Mini Rabbit Is Not Lost by John Bond (review)

This British import features Mini Rabbit, who darts off to find berries when Mother Rabbit realizes that they'll need some for the cake they want to bake. The impulsive bun charges along heedlessly, blithely rejecting help from adult woodland creatures who could give him proper directions ("No, thank you. Don't need help. Looking for berries. Making a cake"). Though Mini Rabbit tells himself he's heading in the right direction, he eventually decides that he's got no idea where he is ("Lost!"), until he traces the smell of cake his mother has baked him, having found berries at home. Bond quirkily depicts the frantic nature of a child who wants something right this second, and this readaloud may alert viewers to the consequences of impetuous decision-making. Brushstrokes on canvas depict the landscapes Mini Rabbit traverses, including forests in interesting variant colors such as purples and oranges; panels convey distance and movement in quick snapshots that make viewers feel the haste of Mini Rabbit's speedy search. Mini Rabbit's terse, fragmented statements will be easy for children to read on their own, with additional text commenting on Mini Rabbit's folly ("Too late. Mini Rabbit is off to find berries"). Viewers with a sweet tooth will likely understand Mini Rabbit's eagerness.