We’re pretty big fans of Hop-Hops (or bunnies if you’re a proper grown up) in our family. They’re clever, and sweet, and feisty. Naturally the Tiny Human and I are pretty big fans of Hop-Hop books. We put together our favorite bunny books, and hopefully you’ll become big fans of Hop-Hops, and Hop-Hop books too.
The Rabbit Listened
written & Ills. by Corri Doerrfeld
The Rabbit Listened may be my favorite of our favorite bunny books. In the Rabbit Listened Taylor is feeling very creative and make a great big thing. It’s wonderful, and amazing, and it gets knocked over. First comes a chicken that wants to talk – talk – talk. Then a bear who wants to shout and rage! Animal after animal comes, each disappointed that Taylor doesn’t want to shout or cry or sabatoge someone else. When they’ve all gone, the rabbit comes, and sits quietly until Taylor wants to talk, and cry, and shout, and then to build something new.
The Rabbit Listened is about so much more than just listening. The rabbit doesn’t just listen, the rabbit also waits. Of all the kind things we can do for each other waiting, and listening are to of the most important.
Too Many Carrots
written & Ills. by Katy Hudson
To Many Carrots is a very silly tale, about a rabbit that hoards carrots like a dragon. Which, one might think isn’t to bad a thing for a rabbit. But even rabbits need somewhere cozy to sleep, and feast on their carrots.
Luckily for this rabbit, he has friends willing to share their homes, even letting him bring some of his carrots along. Rabbit, however, still can’t judge how many carrots is the right amount of carrots. Eventualy when rabbit and friends are out in the rain, rabbit learns sometimes the carrot hoard needs to be cut down for more important things, like staying dry, and sharing a meal with friends.
The Tiny Human and I love a good silly book, and we like to read about silly hop-hops who love their carrots as much as Fritz loves his blueberries.
Rabbit’s Gift
written By George Shannon
Ills. by Laura Dronzer
Rabbit’s Gift is a retelling of a folktale found in many cultures, with variations found in China, Syria, Jordan, Japan, and France. Rabbit’s Gift is all about thoughtfulness and generosity.
Rabbit, while preparing his winter stocks, finds an extra turnip. Thinking his friend might not have found enough, he carries it through the snow to leave at his Donkey’s Door. When Donkey finds the turnip, he has enough so he carries it to his friend, and so on until the turnip winds up back with rabbit.
The Tiny Human is already great at sharing, but I think we can all use a reminder now and then, to be thoughtful with our actions.
Little White Rabbit
Written & ills. by Kevin Henkes
The Little White Rabbit is all about curiosity. If any creature embody the spirit of curiosity its tiny humans, and Hop-Hops. Which is one of the reasons I love this book so much. The little white rabbit takes in the world around him, and wonders.
He wonders what it would be like to be green, like the high green grass. He wonders what it would be like to fly through the air, like the birds on the wind. Then he meets a cat far to scary to wonder about, and he zooms home, where he doesn’t wonder if they love them.
It’s a wonderful way to introduce young kids to observing the world, and asking themselves questions about what they see. Creating a space for kids to experience, ask questions, and then (under safe guidance) test and experiment to find answers to those questions is one of the best things we can do for Tiny Humans. I think it’s impossible to start to early.
Snow Rabbit; Spring Rabbit
written by Il Sung Na
Snow Rabbit; Spring Rabbit is a beautifully illustrated book about the changing of the seasons. Rabbit journey’s through the forrest as the snows begin to fall watching as the other animals prepare for winter. Some animals have a big sleep, some fly away somewhere warm, some store up food, no matter how they spend the winter, all the animals are happy and home for spring.
Illustrations always get me. I’m a gluten for beautiful illustrations. I also love stories that talk about nature, in a way young children can understand. Snow Rabbit; Spring Rabbit is a great way to begin a conversation about how animals adapt to the changes in seasons. It’s a great addition to anyones fall reading list.
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
written & Ills. by Beatrix Potter
A list of favorite bunny books cannot be complete, with out Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of Peter Rabbit. For many of us it was our first book about bunnies, and our first introduction to the glorious illustrations of Beatrix Potter.
More than any other, The Tale of Peter Rabbit captures the spirit of chaos that are bunnies. If you aren’t familiar with Peter Rabbit, he is a very naughty bunny, who defies his mother to eat himself sick in Mr. Mcgregor’s garden. Only to be chased about the garden being threatened by a hoe.
I will say that Peter Rabbit can seem a little grim if you aren’t used to stories like it. However I grew up with Krampus, and Beatrix Potter has nothing on Krampus.
Hop, Bunny: Explore the Forest
written by Susan b. Neuman
Hop, Bunny: Explore the Forest isn’t a story book, but we love it anyway. Every decent home library needs a few nonfiction books. Hop, Bunny is part of the national geographic pre-reader series designed to help toddlers expand their vocabulary, and engage their curiosity about the world around them.
Hop, Bunny is all about what a bunny would see in their natural habitat. While Fritz is a very happy house bunny, not all hop-hops live in houses, and its important to establish a proper respect for animals in their natural habitats.
We hope you like our favorite bunny books, and pass on your favorites too. It’s impossible to have to many books with Hop-Hops in them.
