The Magic Rabbit

PreS–A white rabbit jumps out of a black top hat and discovers that he can make magic. He pulls out nine balls (that resemble the planets) and juggles them, drives around in a car that has emerged from the hat, and creates a picnic of delicious food. However, though he enjoys doing tricks, he decides that he needs a friend. After failed attempts with a frog that hops out of the hat and off the page, two mice that scurry away, and three fluttering blue jays, the rabbit discovers there's another hat inside his magic one. A second rabbit shoots out of it, and, PRESTO!, a friendship is born. The richly hued oil paintings with their varying perspectives and textures are the highlight of this tale, but the tepid, almost unnecessary, text makes it less than magical.–Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI
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PreS-Gr. 1. What an inviting cover! Set against a sunset-orange background are the title, displayed in shiny Mylar letters, and a white rabbit coming out of a hat. But this rabbit is more intent than cute; inside the book children meet a creature that performs all sorts of tricks but is increasingly lonely. Being a conjurer, Rabbit manifests a few friends--but the frog jumps off and the birds fly away. Then, inside his hat, Rabbit finds a second hat. Out of it jumps another magic rabbit--a friend at last. The story is slight, but children will focus on Watson's spectacular art, which fuses realism with fantasy. The rabbits look like ones kids might find in the garden, but the spreads burst with stars, scarves, and planets, and decks of cards fly through the air. Watson is an excellent colorist, using deep, fruity background hues to give a lift to every spread. The oversize format, short text, and eye-candy visuals make this a good choice for story hour. Ilene Cooper
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