Classic Children's and YA Literature -Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery by James and Deborah Howe

5720 Module 2 Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery by James Howe, Deborah Howe, Alan Daniel (Illustrator)

Summary:  The Monroe family returns from the watching the movie “Dracula” with a cute little bunny they found in the cinema.  Ann Monroe, the mother, gives it a combined name of Bunny plus Dracula to form ‘Bunnicula’. The other two pets, Harold the dog, and Chester the cat notice strange events occurring in the night; including a bunny that is nocturnal and vegetables that have turned completely white. Harold likes the bunny, but Chester is suspicious and stays up at night to watch him.  He believes that Bunnicula is a vampire that is sucking the life out of the vegetables.  Moreover, Chester feels obligated to put an end to it.  The book does not resolve the issue, but leaves the reader hanging and wondering the truth about Bunnicula.

My Perspective:  One of the strengths of Bunnicula is that its told from the perspective of Harold the dog.  He and Chester the cat are good friends.  Chester enjoys reading and has extensive knowledge about many things, including vampires.  After the arrival of Bunnicula, strange things begin to happen, Chester is convinced that Bunnicula is a vampire.  First, there’s a note written in a Carpathian dialect, the home of Dracula.  Then the vegetables start turning white. Chester is sure he is sucking the juice out of them.  Chester watches the bunny carefully as he tries to solve the mystery. The mystery is a bit exciting, but when Chester stops the rabbit from leaving his cage by placing garlic around it; the bunny practically starves.  I found that part a bit disturbing.  After that, the story goes nowhere.  It feels like it ends abruptly.  The intention probably was to leave a cliff-hanger, but the reader is left with disappointment instead.    The premise of a vampire-bunny for young readers is excellent, but this story lacked in plot, there was no climax, and an very unsatisfying ending.  As the Kirkus Review put it, “it's a pretty feeble bit of foolishness (except, briefly, for the zucchini bit) which winds up with Bunnicula on a liquid diet that leaves no tell-tale signs. Was he, or wasn't he? Your guess is as good as ours.” Let the readers beware: It could be a disappointment.

Library Application: Although I was not a fan of the book myself, I did recommend this book to an eight-year-old boy who was looking for ideas to create science fiction stop-animations-movies.  He had just begun creating them using an iPad and the animation app Stop Motion Studio (Cateater, LLC).   The library can integrate this technology into a maker space and use library books as a resource for inspiration. 
References:
Howe, J. & Howe, D. (2006, 1979). Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks.


Kirkus Review.  (1979, Apr.18). Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery. Publisher: Atheneum. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/deborah-james-howe-howe/bunnicula-a-rabbit-tale-of-mystery/

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