10 Hopping Bunnies

10 Hopping Bunnies by Ed Allen, illustrated by Simon Williams (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $9.99

ISBN 978-1-74283-636-2

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

  Ten hopping bunnies with their egg and spoon.

  Ten hopping bunnies with their egg and spoon.

  And if one hopping bunny drops the egg too soon,

  There’ll be nine hopping bunnies with their egg and spoon.

Easter is coming and for most young children this means the thrill of the egg hunt and Easter Bunny. None of these bunnies is Easter Bunny, but they are just as fun. From the front cover - with them all heaped on a collapsed trampoline – to the last page – where they jump on the bed, these vibrant, bouncy bunnies keep the energy and entertainment high.

Ed Allen’s newest version of 10 Green Bottles has an easy, smooth rhythm and great rhymes. And William’s illustrations bring out the fabulous humour of each situation. 10 Hopping Bunnies is a great example of illustrations, being more than just decoration. Young children will be enchanted by these bunnies, their different personalities and the activities they get up to.

As with previous versions - 10 Smiley Crocs, 10 Funny Sheep, 10 Green Gecko’s (just to name a few) there are numbers hidden on every page for children to find as they enjoy this reverse counting book.

This is a great book for preschool children who love numbers, bunnies and slapstick fun.

My Easter Egg Hunt

My Easter Egg Hunt by Rosie Smith and Bruce Whatley (Scholastic Press)
HB RRP $16.99
ISBN 978-1-74283– 777-2
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

My Easter Egg Hunt is a new book by popular author-illustrators Rosie Smith and Bruce Whatley. It has simple pictures, simple text, and perfectly captures the joy of hunting for Easter eggs.

Three sweet bunnies play hide and seek with their friends, looking for brightly decorated eggs. The text directs ‘look down’, or ‘look under’ and young readers will follow, finding eggs in unusual places.

The illustrations have no background to distract from the central focus - two or three animals and the egg they are searching for. The spare text on each page complements this. The story is told as much through the pictures as the words. Look at the last picture and see who has already eaten his chocolate egg.

Soft colours and playful expressions on the animals make this a gentle read. It will be engaging for an audience from three years and up but could be read to younger children, toddlers and babies even.

A perfect Easter gift.

Bruce Whatley has illustrated many well-loved and awarded children’s books. Among them, Flood (with Jackie French) won CBCA Honour Book, CBCA Picture Book of the Year 2012, The Littlest Refugee (written with Ahn and Suzanne Do) won CBCA Honour Book, CBCA Eve Pownall Book of the year 2012 and Detective Donut and the Wild Goose Chase (with Rosie Smith) won Honour Book, CBCA Picture book of the year 1998. His collaboration with Jackie French, include the popular Diary of a Wombat, Josephine Loves to Dance, Pete the Sheep and Queen Victoria’s Underpants. With Rosie Smith he has produced picture books such as My Dad’s the Coolest, My Mum’s the Best and Hunting for Dragons.

The Smallest Bilby and the Easter Tale

The Smallest Bilby and the Easter Tale by Nette Hilton, illustrated by Bruce Whatley (Working Title Press)
HP RRP $24.95
ISBN 978-1-921504-42-6
Reviewed by Vicki Thornton

A great new title in time for Easter, this is the third book in the very popular The Smallest Bilby series. (The Smallest Bilby and the Midnight Star and The Smallest Bilby and the Easter Games.)

Once again Billy Bilby and the little bilbies face adventure. It is the night before Easter and they are out hiding eggs. They place them high and low, here and there, up and down, in and out. But what happens when one of the bilbies falls over the edge? Will there be an Easter?

Nette Hilton has given us another charming story featuring Billy Bilby and the little bilbies. Her love of language is obvious...

‘One by one, two by two, three by three,
down the path, past the billabong trees,
around the bend, and out into the night.’

This story, while not only taking us on an exciting adventure with the bilbies, shows us what working together can accomplish.

Once again Bruce Whatley’s illustrations come to the fore. Using subtle washes of pen and ink on watercolour paper (especially created for this series) the illustrations are delicate and gentle, warm and inviting.

If you loved Billy Bilby in his previous adventures, from the tips of his ears to the tips of his toes, you’ll love this third instalment. This picture book is suitable for ages 5 and up.