Rabbit Ears (review)

Hopscotch the rabbit knows what he likes—his stuffed bunny Rabbity, his toy blocks, and chocolate cake—and what he doesn't like—having his ears washed, a ritual he will go to great lengths to avoid. When his big cousin Bobtail comes to visit, the two bathe together, and Hopscotch is stunned to see his cousin washing his own ears ("Big rabbits wash their own ears," thinks a dismayed Hopscotch). Having decided that if he wants to be a big rabbit, he's got to get over the ear thing, Hopscotch gives it a go and soon finds that the ear-washing is not so bad after all. Stewart's first picture book works on many levels; parents who deal with stubborn preschoolers will easily recognize the real and metaphorical implications of Hopscotch's resistance, and young listeners will readily identify with Hopscotch's need to do things on his own terms. The great lesson in Hopscotch's tale, after all, is how he solves the problem himself; he observes an alternative behavior, tries it out on his own, and decides to make the change so he can be like his cousin, a progression firmly rooted in toddler logic. The wisdom-laden story is carried wholeheartedly by Rankin's subtly hilarious paintings in line and fluid, watercoloresque acrylic; Hopscotch is all toddler—messy, curious, focused—and his facial expressions speak volumes about growing up. The series of illustrations depicting Hopscotch's noble efforts at avoiding ear-washing (he hides his ears behind Rabbity, puts a paper-bag mask on, wears a pot on his head and, finally, sticks each ear in an oven mitt) is particularly chuckle-worthy. Hopscotches everywhere will delight in this toddler tale of a rite of passage.