Rabbit and Skunk and the Big Fight

Rabbit and Skunk

by Carla Stevens

Rabbit and Skunk have a disagreement with a Woodchuck.

64 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1964

Reviews

[Eleanor Wing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is literally the best book I have ever read. The artistry in the wording is astounding. When rabbit says “I’m tired. I need a nap” after being told to dress up as a ghost and growl at woodchuck, it really speaks to the dichotomy of the human (and apparently rabbit) position. This is the most impactful piece of literature I have ever had the pleasure of laying my eyes on.
The ending (and rabbit and skunk’s whole relationship) provided lovely commentary on what it means to be in a toxic relationship, and the never ending cycle of pain it can create, although it can definitely be a trigger for those with past trauma.
The whole story really provides an excellent perspective on the current state of society, almost like a parable. We are fighting amongst ourselves on how to fight evil, when we really should have been fighting the evil the whole time.
There is definitely a fair bit of violence and psychological terror inducing content, so do check in with yourself mentally before reading.
11/10

[David Schwenker · Rating 2 out of 5]

The "pen and ink" art is simple and pleasant. The story starts humorous but becomes morally confused. It attempts to reveal the dangers of fighting, but the characters themselves don't learn the lesson.

"Rabbit, you should never fight," said Skunk, "You just don't know how."

Ah, so one should only fight if they are well-trained or experienced?

It also ends with each other threatening to punch one another instead of apologizing, despite just seeing how hurt one could become in a fight.

"Skunk," said Rabbit. "If you say one more word about that old rabbit hold, I'll punch YOU in the nose!"

And this threat effectively shuts the skunk up.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a strange, but somewhat moralistic tale about standing up for yourself and the hazards of getting into a fight. The cover page has an absolutely adorable rabbit and a skunk who seem to be quite irritated with one another.

The pictures are primarily black and white with some green accents and the narrative is simple, with short lines on each page. There's a bit of a Halloween theme, with the main characters dressing up, but the story is not about the holiday itself.

I discovered this book in the 'free' bin at our local library while our girls were checking out the book sale. I figured I'd give this one a quick read and then return it back to the donation bin.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite books when I was a kid. I remember that I used to make my parents re-read the actual fight scene over and over again because it made me laugh so hard. The entire book is funny and a good time for any young child.