About the Holiday

Today’s holiday was first held in Sweden in 1991. Established to celebrate the art of oral storytelling, the day invites people around the globe to tell and listen to stories both old and new. To participate attend a special storytelling event in your area or relate some family stories at home. Of course reading terrific books out loud is also a fun way to honor the day!

Bunny’s Book Club

Written by Annie Silvestro | Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss

Bunny would do just about anything to hear a story. “He’d loved them ever since he first heard the lady with the red glasses reading aloud outside the library.” All summer long he listened to stories that took him to thrilling and magical places. But when the weather turned cooler and story time moved indoors, bunny knew he had to do something—“he couldn’t live without books.”

Bunny was afraid that animals weren’t allowed in the library. Finally, after several sleepless nights Bunny “tiptoed through the dark” to the library. But when he got there the door was locked, the windows were bolted, and there were no holes in the building to be found—“until finally he noticed…the book return!” Bunny hopped as high as he could, grabbed the handle, and slipped inside. “Bunny’s eyes sparkled at the sight of the shelves bursting with books.”

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Image copyright Tatjana Mai-Wyss, courtesy of tatjanamaiwyss.com

Bunny hopped here and there through the adventure section, where he found books about “swashbucklers, sharks, and superheroes.” He grabbed as many as he could carry and pushed them through the slot. Back home he read and read, and every night he returned to the library for more books. Pretty soon his house was filled top to bottom with books.

One night while reading, Bunny heard a knock on the door. It was Porcupine, wondering where Bunny has been. When Porcupine found out, he couldn’t believe it. What was so special about reading? The next night Bunny took Porcupine to the library. “‘Whoa,’ said Porcupine.” He immediately wondered if there was a book about balloons. He also found stories “on deserts and dunes, on caterpillars and cocoons” and even one on hedgehogs that made him so happy he hugged it with all his might. Back at Bunny’s and cuddled up with tea and carrot muffins, the two friends read into the night.

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Image copyright Tatjana Mai-Wyss, courtesy of tatjanamaiwyss.com

It wasn’t too long before Bear showed up at Bunny’s wondering about why the light burned so late so often. Bunny handed him a book, and Bear squeezed onto the couch and began reading. Soon, all of Bunny’s friends began dropping by asking for books about space, volcanoes, and mysteries. One night Bunny took them all on a trek to the library. They were so engrossed in their books that they didn’t hear a key turn in the lock, “the clack, clacking of footsteps,” or the light flick on.

It was the librarian! All the animals gasped—they’d been caught! “‘All libraries have rules,’ said the librarian sternly” as she asked the animals to follow her. At the desk, the librarian in the red glasses crouched down and gave each animal their own library card. Bunny was thrilled to know they were welcome at the library. He found the perfect book and “proudly checked out the very first official selection for Bunny’s Book Club.”

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Image copyright Tatjana Mai-Wyss, courtesy of tatjanamaiwyss.com

Annie Silvestro’s sweet story about the lure of stories and the lengths to which a true book lover will go to hear or read one, will enchant young children. The gentle suspense will keep little ones riveted to the story as clever Bunny finds a way into the library, Porcupine and Bear have a few sticky moments, and the librarian catches the crew unawares. Little ones will recognize their own delight in books as Bunny shares his discover with his friends and they form a most cozy book club.

Tatjana Mai-Wyss’s adorable Bunny, Porcupine, Bear and other animals make perfect book club friends for little readers. Mai-Wyss’s soft-hued watercolor illustrations of the tidy library and Bunny’s book-filled home invite children in to poke around and become one of the group. They’ll love following Bunny’s footprints through the library stacks and discovering the cozy comforts of Bunny’s home. The final tw0-page illustration of the friends snuggled together in the warmth of a roaring fire and surrounded by snacks and books is definitely “awwww” inspiring.

Bunny’s Book Club may inspire families to take a special nighttime trip to the library and young readers to create a book club of their own. It would be welcome on any child’s bookshelf.

Learn more about Annie Silvestro and her books on her website!

Discover more about Tatjana Mai-Wyss and review a portfolio of her illustration on her website!

Ages 3 – 7

Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 2017 | ISNB 978-0553537581