Mother Rabbit's Son Tom

Hattie Rabbit

by Dick Gackenbach

Contains two short stories - "Hamburgers, Hamburgers" and "Tom's Pet".In "Hamburgers, Hamburgers" Tom turns his little furry nose up at Mother's suggestion that spring is the time to eat dandelions. He wants a hamburger "with onions and ketchup and pickles on a poppy-seed roll." Mother Rabbit wishes she had a nickel for every pickle Tom eats, and says his head is full of ketchup.In "Tom's Pet" our friend Tom tries to bring home several different pets, only to be told by Mother that he cannot keep them.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Dick Gackenbach, the illustrator of all the Adam Joshua Capers, is also the author-illustrator of more than a score of books of his own. Mr. Gackenbach lives in Washington Depot, Connecticut.

Reviews

[Arcana]

I read this book as a young child and I loved it so much that I remembered the story, maybe this is why I love cheeseburgers? A wonderful book!

[Abigail]

Hattie Rabbit's brother Tom stars in this third installment of the Hattie Rabbit early reader series from author/illustrator Dick Gackenbach. In Hamburgers, Hamburgers Tom refuses every refreshing treat Mother Rabbit offers, insisting that he wants a hamburger. Mother Rabbit tells him eventually he will turn into a hamburger, and Tom plays a prank to convince her he has. In Tom's Pet, our leporine hero asks to keep a variety of animals as pets, only to be told no each time. When he asks for dinosaur, his mother is convinced to say yes, because they are extinct. Little does she know that Tom has a trick up his sleeve...

Published in 1977, Mother Rabbit's Son Tom is part of the Early I Can Read collection, and features the same matter-of-fact humor as its two predecessors, Hattie Rabbit and Hattie Be Quiet, Hattie Be Good . Here we have a story about a picky eater who only wants to eat one thing—a common childhood experience, it seems—and who plays a prank in response to the admonitions of his mother, and one about a child cleverly presenting his requests in such a way that he eventually gets what he wants. In both, Tom Rabbit emerges as something of a trickster. I think beginning readers will enjoy the humor here, and the reveals at the end of each story. The artwork has vintage charm, with its cartoon style and limited reddish washes. Recommended to anyone seeking beginning readers with fun stories and family humor.

[Cheryl]

Read a well-loved copy from my local library. I found it rather simple, but I can see children being amused by the little twist endings.

[Yolanda Smith]

A perennial favorite.

[Sydney Beth]

A bit random but cute and amusing for children.

[Crystal]

Cute funny book

[Margaret]

This was one of my oldest son's favorites when he was young. I found a copy recently and had to read it again. Cute!

[Jon Chandler]

I absolutely loved this book as a child. My favorite part of it being the first short story, "Hamburgers, Hamburgers." But I can recall seeing that bland dark brown on brown tattered and torn cover and I would get so excited. I will have to hunt down a copy for my own child.

[mlady_rebecca]

I loved the story "Hamburgers, Hamburgers" when I was a kid. So happy someone pointed out the title of the full book the short came from.

[Vonda]

Loved this book as a kid. Thrilled to be reading it with my son now!

[Melissa]

It's cute