THAT RABBIT BELONGS TO EMILY BROWN
by Cressida Cowell & illustrated by Neal Layton
Emily Brown and her rabbit, Stanley, suffer multiple intrusions into their fantastical adventures. The queen, who covets “Bunnywunny,” sends successive interlopers—the Chief Footman, the army, the navy and the air force—who offer increasingly numerous toys in trade. Emily won’t bite, of course, but “special commandos” steal Stanley in the dead of night. The determined girl arrives at the palace to find that the young queen has laundered Stanley pink in the royal washing machine, and royal dressmakers have rendered him overstuffed and unsmiling. Retrieving Stanley, Emily sagely advises the queen on how to make a toy her own: “You take that brand-new teddy bear and you play with him all day . . . Hold him very tight and be sure to have lots of adventures.” Cowell’s text is a well-structured delight, rife with repeated “rat-a-tat-tats.” While Layton’s playful mixed-media illustrations evoke Ludwig Bemelmans and John Burningham, they’re fresh and funny, providing plenty to pore over. This empathetic yet rollicking treatment will ring true with kids, making this a great candidate for family read-alouds. (Picture book. 3-7)