MMGM: Because of the Rabbit

Another rabbit book! I seem to be on a rabbit kick lately, but there were a number of other reasons this book stood out to me. It’s by Cynthia Lord, who wrote the highly acclaimed (and deservedly so) Rules, one of the best books about autism from a sibling’s perspective. Because of the Rabbit is also about a formerly homeschooled girl entering school for the first time. And it has a rabbit rescue!

If you like emotional, character-driven stories with animals, you will love this book!

Synopsis from Amazon:
 

On the last night of summer, Emma tags along with her game warden father on a routine call. They're supposed to rescue a wild rabbit from a picket fence, but instead they find a little bunny. Emma convinces her father to bring him home for the night.

The next day, Emma starts public school for the very first time after years of being homeschooled. More than anything, Emma wants to make a best friend in school.

But things don't go as planned. On the first day of school, she's paired with a boy named Jack for a project. He can't stay on topic, he speaks out of turn, and he's obsessed with animals. Jack doesn't fit in, and Emma's worried he'll make her stand out.

Emma and Jack bond over her rescue rabbit. But will their new friendship keep Emma from finding the new best friend she's meant to have?

Newbery Honor-winning author Cynthia Lord has written a beautiful and sensitive book about being different and staying true to yourself.

What I liked:

1.    The Maine setting: Maine is a state I haven’t been to yet, but I am hankering to go after reading this book. I liked the details of how her family kayaks on a nearby lake, how remote everything is, and Emma’s thoughts on “living in the sticks.” It’s very clear that this place is near and dear to the writer’s heart.

2.    Beautiful kid images and metaphors: There’s no purple prose here, but I love how Lord uses metaphors that only a kid would come up with. When Emma described the mountains like origami done by a beginner, I had to smile. Kids are natural poets.

3.    The rabbit! Although Lapi the rabbit didn’t play a huge role in the plot, I liked the specific details about his care. I didn’t know that rabbits claim people and objects like cats and dogs do. I also like how Lord used rabbit facts at the beginning of the chapter to foreshadow events and reveal Emma’s emotional state.

4.    French Canadian folklore. I loved how the Rabbit is named Lapin after the French word for rabbit and how Emma calls her grandparents by their French names. The inclusion of Pépère’s stories was delightful. My mom is a retired French teacher, and my sons call her Mémé, so I could relate.

5.    Family dynamics: I wanted to move in with this family! It was nice to see siblings who actually like to spend time together, and a sister who misses her brother when he’s gone. Emma’s mom and dad are also really relatable, and I especially liked how Dad often brings Emma with him when he rescues animals.

Minor Quibbles: None

The new kid at school plot reminded me a lot of Roll With It, which I reviewed last fall. But I think kids can’t get enough of books like this: learning that having a friend is not so much about finding a particular person, but being a friend to others.

What books have you loved lately?

 

To read more middle grade reviews or join in on the MMGM fun, check out Greg Pattridge's blog Always in the Middle.