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Because of the Rabbit
by
On the last night of summer, Emma tags along with her game warden father on a routine call. They're supposed to rescue a wild rabbit from a picket fence, but instead they find a little bunny. Emma convinces her father to bring him home for the night.
The next day, Emma starts public school for the very first time after years of being homeschooled. More than anything, Emma w ...more
The next day, Emma starts public school for the very first time after years of being homeschooled. More than anything, Emma w ...more
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Hardcover, 192 pages
Published
March 26th 2019
by Scholastic Press
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Get yourself a copy of this book and you'll see why I think Cynthia Lord is one of the most talented middle grade writers out there today. She takes seeds from her real life and creates stories that shine a light on the human experience, especially for those who aren't normally in the spotlight. Emma wants to go to "real school" (she's been homeschooled). She's lonely now that her older brother is going to highschool and doesn't have as much time for her anymore. On the eve of the first day she
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Cynthia Lord writes every word so perfectly and leaves me thinking about her books long after I close the pages. This one is no exception.

Jun 05, 2019
Donna Gephart
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
great-middle-grade-books,
highly-recommended
This gentle story shows deep emotions about a girl who shifts from home-school to public school and how challenging it is to make friends, navigate the social structure and open your heart to people with differences. There's so, so much to love in this book, especially if you like rabbits and want to learn about them in a fun way. Another beautiful story from Cynthia Lord!
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There are a lot of things to love about Because of the Rabbit! It is narrated by Emma, a 5th grader who is starting public school after having always been homeschooled. The story begins the night before Emma starts school. Her father is a Game Warden and she accompanies him on a call to rescue a rabbit that is stuck in someone's fence. When they see the rabbit they know instantly that it is a pet and not a wild rabbit so after releasing it from the fence they cannot let it go in the forest, as i
...more

3.5 stars, what would it be like to be starting public school for the first time after being homeschooled? That's Emma's story. She is starting fifth grade and public school at the same time. Find out how she makes the adjustment and goes about making friends in this school story. (view spoiler)
...more

Audiobook with my 12 year old. We loved Emma’s journey of learning the ins and outs of new friendship. It was especially interesting to us that this was a homeschool family transitioning to public school, and seeing the challenges associated with the switch. As a homeschool family ourselves, it was obvious to us that the author spoke from experience which lended real authenticity to the story.

@kidlitexchange #partner: #BecauseoftheRabbit by @cynthialord_author and @scholasticinc. On-sale March 26, 2019.
Before I start this review, let me get a mini rant off my chest. I was homeschooled. PreK-12th grade, baby. And while it might sound dumb, I got frustrated growing up because I never found myself represented in kid’s literature. Even in that rare book with a homeschooled character, the plot revolved around the character starting “real school” for the first time. There was never a kid ...more
Before I start this review, let me get a mini rant off my chest. I was homeschooled. PreK-12th grade, baby. And while it might sound dumb, I got frustrated growing up because I never found myself represented in kid’s literature. Even in that rare book with a homeschooled character, the plot revolved around the character starting “real school” for the first time. There was never a kid ...more

Formerly homeschooled Emma is starting public school for the first time and Scared and Excited are in a race to see which will win out. Emma's number one goal in fifth grade is to make a best friend; she's been lonely in homeschool since her older brother decided to start public school. But it's not as easy as she thought it would be. There are a lot of weird rules in public school, it takes way too long to get through each day (at home she was usually done with her lessons by lunchtime), and mo
...more

Emma is getting ready to start her first day of public school after being homeschooled with her older brother all her life. When her brother Owen started at the high school the previous year, Emma missed their time together and longed to have the chance to make friends of her own. Now she is about to enter 5th grade and is both excited and scared. Emma’s family live in Maine, where her father is a Game Warden, and on the last day of summer vacation he is called to rescue a rabbit stuck in a fenc
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This one was bittersweet for me because this fall we were to host author Cindy Lord at our school...but the pandemic put a quick end to that. We'll hope to have her live and in person next year.
Emma has been homeschooled until 5th grade when she decides to give the public school a try. Bolstered by her older brother's choice to do the same thing last year, Emma is certain that she will instantly make a best friend and school will be just awesome. Fast forward to the end of the first day of schoo ...more
Emma has been homeschooled until 5th grade when she decides to give the public school a try. Bolstered by her older brother's choice to do the same thing last year, Emma is certain that she will instantly make a best friend and school will be just awesome. Fast forward to the end of the first day of schoo ...more

The day before school started, Emma and her dad rescued an adorable little bunny that must have been someone's lost pet. Emma's first day of school wasn't what she'd hoped it would be. Having been homeschooled until she decided she wanted to go to public school in grade 5, she wished her mother hadn't agreed to making that change. Emma wanted a best friend, and she wanted so much to fit in, but to work on a class project she was paired with a boy with special needs. She liked him but she didn't
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i really enjoyed this book. it was so wholesome and cute. the story centers around Emma who has been homeschooled, and now in 5th grade she will be going to public school. She helps her dad rescue a bunny, and is allowed to keep him as a pet, unless they find the original owners.
The book takes place over the course of the first week of school. Emma desperately wants to fit in and find a best friend, and her struggles really tugged at my heart.
This is a great read for elementary, as there is a ...more
The book takes place over the course of the first week of school. Emma desperately wants to fit in and find a best friend, and her struggles really tugged at my heart.
This is a great read for elementary, as there is a ...more

A quiet, gentle book about homeschooler Emma trying to fit into public school for the first time. It's not easy. She finds support from the rabbit she helped her game warden father rescue plus from the wild animal stories she remembers from her late Pépère (grandfather). Emma struggles with making friends at school and only finds success when she shows her true self to others and realizes that the boy in her class who is on the autism spectrum may have been the truest friend to her since the day
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Emma has a lot of feelings going into public school after being homeschooled all her life. She's worried she is going to say the wrong thing and not make any friends. The night before her first day, her she and her father rescue a domesticated rabbit, who captures Emma's heart. A lot goes into this little book; her changing family, her friendships with other kids, and learning what it means to be a good friend herself. Lapi, her new cherished rabbit, helps her hop through the all growing pains o
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Dec 26, 2019
Janet Hutchinson
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
children-s-lit-read,
book-challenge-2019
A sweet, simple story of being different, making new friends, and learning about being yourself.

This is a really well-written story of a girl named Emma who is transitioning from being homeschooled to public school. The story follows her first week as she tries to make friends with some of the girls in her class, but an autistic boy named Jack ends up being the friend who latches onto her. In the midst of all of this, Emma also helps her dad rescue a rabbit who gets stuck in a fence. The rabbit is domesticated, but it's owners can't be found, so Emma is hoping she can can keep him. It's th
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If I were a book snob, I'd say that I got the book because of the author. After all, Rules is one of those books that rules the modern middle grade classroom so I'll have to be honest. I got the book from the Scholastic Book Fair because of the cover.
I love rabbits. I have had rabbits ever since my first year of teaching when a student brought me a baby bunny that his father was threatening to feed, fatten up, and serve for dinner. The title really spoke to me. So did the cover.
This was a reall ...more
I love rabbits. I have had rabbits ever since my first year of teaching when a student brought me a baby bunny that his father was threatening to feed, fatten up, and serve for dinner. The title really spoke to me. So did the cover.
This was a reall ...more

Love this little story, and appreciate the Lord's note at the end providing even more context. Great read-aloud for a 4th or 5th grade class.
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Read this book along with my elementary school aged children. I suck at reviews so I'll just write what my daughters said about it:
"I really liked it!"
"I liked how she learned a lesson about friendship"
"I liked how the author described the main characters emotions"
" It was really good"
Take it from a couple of kiddos. It's really a great book. ...more
"I really liked it!"
"I liked how she learned a lesson about friendship"
"I liked how the author described the main characters emotions"
" It was really good"
Take it from a couple of kiddos. It's really a great book. ...more

This is a heartwarming story about Emma’s first week in a public school after being homeschooled until the fifth grade. In just one week, she learns so much about what it means to be a good friend and a good person. Luckily, she has rabbit magic, a loving older brother, and stories from her grandfather to remind her what’s really important in life.

{My thoughts} – Cynthia Lord has done it again. She is a brilliant writer when it comes to stories that include animals. I have read her Pet Squad Series in the past and loved it. When I saw this book was coming out I just had to have it. I am definitely not disappointed.
Emma is a sweet girl that has been home-schooled her entire life. Now she is about to start the 5th grade and has decided that she would rather go to a real school. The night before her first day of school her dad and her rescue ...more
Emma is a sweet girl that has been home-schooled her entire life. Now she is about to start the 5th grade and has decided that she would rather go to a real school. The night before her first day of school her dad and her rescue ...more

Emma, the homeschooled heroine, is entering public school in the 5th grade, so naturally she's a little nervous about finding her place; i.e., getting stuck with the drips. And naturally a very sweet, socially inept boy gloms onto her right away. But with the help of a rescue rabbit and her own sound moral compass, Emma finds a way to be herself and have more than one kind of friend. Very sweet but not too sweet.
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“Fifth graders are independent, have a great sense of humor, and are wonderful problem solvers. They are compassionate and care deeply about things.”
—
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“It’s a powerful thing to rescue something. It changes both of you.”
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