Overview: Runaway Bunny is about a young bunny trying to escape his mother by running away from her. He invents different scenarios to get away from his mother but she thinks quickly and foils his plans. They travel through vivid imaginary travels but in the end the bunny returns home to his mother.
Brown, M.W. (1991). Runaway Bunny. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers.
Little Library Review: I love this book. In fact, I bought this book for my oldest son and told him it was a book about us. His initial response was a that I was a stalker, but then he laughed and said he knew what I meant. I think Brown wrote a powerful book about how a mother can feels about her children. Following, no matter what the obstacle, to be there for her young. Regardless of how intent and willful that young bunny was, she would continue to be there and follow him. There are times when I have read this book and felt sad for the reality of one day that my child will move on to an adventure without me and leave me behind. Other times I read it and feel hopeful and joy that in the end the son returns home to his mother and feels content. This book can be a simple story of just a silly bunny being chased through a wonderland of his imagination but it also has depth and truth that connects to readers heartstrings. Beyond the beautiful text and story there are playful and colorful illustrations to match. The illustrator, Clement Hurd, captures the bunnies spirit and personification cleverly through the out the journey. My favorite is the young bunny sailing away with his mother pushing his sails through the water. This is not a new book but I believe one that will continue to stand the test of time.
Other Professional Reviews: When Michael Rex began parodying classic children’s literature with his own books, the first title he chose to make fun of was Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown. Goodnight Goon has been quite the bestseller, and he’s now following it up with none other than Runaway Mummy. A play on? You guessed it. Runaway Bunny constitutes yet another divisive children’s title. Many people (most?) would say that it’s a sweet and comforting tale of a parent’s unconditional and eternal love for their child. But there is a segment of the population that finds the book disturbing. Some feel that the bunny is honestly trying to make a break for freedom, but that its mother is preventing this escape, and crushing its spirit. The book can be read a number of different ways, but generally it’s still a very well regarded picture book title.
Bird, E. (2009). Top 100 picture books poll results (#75-71), School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2009/04/07/top-100-picture-books-poll-results-75-71/
Using it in the Library 📖: Activities or lessons that can be done with this book are: sequencing of the story in order, cause and effect and story structures. Student can create a class story using the mentor structure and build their own spiraling story. A mapping of the invented story can be created to enhance the new story parts.
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