In this riff on the Mother Goose tale about the old woman in the shoe, a family of 26 bunny children whose names all begin with a different letter in the alphabet are used to teach ABCs and 1, 2, 3s. "The artwork is chock-full of cozy details and possesses a Victorian flair," wrote PW. Ages 3-8. (Feb.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

About the Author

Rick Walton is the author of a lot of books for kids. He has written books about bunnies, bears, pigs, dogs, dinosaurs, bullfrogs, sheep, foxes, cows, cats, alligators, mice, and rats. But this is his first book about a gorilla. He lives in Provo, Utah, with whatever people and animals happen to be visiting at the moment. Girl & Gorilla is based on his life. He is Gorilla.

Reviews

PreS‘Old Mother Rabbit lives in a shoe, but unlike her famous predecessor, she knows exactly what to do with her 26 offspring. After feeding them broth and carrots, she puts them all to bed in some rather strange places, leading readers through her house and garden as well as the alphabet: "1 was named Abel. He slept on the table. 2 was named Blair. She slept in a chair." The repetition of the exact same phrasing may get a little tiresome for adults reading aloud, but children will enjoy guessing where each rabbit sleeps. The napping places range from the fairly ordinary (chair, pillow) to the whimsical (trike, sink, trellis, bowl). The large, soft watercolor illustrations of cuddly bunnies, each with a distinct personality, will carry well in a group and are rich with clever details: carrot wallpaper, bunny dolls, and rabbit-shaped bedposts. The final two-page painting, in which all of the youngsters hop into bed with their mother, provides children with the opportunity to guess which bunny is which. Comforting and cozy, this attractive title is a good choice for pajama storytimes.‘Dawn Amsberry, Oakland Public Library, CA