LUNA AND THE MOON RABBIT

A girl and Moon Rabbit embark on a quiet, nighttime adventure.

Luna doesn’t think Moon Rabbit actually exists, and yet curiosity brings her to the windowsill, where she dozes off while waiting. When she wakes, the white rabbit is there, larger than life. Together they chase fireflies, play in a dandelion field, and wish upon stars. Upon her falling asleep, Moon Rabbit carries Luna safely home before leaping across the night sky back to his place in the moon. Influenced by the Japanese folktale “Tsuki no Usagi,” debut author/illustrator Whitcher also references Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland as the young girl chases the white rabbit through a magical land. Interesting tableaux unfold; they are done in a flat perspective, perhaps in an effort to mirror a Hokusai print. As the tale goes on, the character renderings and compositions become stronger as the little Japanese girl travels through ethereal landscapes. The tiny bunny ears of her headband, her bunny slippers, and a profusion of bunny-themed decorations in her bedroom are among the artwork’s many charming details.

Bunny lovers will ask for repeat reads of this gentle bedtime tale.