THE BLACK RABBIT

An adorable bunny discovers his shadow; trepidation and then friendship follow in this familiar and mildly entertaining tale.

It’s a beautiful day when Rabbit awakes, but he is not alone. An ominous, looming rabbit has appeared. Scared, the little hare runs, hides, swims—even bravely tries to engage it. Nothing dissuades the giant shadow, who quietly follows his originator’s every move. Rabbit finds relief in the deep, dark wood until a hungry wolf chases him out, whereupon his shadow reappears and frightens the wolf away. Hand in hand, the bunny and his shadow walk safely away together. Leather uses a simple, cartoony style, making the story feel safe and accessible to readers of various sensitivity levels. She also plays with the shadow’s scale and size, helping readers to understand Rabbit’s fears without frightening them. The appealing drawings are done in watercolor with pen, yet for all their thoughtfulness, they fail to show that Rabbit ultimately understands the Black Rabbit to be his shadow. Imagery showing a light source casting the shadow would have helped complete the journey.

Sweet but slight.