Hush, Little Bunny

This version of "Hush Little Baby" moves out of the bedroom rocking chair and into the big, wide world in early spring as a father bunny coaxes his little one ("Come, little bunny, don't be shy") into the fast-melting snow. There's new clover to eat and trees in bloom, and when trouble appears--a hawk circling overhead, an encounter with another little bunny who's a biter--Papa always knows what to do. In the former case, he hustles his baby to "a nest safe underground"; in the latter, he strikes an intimidating pose while his bunny snuggles between his feet. Loose mixed-media illustrations by Stein (Interrupting Chicken) capture all the wonder and energy of spring: pages glow with striations of sunlight, and landscape features take shape in fluid, kinetic lines. In one spread, the two sit quietly by a pond listening to a blackbird's song. In another ("And when the sun is sinking fast/ we'll tunnel softly through the grass"), only the insides of the bunnies' orange-tinted ears, pointed straight up, are visible as dandelion seeds dance overhead. Ages 4-8. Agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties. (Jan.)

PreS-When a bunny is sad that winter is over and spring has arrived, his father promises him wonderful adventures. Read or sung to the tune of "Hush, Little Baby," the rhyme scans perfectly and becomes a fresh, new song of spring. "Hush, little bunny, don't you cry, /Papa's gonna give you the big blue sky./ And if that big blue sky clouds over, /Papa's gonna give you a patch of clover." The illustrations, using mixed media on watercolor paper, are charming and reveal the love and camaraderie between father and child. Some of the vignettes are framed while other pictures flow to the page margins or simply fade to white around the edges. This sweet slice-of-life story shows the exuberance of a youngster discovering the wildflowers, blooming trees, and fireflies of spring while Papa watches protectively. One humorous illustration depicts the two hidden by tall grasses with only their long ears visible to readers. VERDICT Add this delightful tale to The Runaway Bunny and Guess How Much I Love You for a charming storytime or lapsit sharing.--Maryann H. Owen, Oak Creek Public Library WI