My Friend Rabbit

Caldecott Medal Award 2003

Citation: My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann. (Roaring Books Press, 2002). 33p. Traditional Picture Book.

Summary: The friendship and misadventure of Mouse and Rabbit are told with colorful illustrations and bold lines. 

Critique:

a.       The timeless story of friendship using few words and detailed pictures.

b.      The illustrations manage to progress the story without using words.  The adventure of Rabbit allows creative thinking which is reinforced without words using illustrations.

c.       The pictures telling the story of Rabbit and Mouse horizontally and vertically express the necessity of the situation.  The words used through the book are told by the narrator, Mouse who brings the reader in with his thoughts and feelings imploring the reader to view the situation from his perspective.  The Rabbit and Mouse are friends, and even with the misfortune of Rabbit affecting Mouse, they are still there to help one another.

Curriculum Connection:  Classrooms can have discussions about problem solving and friendship after reading this book.