My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann

Bibliography
Rohmann, Eric. 2002. My Friend Rabbit. Ill by Eric Rohmann. Brookfield, CT: Roaring Book Press. ISBN 0761324208

Plot Summary
In My Friend Rabbit, Rohmann, writes about the unlikely friendship between Mouse and Rabbit. Mouse describes Rabbit as his friend and continues to play with him even though "trouble follows" Rabbit "whatever he does and wherever her goes." The author uses two adventurous, likable, and different characters to teach us a lesson on the depths of friendship.

Critical Analysis
Only 90 words are used to fill this 30 page picture book. The author's, Eric Rohmann, writing is simple but speaks volumes. The story is told from the mouse's perspective as he describes one of their many adventures. Repeated words like "whatever he does, wherever her goes" and "Not to worry Mouse, I've got an idea" allows children to participate in the storytelling experience by reading along with you or echoing the words after you.

Rohmann's illustrations are bright and cheerful which serves the story well. He creates a beautiful blue sky which appears on most of the pages. Each animal is distinct and seems to have their own personality.

The story is presented in double page spreads throughout the book. My personal favorite is the vertical double page spread where the animals are stacked on top of each other in an effort to retrieve the airplane. Children will have tons of fun reading this book and learning about the friendship of Mouse and Rabbit.

Review Excerpts
Publishers Weekly: "This gentle lesson in patience and loyalty, balanced on the back of a hilarious set of illustrations, will leave young readers clamoring for repeat readings."

School Library Journal: "The double-page, hand-colored relief prints with heavy black outlines are magnificent, and children will enjoy the comically expressive pictures of the animals before and after their attempt to extract the plane."

Connections
*This is a great book if you are leading a discussion about friendship.
*If presented in story time, have the children participate by echoing the repeated text.