School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-It's time to grow up and make friends with other kids, which means that Floppy, a little boy's pet rabbit, must go. Leading the drolly expressionless Lop bunny deep into the woods, the apple-cheeked, snub-nosed protagonist experiences conflicting feelings regarding Floppy's abandonment. His immediate change of heart, tender notes of reunification, reestablished respect, and even the promise of a new friend conclude the story. Starting with the endpapers, symbolically patterned with red knitting, the illustrations and visual design of the book are appealing and clever. When the pet is eventually left behind, a swirl of oversize Floppies crowd the page to represent the narrator's troubled mind. Unfortunately, this otherwise charming picture book is marred by the inclusion of a depiction of the boy and rabbit playing "cowboys and Indians," the former shown wearing a feathered headdress with arrows protruding from his side as the boy lassoes him with red thread. VERDICT The sweet innocence of the artwork belies the serious issues that are touched on in this provocative book. Should future editions eliminate the troubling stereotype depicted, this would be an excellent title to spark discussion on responsibility, remorse, and forgiveness.-Erin Reilly-Sanders, University of Wisconsin-Madison © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
In this provocative study of a guilty conscience, Chaud (The Bear's Song) introduces a boy who's planning to get rid of his white rabbit, Floppy. "I can't have a rabbit as a best friend anymore," he explains. "I'm not a baby." Echoes of "Hansel and Gretel" accompany the boy's journey deep into the forest to let Floppy go. Sensitive readers will shift in dismay as the boy ties Floppy to a tree: "Now Floppy would never follow me again." But it's not that simple, of course. Suddenly anxious and indecisive, the boy realizes that Floppy won't be free if he's tied up. When he returns, Floppy is already gone. Crows flee in alarm as the boy tries to follow Floppy; the bare trees and the boy's blowing hair heighten the tension. When he finds Floppy-in a far better situation than anyone might have expected-he's shamed and enlightened at the same time. Thoughtful characterization and dreamlike forest landscapes give flavor to the boy's changing emotions, and Norman's translation allows Chaud's puckish humor to shine through. Ages 3-5. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.