In this hilarious chapter book mystery, meet a girl whose parents have been kidnapped by disreputable foxes, and a pair of detectives that also happen to be bunnies! When Madeline gets home from school one afternoon to discover that her parents have gone missing, she sets off to find them. So begins a once-in-a-lifetime adventure involving a cast of quirky and unforgettable characters. There's Mr. and Mrs. Bunny, who drive a smart car, wear fedoras, and hate marmots; the Marmot, who loves garlic bread and is a brilliant translator; and many others. Translated from the Rabbit by National Book Award-winning author Polly Horvath, and beautifully illustrated by Sophie Blackall, here is a book that kids will both laugh over and love.
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"A perfect blend of adorable, classic, nostalgia, with contemporary dry wit and absurdity, this is the story of two empty nester rabbits, who address their loneliness by moving to town, buying a smart car (which they can only drive by wearing purple platform shoes), and becoming detectives. This is also the story of Madeline, a uniquely responsible and clever girl who regularly takes care of her hippie, spaced out parents. The mystery is not particularly solvable, but it doesn't matter, as romping around with Madeline and the Bunnies is so much fun on it's own. Fans of Stuart Little, the Penderwicks, or classic juvenile fiction will enjoy this quick read and sweet illustrations." — Sarah (4 out of 5 stars)
"A perfect blend of adorable, classic, nostalgia, with contemporary dry wit and absurdity, this is the story of two empty nester rabbits, who address their loneliness by moving to town, buying a smart car (which they can only drive by wearing purple platform shoes), and becoming detectives. This is also the story of Madeline, a uniquely responsible and clever girl who regularly takes care of her hippie, spaced out parents. The mystery is not particularly solvable, but it doesn't matter, as romping around with Madeline and the Bunnies is so much fun on it's own. Fans of Stuart Little, the Penderwicks, or classic juvenile fiction will enjoy this quick read and sweet illustrations."
" I ended up skimming most of this, because after several chapters I felt like Horvath was trying hard to be whimsical, but really the story was just kind of dull. I did enjoy the "Guess that lump!" game, and The Marmot was entertaining. But the overall plot didn't quite make sense, I don't know why Mrs. Treaclebunny kept showing up, and what was with the Google and Glade Plug-in mentions? Were they corporate sponsors? "
" Highly quirky, yet completely cute thus far. Illustrations are wonderful. "
" I'm loving this one...maybe I'm a bunny whisperer too. Lol "
" I had a really hard time getting into this book and have started and stopped it several times over the past few months. Today I sat down and gave myself time to really read it. Once I got about 1/2 of the way through I enjoyed it. Will be interested to see what my students' reactions are. "
" Quirky, absurd, and wildly entertaining. You may even find yourself LOLing. Great as a read-aloud for the 7-12 year old set and the grown-ups (or bunnies) who read to them. "
" The cover is so cute. I love bunnies. I couldn't finish this and abandoned it on page 66. Since the book garnered starred reviews from Booklist, Horn Book, and Publisher's Weekly, I clearly don't know what makes a good children's book. I'm going to ask a kid to read it. "
" Very funny! Quite sophisticated in language, & humor, but I liked that she doesn't dumb down for kids. "
" Funny (at least for me as an adult, not sure if a kid would catch all the humor!) "
" great use of pop culture and humor. "
" While I found humor in this quirky little piece of work... I think it may go over the heads of its intended audience. "
" An animal adventure with modern, sophisticated humor. If you liked Babe or Charlotte's Web, this is their younger, hip Canadian sister. "
" yeech. Daughter of clueless hippies has to solve a kidnapping mystery with talking rabbits. Can't beleive this boring book got a starred review. "
" This was quite a silly little book. Well fleshed out characters, especially Mr. and Mrs. Bunny. Their bunny banter was at times hilarious and always amusing. Imagine this would be a fun book to read out loud at bedtime over a couple of weeks. "
" Really funny story about rabbits who solve a kidnapping case. Definitely a kids' book but with a lot of subversive humor for parents/adults. "
" This book was bizarre. Sometimes I was cringing and sometimes I was chuckling - which is why I stuck it out. Cool that it was read by the author, but some of the voices drove me crazy. Most likely on purpose. I just don't even know what to think about this book. "
" Cute concept, with moments of charm. "
" This was the most fun children's book that I have read this year. Its got hippie parents, responsible children, foxes in suits driving a limo, butlers, marmots, nosy neighbors, and detective bunnies! "
" This was hysterical - and not just from a kid standpoint. The writing is imaginative, funny, and crisp. I am using this for a mother-daughter book group with 2-4 graders! "
" Horvath's humor is here in full force, but I think rabbits are new for her. "
" A truly enjoyable tale. The language was rich and detailed. As an adult, I could appreciate the humor - the hippie parents, the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Bunny, and more. And I will forever look at marmots in a new light. "
" Oh man, I loved this so much and kept reading wacky lines aloud to my long-suffering husband. Great for Pinkwater fans, for sure. And Sophie Blackall's art is always a treat. "
Polly Horvath is one of the most highly acclaimed authors writing today. Her books include The Canning Season, a National Book Award winner and a YA Canadian Book of the Year; Everything on a Waffle, a Newbery Honor Book; The Trolls, a National Book Award finalist; My One Hundred Adventures, a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, a Booklist Editors’ Choice, and a Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Book of the Year; and Northward to the Moon, an Oprah’s Book Club Kid’s Reading List selection. She lives with her family in British Columbia.
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