RABBIT PIE

A bunny mama helps her six children get ready for bedtime in this British import that was originally published as a full-size picture book.

The first double-page spread summarizes the action ahead, as an ingredient list and the subsequent pages illustrate each stage of the “recipe”: “First, gather together your ingredients. / One game of hide-and-seek / One bath / Six pairs of pyjamas....” Ives’ softly colored art, which looks to be watercolor, is the true attraction here. From hiding in plain sight to squirting toothpaste all over the bathroom, the antics of these chubby bunnies are recognizably toddlerlike. While their mother’s saintly patience is a bit unrealistic, she’s a comforting presence in her blue, polka-dot dress and pristine apron. The shrunken trim size diminishes the quality of the smaller details, but there are enough delightful images here to make it work reasonably well as a board book.

While the bedtime-as-recipe contrivance may be a little sophisticated for toddlers, the cozy charm within these pages makes for a comforting lap read.