About the Holiday

Pets are often our best friends—they love us unconditionally, are always there for us, and make us laugh. Today we celebrate pets—whether they’re as small as a goldfish or as large as a horse. National Pet Day also raises awareness of the number of animals available for adoption and encourages people to donate to animal shelters or consider taking a dog, cat, bird, or other pet into their family. If you already have a pet, observe the day by giving them an extra pat, offering a special treat, or spending more time with them.

I received a copy of My Funny Bunny from Abrams Books for Young Readers for review consideration. All opinions are my own. I’m happy to be partnering with Abrams in a giveaway of the book. See details below.

My Funny Bunny

By Christine Roussey

A boy has been dreaming of having a dwarf rabbit as a pet “since forever.” Finally, on his sixth birthday, his uncle hands him a box with holes in it, and the boy just knows it’s the pet of his dreams—a “mini dwarf rabbit as big as a kiwi…. A rabbit that I would love with all my heart.” But when he opens the box, it is not a tiny rabbit that he sees but “a big potato with patchy, yucky fur and whiskers that looked like wires.”

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The boy is beyond disappointed and runs to his room to yell and cry it out. He throws a temper tantrum and tells the rabbit he ruined his birthday and that he’ll never love him. But then something unexpected happens. While the boy is crying, the bunny jumps out of the box and comes to cuddle up next to him. His soft fur and tickly whiskers make the boy feel better.

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The boy gives him a carrot and they share some smiles. Then the two fix the castle that was broken during the tantrum, and the boy began to have a different perspective on his rabbit: “Funny Bunny might look a lot like a potato, but he made me laugh. I was starting to like him.” The child confides in his bunny that his anger sometimes comes on like a storm. The funny bunny says nothing but having him there makes the boy happy.

The boy even wants to be friends. He apologizes “for being so mean” and thanks “him for forgiving [him].” And that’s how the little boy and the “funny bunny…became friends for life” on his sixth birthday.

A photo of Hector, Christine Roussey’s own “funny bunny” graces the inside back cover and will delight readers.

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Christine Roussey’s honest look at disappointments and the resulting reactions some children display offers a fresh and humor-tinted way for adults and children to discuss these strong emotions. The funny-looking bunny presents not only an example of how something unexpected can turn out to be just what is needed but also the role pets—with their quiet acceptance and unconditional love—can play in soothing an upset child. Roussey’s child is self-aware, giving adults and children the words for describing the emotions that can sometimes be overwhelming and frightening.

Roussey’s stylish illustrations replicate a child’s drawings and begin with depictions of the dwarf bunny the child has been dreaming of. A turn of the page brings readers face to face with reality—one that will send into giggles. The boy’s tantrum takes the form of gray and colored squiggles that frame the page and usher from his mouth, blowing the bunny’s ears. As the tantrum plays itself out, the boy’s confession is portrayed with child-like stormy clouds, lightning, rain, and a wave that carries them away. Their bond of friendship is built as they play in the boy’s treehouse, give hugs, and spend time together.

An excellent book to share when discussing emotions and how to deal with them, My Funny Bunny would be a valuable addition to home, classroom, and public library collections.

Ages 3 – 7

Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2019 | ISBN 978-1419736186

To learn more about Christine Roussey, her books, and her art, visit her website.