Title: One Runaway Rabbit
Author: David Metzenthen
Illustrator: Mairead Murphy
Published: July 2019
Publisher: Allen and Unwin
Readership: Kids #loveozkids
Genre: Fiction
Rating: ★★★.5
RRP: $19.99
I received a copy of One Runaway Rabbit unsolicited from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A stylish and satisfying picture book about a curious pet rabbit who accidentally escapes the safety of her backyard, and then must survive in the wilds of suburbia at night.
One dark night.
One hungry fox.A wonderfully entertaining picture book about a clever pet rabbit on the run.
One Runaway Rabbit is the story of an escapee pet rabbit, who’s night of freedom is at risk from a hungry fox. It’s full of adventure, escapism and enough tension to keep kids turning the pages.
Like many good picture books, One Runaway Rabbit relies on a limited text and engrossing images to tell a story that will delight young readers. The simplicity of the storytelling allows the reader to fill in the blanks and add in the details that the words and images don’t, which is an important skill for young readers learning to infer the meaning behind a text. It’s also easy enough for those readers to begin to read independently and feel success with their reading.
The illustrations are just gorgeous, beginning with the rabbit – who’s very endearing – and all the way to the end papers which depict the neighbourhood, and (at the end) the path the rabbit and fox have taken through said neighbourhood. Most of the pages are done in close-up detail, at the level of the animal characters, offering the reader a different perspective on the story, as well as catching the characters and moments in action – another wonderful incentive for turning the page because of the energy in the illustrations.
This is a picture book that will delight younger readers, especially those with a fondness for clever little rabbits!
Noveltea Corner 