Ten Little Rabbits

A posthumously published tale of overly prolific bunnies from a master of the picture-book form. 

Picture-book gold. You can practically hear the applause...not only from audience members who appreciate the performance but from the legions of Sendak fans who may not have encountered this charming little gem before.

PreS-Gr 1--Counting from 1 to 10 and back again--that's the concept in this never-before-published book from the renowned children's book creator. With pure Sendak whimsy, this simple story will grab readers' attention. At first, a child magician stands next to the podium marked with the letter "M" (for Magician, Maurice, or perhaps for Max from Where the Wild Things Are?). Dressed in striped trousers and tails, the magician smiles confidently as the first rabbit appears. Then the child's facial expressions change as each additional rabbit jumps out of the top hat, landing on the child's arms, legs, back, and head. Will this mound of bunnies overwhelm the young conjurer? Of course, Sendak is a master at showing a child regaining control, and that's exactly what happens as the magician makes the rabbits vanish one by one, an exercise in counting backward. "None," and "All done," close out the book as the child walks offstage. The illustrations are in gray scale with the rabbits depicted in white, yellow, blue, and gray. Useful as a counting book for young children, this charmer also lends itself to home or classroom discussions of strategies for recognizing and dealing with obstacles and frustration. VERDICT A newly discovered treasure from a beloved children's book magician.--Gloria Koster

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Originally created as a miniature pamphlet for a museum fundraiser, this previously unpublished treasure from the late Sendak recalls the creator's Nutshell Library in its gentle-hued simplicity. A counting book format follows a magic act gone pear-shaped as a young magician, drawn in a familiarly Sendakian pen-and-ink style, is kitted out in a child-size evening jacket, bow tie, and top hat. Alone on the verso, the figure takes a bow before flourishing a wand with easy grace and summoning a rabbit from the hat: "1," the spread's text reads. Producing more rabbits in various hues, the magician sports a confident grin, balancing the bunnies on his head and arms while standing on one leg. Soon, though, the rabbits grow unwieldy, and the magician's face registers frustration, then becomes buried as a 10th rabbit appears. "So then--" reads a line of the book's minimal text, "he made them vanish again!" and the series reverses, just as delightfully. The action runs full circle from mirth to mayhem and back, and droll, controlled sketches order the chaos, highlighting each new development, beat by beat, en route to a satisfying "all done." The magician's skin reflects the white of the page. Ages 4-8. (Feb.)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Counting from 1 to 10 and back again—that's the concept in this never-before-published book from the renowned children's book creator. With pure Sendak whimsy, this simple story will grab readers' attention. Useful as a counting book for young children, this charmer also lends itself to home or classroom discussions of strategies for recognizing and dealing with obstacles and frustration. A newly discovered treasure from a beloved children's book magician. — School Library Journal (starred review)

This previously unpublished treasure from the late Sendak recalls the creator's Nutshell Library in its gentle-hued simplicity. The action runs full circle from mirth to mayhem and back, and droll, controlled sketches order the chaos, highlighting each new development, beat by beat, en route to a satisfying "all done." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

The M emblazoned on his stage podium could just as well stand for Max or Mickey or Maurice, as another little boy with flair, talent, and determination. There's also drama in the changing expressions on the boy's face as a magic trick that begins in pride and insouciance starts to overwhelm him. A true Sendak hero, he sets himself to rights. Go[es] straight to the heart. — Horn Book (starred review)

Visually similar to such Sendak crowd-pleasers as the Nutshell Library titles. Children will be drawn to the escalating tide of fuzzy bunnies and will share the protagonist's sense of satisfaction at watching them go. — Kirkus Reviews

This sweet offering will round out your Sendak collection nicely! — We Are Teachers

This never-before-published Sendak might be small, but it surely will be of interest to his many, many fans. — Booklist

An adorable counting book. It's refreshing to find a book that just wants to make kids giggle and count. I suspect that henceforth at every baby shower, at least 10 copies of this hoppy book will magically appear. — Washington Post

Ten Little Rabbits is a brisk, sweet, and funny picture-book intro to counting that makes an audacious suggestion: there's something magical about numbers. — Shelf Awareness