Hush, Little Bunny

by David Ezra Stein

Hush, Little Bunny is a heartwarming, lyrical love letter from a papa bunny to his little one—from David Ezra Stein, Caldecott Honor-winning creator of Interrupting Chicken and Leaves. Fans of Kevin Henkes and Beatrix Potter will adore this gorgeous book.

Come, little bunny, don’t be shy . . .

“Hush Little Baby” is a lullaby that parents have sung to their children for generations. Now Caldecott Honor winner David Ezra Stein has reimagined the classic featuring an irresistible papa bunny and his little one.

This new classic is the perfect gift for Easter, baby showers, Father's Day, and all year long.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Storytime, Rabbits, Family, Music

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2019

About the author

David Ezra Stein is an author-illustrator whose previous books include LEAVES, winner of an Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award. He lives in Kew Gardens, New York.

Reviews

[Melisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stein's art is adorable and spot on but the rhymes are forced and it's not his best work. Sweet but there are better spring stories.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hush Little Bunny by David Ezra Stein
Hush little bunny is a lullaby that parents have sung to their children for generations. Now the author David Ezra Stein has reimagined the song into a book. Read about the little bunny and his adventures I enjoyed reading anything about bunnies, I rescue bunnies from abusive people and situations. I would recommend this book to children of all ages.

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story that can be sang to the tune of "Hush Little Baby" could be a board book.

[Lorellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is gorgeous. Tot and I both loved it.

[Bea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely art, sweet message but the flow and rhythm don't quite work.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Goodreads entry says this is for "fans of Kevin Henkes and Beatrix Potter." This book definitely shares the sweet, innocent quality of Henkes's illustrations, and is reminiscent of Stein's other books about animals and the natural world such as Leaves and Honey. I love the story of the father bunny and his little bunny as they go on adventures around the farm that pictured in the background in a few scenes, all done with bright, sunlit colors using mixed media on watercolor paper. The story is set to the classic rhythm of "Hush, Little Baby," and incorporates the bunnies' lives through the days and seasons.

[Shaye Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book just BEGS to be sung! In muted, earthy colors, this picture book is a play on the original song Hush, Little Baby.

Hush, little bunny, don't you cry.
Papa's gonna give you the big blue sky.
And if that big blue sky clouds over,
Papa's gonna give you a patch of clover.

Through rain and wind storm and even bullying bunnies, Papa looks out for his little bunny with utmost care. Awww! Even the font of the title makes me feel nostalgic for books from my early childhood. The artwork in this book was created using mixed media on watercolor paper.

For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!

[KC · Rating 3 out of 5]

A retelling of "Hush Little Baby". Wonderful illustrations but a bit too long.

[MaryLibrarianOH · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Hush Little Baby" for bunnies. Papa and baby bunny have a wonderful relationship as they explore the natural world from the end of winter to the end of spring. The rhythmic language make it a wonderful cuddle up story for sharing with little ones. The illustrations are both classic looking as well as timeless.

[Hanna Yost · Rating 4 out of 5]

All the points for being a good read aloud told from a dad's point of view. Gifted a copy to my cousin (single dad) who was thrilled.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful art and words.

[Karen Arendt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect for young children. This story shows dad’s love for his bunny will protect him no matter what. Even more fun sung to the tune “Hush Little Baby”.

[Alexa · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the cutest books ever!

[Theresa Grissom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute book based on the old lullaby Hush, Little Baby. I am going to a baby shower soon and have decided that this will be a perfect book to give.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

An adorable bedtime story from a papa bunny to his little one with new lyrics to the favorite lullaby Hush Little Baby.

Warm and sweet and absolutely enchanting! Stein's watercolor illustrations use a warm palette and close up perspective and evoke a sense of reassurance and love. Charming small details can be found on all the pages. This is sure to be a favorite with the pre-school set.

I loved this!

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Caldecott Honor-winner Stein has rewritten the classic song of Hush Little Baby into a rabbit-filled delight. A papa bunny spends a day with his little bunny, experiencing a day in spring just as the snow is disappearing. The two of them explore the meadow together, running under the big blue sky. They munch on clover, hide from a hawk, and then return to play in the sun. In the afternoon, the little bunny plays with other young bunnies and papa bunny intervenes when someone is mean. As the day comes to a close, they watch fireflies and rejoice in spending time together.

The book follows the phrasing and structure of the original song, which will inspire singing along when sharing this one aloud. There is such a sense of joy throughout this book about the warming weather, the beauty of spring and the pleasure of being with someone you love and who loves you. The illustrations echo that spirit with their playful nature. The watercolors are filled with the greens of spring and the gold of the sun.

Another winner for Stein, this one is just right for springtime reading. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

One thing I did when my kiddos were young was to “re-write” the lyrics to a familiar song to include things familiar to our family. In Hush, Little Bunny David Ezra Stein has re-written the lyrics to “Hush, Little Baby” and applied it to a bunny and its parent. The situations mentioned in the could easily be part of the life of a rabbit. The illustrations are child-like and show the text in picture form. Hush, Little Bunny will most likely have the most appeal for young children.

I would not hesitate to add Hush, Little Bunny to my K-12 Christian School library. I will be including it in my Mock Caldecott unit later this fall. 

I borrowed a copy of Hush, Little Bunny from my local public library. This is my honest review.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This lyrical twist on the "Hush little baby, don't you cry" traditional song and lyric is delightfully pended in scenes, simple content about the habits of rabbits, and the remarkably gentle but lively art of David Ezra Stein. This would make a delightful bedtime book, or any anytime story, since each "Papa's gonna give you" verse introduces a natural event in the life of a rabbit.
(I'll forgive the fact that bunnies are nocturnal and these are all daytime images, because they are so charmingly portrayed and the intended audience is young enough not to be bothered by that distinction.)
It's an appealing verse when read aloud, and even more lovely when sung to the familiar tune.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

When little bunny and his mother come out of the den into spring there is a big, beautiful world to discover! Things are in bloom, other bunnies are playing, there is a blazing blue sky. Mother rabbit introduces little bunny to the world to the cadence of "Hush Little Baby Don't Say a Word". She assures him that she will be there for him no matter what happens and no matter what the weather brings, she ends her assurances with, "And when the spring has come and gone, I'm still gonna love you all year long."

It was nearly impossible to break out of the lyrics of the familiar song, but that is the only hold-back on this sweet little book. The illustrations are warm and very inviting and remain enticing from beginning to end. They perfectly suit the sentimental nature of the book and make a reader want to pause for a good healthy "awwwwwww" on every page. The illustrations are quite reminiscent of "The Velveteen Rabbit". This may or may not be intentional, but is a very comforting and familiar. The potential tie in evokes some very good feelings and adds another layer to the story. This is a great addition to a library at home, at school, or for the city.

See more reviews on http://byucbmr.com/

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 3 out of 5]

You familiar with the tune "Hush Little Baby?" Well, this book is almost exactly like it--only a bunny and his daddy is the main focus of the book. I did love that being a father focus; you don't see that very often in books.

David Ezra Stein, Caldecott winning illustrator, does a fantastic job at illustrating and authoring this tale. I just wanted it to be more. But it was enough.

I think it would work very well in a storytime....so I should use it when I get back to the library ;)

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet retelling of the “hush little baby” lullaby, this book is told from a papa bunny to his baby. Just like the original, papa promises to give baby bunny things that make him happy and keep him safe. The illustrations are beautiful and lovely. Maybe it’s the nature theme, maybe it’s the pictures, but whatever the reason, I like this better than the original song, and I plan to learn it by heart to sing to my little one. ❤️

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked Stein's adaptation of the words of the traditional lullaby "Hush, Little Baby" into a celebration of spring and rabbits cavorting in spring time. I loved the illustrations--the colors and the execution. I also liked how the illustrations extended the text by showing actions and objects not specifically mentioned.

[Audrey Gutierrez · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a very cute book since it is a spin on Hush Little Baby from a dad's perspective. Books are often written about the relationship between a mom and child so I really enjoyed that this story was about a father and child. The illustrations were well done, but overall I don't know if I loved the story because it felt a bit long and drawn out.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an adorable takeoff on the well known traditional lullaby, “Hush, Little Baby”. Delightful papa rabbit and his young one are enjoying the day and papa is ever watchful and protective. Love the illustrations and the color palette primarily in yellows, greens, and browns. And who knew rabbits could be so expressive. This is a good picture book.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hush, Little Bunny by David Ezra Stein is a lovely new addition to bedtime lullaby books. Follow a father and baby bunny through their romps and adventures as little bunny experiences growing up in the wild. Sung to the tune of "Hush, Little Baby, Don't You Cry", this endearing picture book is sure to become a classic for ages 2 - 7.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a lovingly illustrated tribute to the unconditional love of a father for his child (bunny!).

Perhaps as important as all the love is how the father models problem-solving.

He doesn’t just protect his child, he also models how to find better places to live, safer situations, self-defense, and how to be happy.

Adapting to the conditions.

[Jessica Furtado · Rating 4 out of 5]

A singable tale inspired by the tune of "Hush, Little Baby" provides gentle story that is perfect for bedtime. Beautifully illustrated in soft hues, parents will love sending little ones off to bed with this story about Papa & Baby bunny and the arrival of spring.

[Carol V · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hush, Little Bunny is a retelling of the tradition lullaby, Hush, Little Baby. It has a comfortable message to listeners of love and protection. What a nice book to share at Easter and to welcome Spring.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

An updated version of the classic lullaby, "Hush Little Baby." Stein adapts the rhymes for a little bunny exploring the world with a parent. I found the action fresh and new and the text is well supported by Stein's recognizable illustrations (reminiscent of "Leaves").

[Cara Byrne · Rating 4 out of 5]

"And if the afternoon brings showers, we'll stay by a tree that's hung with flowers. And when those flowers blow away, we'll find some other bunnies and play." I love this soft, sweet take on a lullaby. It's easy to sing and it's great as a bedtime read for little ones.