Module 1-The Runaway Bunny

Book Info:
The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd. HarperCollins Publishers, 2005.

Summary:

Since its publication in 1942, this book has never been out of print. The story of a little bunny who determines to run away from his mother and a mother willing to go to any and all lengths to keep her little bunny safe, this book has been a favorite of readers for years. With simple and beautiful illustrations that capture the dreamlike quality of the little bunny's imaginings, this book's simple rhymes are thought of as ideal for parents lulling their children to sleep.

My Take:
I don't remember ever reading this book or having it read to me as a child, which to me seems like a good thing. Despite how many people consider this a sweet tale of a mother's devotion and love, to me it seems a little twisted and strange. I can't help but think that the little bunny is very ungrateful and the mother is scarily smothering. It seems clear that the little bunny wants a bit of freedom, but his mother seems unwilling to even let him imagine any freedom or individuality. And while the mother is, indeed, loving, her devotion can come across as over-bearing and stifling. Despite its popularity I just can't really like this book; the relationships depicted within it are just too messed up to really work without each person hurting the other.

Reviews:
Bethany Miller Cole - Children's Literature

Many children may wonder what it would be like to strike out on their own, but seldom imagine it as beautifully as the little bunny in this classic tale. The little bunny dreams of becoming a fish, a bird and even a "crocus in a hidden garden." With each new incarnation the bunny imagines, his mother promises to become a fisherman, a tree and a gardener so that she may still watch over, guide and protect her little bunny. Realizing that his mother's love is unwavering, the little bunny concedes defeat and decides he would be wise to stay home and just be himself. This picture book edition of the beautiful fable is perfect for even the smallest listener. Clement Hurd's black and white and colorful, dream-like illustrations grace spreads throughout the book, bringing to life perfectly the imagination of the young and the depth of love a parent has for a child. Children and the adults who love them will treasure this story. 2005 (orig. 1942), HarperFestival/HarperCollins, and Ages 6 mo. to 5.

 
Suggestions:
This book would be good to help calm very young children given its pictures and rhymes, but the only real use I could imagine for it in either a library or a school would be to illustrate how it is okay for children to forge their own identities, to show parents that while protecting their children is certainly a good thing, they can't protect them from everything, especially them learning to be their own person, and to show them how much of an asset their imagination can be.