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THE RABBITS

Name: THE RABBITS
Author: John Marsden
ISBN: 0-9688768-8-9

by John Marsden & illustrated by Shaun Tan ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 1, 2003

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In this terse, allegorical import, the arrival of technologically proficient “Rabbits” to a new land leads to warfare with indigenous residents, teeming cities, and devastation of the natural environment. Tan’s highly stylized illustrations sport barely recognizable rabbits in ornate, high-collared costume swarming over desert landscapes, erecting factories, carving away mountains and subduing spear-carrying, uncomprehending aborigines—cast as numbats—with cannon and sheer weight of numbers. Is there a lesson here? Duh. Any tale featuring rabbits will have resonance lost to readers on other continents, but the invasion’s ugly course has recognizable parallels everywhere. And rather than close with trite warnings or simplistic answers, Marsden offers only an anguished, thought-provoking question: “Who will save us from the Rabbits?” Who indeed. (Picture book. 8-10)

Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2003

ISBN: 0-9688768-8-9

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Simply Read

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2003

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

- BOOK REVIEW
HAMLET
by John Marsden

- BOOK REVIEW
WHILE I LIVE
by John Marsden

- BOOK REVIEW
OUT OF TIME
by John Marsden

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DAWN TO DUSK IN THE GALAPAGOS

FLIGHTLESS BIRDS, SWIMMING LIZARDS, AND OTHER FASCINATING CREATURES

by Rita Golden Gelman & illustrated by Tui De Roy ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 1991

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Formed over eons by lava boiling up from the sea floor, the rocky Galapagos are inhabited by an odd assortment of plants and animals that have developed peculiar adaptations for survival; e.g., dark-skinned iguanas, able to spend more time in cold water searching for food, ``evolved into a new type of iguana—the marine iguana.'' Crisp, clear close-up photos in full color add to the appeal, but lack captions and scale. An attractive introduction to evolution and to some unusual life forms. Scientific names not given; no index. (Nonfiction. 8-10)

Pub Date: May 1, 1991

ISBN: 0-316-30739-4

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1991

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

- BOOK REVIEW
DOODLER DOODLING
by Rita Golden Gelman & illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky

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SQUIRREL WATCHING

by Miriam Schlein & photographed by Marjorie Pillar ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 30, 1992

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A well-known author of nature books considers different kinds of squirrels, how they behave, and what they look like; the book includes many indifferent b&w photos and a slightly easier text than Bare's Tree Squirrels (1983). Overall, Bare's book is superior: unlike Schlein's, it gives scientific names for the squirrels described, and it has a more extensive index and clearer, more interesting photos. Schlein's is acceptable as an additional purchase. Brief bibliography; index. (Nonfiction. 8-10)