Kirk's (the Library Mouse series) pen-and-ink illustrations are more successful-anthropomorphic touches, like Rabbit's scarf and Bear's ball cap, give the characters a bit of personality, while the drab (but brightening) palette evokes the dissipating gloom of spring's earliest days. Ages 4-8. Agent: Barry Goldblatt, Barry Goldblatt Literary. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.