Little White Rabbit

by Kevin Henkes

One bright spring day a little white rabbit sets out from home on an adventure. What does he find? Look! Everything is new.Anything is possible. . . .

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Storytime, Rabbits, Fantasy, Fiction

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Kevin Henkes is an American writer and illustrator of children's books. As an illustrator he won the Caldecott Medal for Kitten's First Full Moon (2004). Two of his books were Newbery Medal Honor Books, Olive's Ocean in 2004 and The Year of Billy Miller in 2014. His picture book Waiting was named both a 2016 Caldecott Honor Book and a Geisel Honor Book. It was only the second time any author has won that combination of awards.

Reviews

[Christian Schultheiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I realized that author of one of my favorite books chrysanthemum wrote this too I was even more stoked to get into this with my little one. This delivers heartwarming reassurance of family and self care as well as some of the most creatively crafted imagination drawing scenes I’ve seen in a while. From the lush green page representing imagining color or the giant bunny dreaming of giant height, there’s a childhood wonderment and playfulness in this book you’ll have to read yourself to fully appreciate and understand. Henkes really can’t seem to write a bad children’s book, not by any means.

[Roya · Rating 3 out of 5]

1- گاهی خودت رو جای بقیه بذار و از دید اون‌ها به زندگی نگاه کن.
2- هروقت از هر چی ترسیدی، نگران نباش و به آدم‌های امن زندگیت پناه ببر.
3- زندگی فقط چیزهای زیبایی که از دیدن و داشتن‌شون لذت می‌بری و خوشحالی نیست، باید بپذیری که ترس‌ها و زشتی‌ها هم وجود دارند.
4- اگر هنوز آمادگی مواجهه با ترس‌هات رو نداری، فعلا فرار کن. هیچ اشکالی نداره.

[Zeynab · Rating 3 out of 5]

اولش خیلی قشنگ و خلاقانه از فکرهای خرگوش میگفت ولی یهو از مسیر اصلی خارج شد و دیگه معلوم نشد چی شد زود هم تموم شد. حیف

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story about little bunny's imagination and about the love between parent and child. Not one of Henkes best, IMO, but still very sweet and the colors and illustrations are so evocative of spring. A great spring/Easter read.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little White Rabbit set off filled with imagination. As he hopped through the grass, he wondered what it would be like to be green. When he went by the fir trees, he wondered what being tall was like. When he hopped over the rock, he wondered about how it would feel not to be able to move. When he saw the butterflies, he imagined being able to fly. But when he saw the cat, he got too scared to imagine anymore. He hurried back to his family and didn’t stop wondering and imagining.

Henkes is a master of the picture book format. The simple words here carry the story beautifully, giving just enough detail to keep the book moving. The focus on wondering and imagining is one that will have young minds wondering along with the book, exactly what I love to see in any picture book.

The illustrations, done in colored pencil and acrylic paint, are also simple. They are nice and large, which will work well with a group of preschoolers. The simplicity speaks to the skill of Henkes as an illustrator. The double-page spreads of the imaginings of Little White Rabbit offer lots of exploration, moments of quiet, and space for young children to have their own daydreams too.

Simplicity by a master of the genre, this book will be adored by Henkes’ many fans and will find new fans too. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

[Steph Sinclair · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really cute book. I found the story to be a little dull, but my kids really enjoyed it. It even managed to hold my 15-month-old's attention till the end of the book.

[Jacoba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little White Rabbit by Kevin Henkes (2011)
Genre: Picture Book
Format: Book
Plot summary: As he hops along a little rabbit wonders what it would be like to be green as grass, tall as fir trees, hard as rocks, and flutter like butterflies
Considerations or precautions for readers advisory (strong language, sex, death, religious overtones, violence, etc.)
Review citation (if available): Weitz, Susan School Library Journal , February 2011, Vol. 57 Issue 2, p81-81
Section source used to find the material: ALA Notable Children's 2012
Recommended age: K-2nd grade

[Cloud · Rating 3 out of 5]

We LOVE Kitten's First Full Moon. Very much. So I was very thrilled to find this author had more books! We are super keen on animals right now and Baby has been into bunnies who go HOP HOP HOP. I thought this was going to be an easy win, but nope. Not really.

She wasn't really into the different ideas of the bunny. I think she was expecting a bit more rabbit hopping or something. Still, super cute artwork and I enjoyed the book.

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did this book in storytime on 4/19.

Reminds me of the felt story I do called "Scat the Cat" about wanting to change who they are.....and yet being okay with NOT. It's sweet. I do love Kevin Henkes drawings.

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

So sweet! Perfect for storytime!

[Anna Kolakaluri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was adorable. So cute with all the things the little rabbit wonders about.

[Margaret Chind · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Little White Rabbit" was first published in 2011 as a picture book and I've had it on my wishlist ever since. 2014 is the first board board edition. This little book is fabulous! Full of curiosity, hopping along, and imagination. The illustrations are so beautiful which does not surprise me as I love Kevin Henkes books. Little White Rabbit, board book, will make a perfect addition to an Easter Basket for any little one. The infomration says ages 4-8, but I say birth-8 with this new board book format!

Thanks to HC.

[Tatiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful artwork adorn this sweet and simple picture book by master writer and artist Kevin Henkes. Children are devoted fans of his work for a reason, and this latest title does not disappoint. You feel as you are floating along a lazy, imaginative day with Little White Rabbit, taking in nature around you, with the freedom to pretend as you wish. Highly recommended for ages four and up.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations, beautiful story. Little white rabbit loves to imagine.

[Lexi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book opens on a very curious white rabbit as they hop through the forest. They see many things like trees, rocks, butterflies, and even cats. This bunny has a large imagination and wonders what it would be like to have various qualities like being tall, green, being able to fly, or even not being able to move. Yet when all was said and done when he went back to his family, he didn’t have to wonder who loved him.
This book has a very basic and easy-to-understand story that suites very young kids who are just starting to read, or are still being read to. I thought it was cute but kind of boring for anyone older than a six-year-old. The illustrations were cute but the style was just like someone took a crayon and colored the whole book. Overall this book really just didn’t strike me as anything that a random person off the street couldn’t have made up.
Seeing as I want to teach second through fourth grade I don’t really see a place for this book in my classroom. All of my kids would have already moved on to books with more of an actual storyline that interested them. If I were to be teaching younger grades I might consider it as a read-alone book for the kids still working on understanding what they read but seeing as I am not teaching younger grades, I will not be purchasing this book for my future classroom.

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is called "Little White Rabbit," and it's so cool! It's about this little white rabbit who goes on a big adventure, and it all starts on a super bright spring day.

The rabbit leaves home and starts exploring, and guess what? Everything is new! It's like a world of surprises. The pictures in the book show all the cool things the rabbit discovers, and it made me feel like I was on the adventure too.

The best part is that anything is possible in this story. The rabbit finds all sorts of things, and it made me think about all the awesome stuff that could happen in real life. It's like a reminder that every day can be an adventure if you look for the cool stuff around you.

The illustrations are so pretty and colorful. They make the story even more exciting. The little white rabbit is really cute, and I liked seeing all the different things it finds on its journey.

The words in the book are just right for my age. Not too hard, not too easy. It's the kind of book I can read on my own or share with my friends. It made me feel happy and inspired to go on my own adventures.

If you like stories about exploring, discovering new things, and feeling like anything is possible, you should totally check out this book. It's awesome! I give it five stars!

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parents need to know that this is a gentle picture book written and illustrated by Caldecott winner Kevin Henkes, whom readers might know from Kitten's First Full Moon or the Lilly series. The text is simple and spare, and the sweet pastel images of the little white rabbit leaping with a flight of butterflies, looking curiously at a lone dragonfly, or rubbing pink noses with his mother make this a good choice for quiet time. As parents read this book aloud to their kids, they can use the
illustrations to practice searching (Can you find the little white rabbit among
all the green objects?) and counting (How many butterflies are on the
page?) -- or encourage creativity (What do you think the rabbit's thinking about when he sees the dragonfly float by?)



Educational value


As parents read this book aloud to their kids, they can use the illustrations to practice searching (Can you find the little rabbit among all the green objects?) and counting (How many butterflies are on the page?) -- or encourage creativity (What do you think the rabbit's thinking about when he sees the dragonfly float by?)




Positive messages


The little white rabbit enjoys exploring the wonders of the world around him ("When he hopped
over the rock, he wondered what it would be like not to be able to move"), but feels safe at home where "he didn't wonder who loved him."



Positive role models


It's hard not to fall in love with this little bunny with a big imagination. Kids will have fun seeing his imagination at play -- imagining himself green or tall or still as a rock. Parents are certain to see a lot of their own children in his constant curiosity (and love of snuggling).



Violence & scariness

Not applicable


From commonsensemedia.org



Booklist (November 15, 2010 (Vol. 107, No. 6))

Preschool-Grade 1. While hopping along, an inquisitive, energetic bunny imagines taking on the qualities of the things he sees. Bouncing through the grass, he wonders what it would be like to be green. Then he pictures himself as tall as trees, as immovable as rocks, and as free-flying as a butterfly. Alternating spreads show the little rabbit in each imagined state: mossy green and camouflaged; peering over the top of a pine. When danger appears in the form of a far-off cat, he scurries home, where his mother welcomes him in a warm hug. In keeping with the style of Henkes’ most recent picture books, such as My Garden (2010), the colored-pencil-and-acrylic art combines thick outlines with vibrant hues, here mostly in a soothing palette of green that fits the nature setting and the comforting tone. Design touches also extend the story: white borders frame the rabbit’s real-world adventures, while spreads illustrating his fantasies burst out to the very edges of the book in images as big and full as his dreams.



Horn Book (January/February, 2011)

Kevin Henkes has a rare ability to see through the eyes of children of all ages; in his latest picture book, he returns to the world of his youngest audience. Little white rabbit is the small child with limitless curiosity and imagination to match. Square-bordered pictures of the energetic bunny hopping through idyllic fields and forest face clean white pages with a simple line or two, in which the rabbit 'wonder[s] what it would be like to be'. . .just about everything. Alternating full-spread illustrations depict his rich inner life, where he is green as the high grass, tall as the fir trees, or still as a rock (with Henkes paying homage to Sylvester and the Magic Pebble here). Bold lines, expressive movement, and the springtime palette of pink, blue, and lush woodsy greens will delight the child's eye; even the pine-green text, gentler than black, adds to the visual appeal. In a classic theme, a brief scare is followed by a warm and reassuring return home. 'He still wondered about many things, / but he didn't wonder who loved him.' LAUREN ADAMS



Horn Book starred (Fall 2011)

A little white rabbit has limitless curiosity and imagination to match. Square-bordered pictures of the energetic bunny face clean white pages with a simple line or two, in which the rabbit "wonder[s] what it would be like to be..." just about everything. Alternating full-spread illustrations depict his rich inner life. Bold lines, expressive movement, and a springtime palette will delight the child's eye.



Publishers Weekly (December 13, 2010)

Dipping into the grassy, blossoming palette of his My Garden, Henkes depicts a bunny's spring day. His sequence salutes Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd's classic The Runaway Bunny, for this little white rabbit also has a good imagination. "When he hopped through the high grass, he wondered what it would be like to be green," and "When he hopped by the fir trees, he wondered what it would be like to be tall." Each time the rabbit ponders another way of life, a wordless spread follows, picturing him camouflaged, tree-height, or transformed into a stone bunny for an entire day. Spying a cat, the bunny darts home to nuzzle a mother rabbit (also reminiscent of Brown and Hurd's): "he didn't wonder who loved him." In Henkes's colored pencil and acrylic closeups of the young rabbit, a moss-green outline and typeface (rather than a neutral black or brown) suggest verdant meadows and warm forests. Cool pink, soft blue, and dandelion yellow wildflowers will remind some of an Easter basket. Sweet and soft, this picture book heralds a sunny spring.



School Library Journal (December 1, 2011)

PreS-Gr 1-A venturesome bunny investigates the spring countryside, wondering what it would be like to be green as the grass, tall as a fir tree, or motionless as a rock, before returning safely home to his mother. An affectionate ode to the power of imagination, lushly illustrated and lyrically told. (Feb.) (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little white rabbit heads off on an adventure one day, wondering about all he sees and imagining what it would be like to be other creatures or things, enjoying exploring the wide world. Then he comes across another creature that scares him and he turns and runs home to his family, where he feels safe and loved at the end of his journey.

A sweet story that encourages exploration of the world and empathy with others while reinforcing that family is there for those moments when you are unsure.

Sweet, simple illustrations in vibrant spring like colors done in a format of full-page illustration opposite a page of text, for the most part. Four two-page illustrated spreads throughout. Very charming.

Good for ages 2-5. Available as a board book and a picture book.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very pretty book in spring-like pastel colors. Little White Rabbit has quite an imagination, and Henkes does a good job of depicting the situations he envisions - taller than the fir trees, soaring like the butterflies, changing color to green to blend in with frogs and turtles and crickets and caterpillars. Little White Rabbit wonders about all of these things in his travels, but he eventually winds up at home with Mama Rabbit and his siblings, where he doesn't have to wonder who loves him. Very sweet story, with a few simple words or at most a sentence per page, making it perfect for young elementary school-age readers.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

First and foremost: you can never go wrong with a Kevin Henkes picture book. And now I shall admit something that this wonderful, wonderful picture book forced me to recall. I loathe Peter Rabbit! My feeling is that Beatrix Potter believed in corporal punishment, and the ways in which she bears that out in a beautifully written and illustration picture book has angered me for YEARS.

Kevin Henkes, using that very similar story structure (small rabbit wanders from home, returns home, met by mommy), upbraids that torture in a single sentence: "He still wondered about many things, but he didn't wonder who loved him."

Take that, Peter Rabbit! (Okay, I'm done. Lol.)

[Aaron]

I love the colors in this book. It is very bright and vibrant, and just makes you happy looking at it. The text is simple, which would be good for very early readers. The full two-page spreads were very pretty, and I enjoyed them a lot. Overall, this is a very good children's book.

I thought the illustrations were fun and lively. This book is a good children's book, and I think it would be a fun book heading into springtime.

Students would probably like this book for its bright colors. I think this would be a good book for kindergarten read aloud or shared reading.

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I could see this as a book that became a family favorite. Shared experience and memories color a book. But for me this was a first time read and I found it wanting. Not the idea, the idea was fine. In some ways it really did have a Runaway Bunny feel to it and not just because it was about a rabbit. It was a rabbit who imagined themselves different. But the art wasn't good enough on its own, and didn't convey nearly as strong an emotion as Runaway Bunny. And the text was too ponderous. So a perfectly okay book. 3.5 of 5.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful pastel illustrations and simple text convey the story of a little rabbit with a big imagination. He imagines what it would be like to fly, to be a rock. He wonders what it would be like to be green. But he does not wonder who loves him. Use as a sweet springtime read-aloud, for a discussion about imagining, for an example of colored pencil illustrations, and for a Mother's Day gift! Intended for very young audiences.

[Terry]

If you love Kevin Henkes, you will not be disappointed with Little White Rabbit. The story is lovely and speaks to young readers in the way that they think. Pages with illustrations (the rabbit's 'imagination') separate pages of text and give young readers time to absorb what you said and explore the imagery. Perfect for ... hop over to the review for the answer.

[Adriana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.5/5)
Little White Rabbit wonders many things while hopping through the forest.

Highlights: Creative adventure that encourages little ones to think about colors, size, and motion.

Lowlights: Ending feels unrelated and forced. Little White Rabbit was on an adventure and then suddenly he's with his family and doesn't wonder who loves him. His family wasn't mentioned until the last couple pages so there wasn't a tie to why he would wonder that.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very cute - I've always loved Kevin Henkes' illustrations. At the beginning, when the rabbit "wondered what it was like to be green," I was worried this was going to be one of those repetitive stories where the rabbit then wonders what it is like to be red, orange, yellow, etc. But I thought there was enough variation to make the story interesting, while retaining a level of simplicity.

[Olivia S · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is SO cute. Such sweet illustrations of a bunny imagining what it would be like to be different things, and ultimately returning home, still curious, but safe and loved. Will use for springtime bunny storytime. Great pictures to ask questions about (what else do you see in this picture that's green?). Good for any age.

[Emily Carlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rabbit is going on an adventure! He's going to do a lot of pretending and imagination, so let's pretend and go with him! First he pretends what it's like to be green, then to be tall, then play the freeze game as Rabbit is a rock, and finally, let's see how it would be to be a butterfly. All ages (toddler - ages 7/8).

[Carolyn Jeziorski · Rating 4 out of 5]

The format of this book reminded me of The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown. It has a page of text with the rabbit wondering what it would be like to be something else, then a layout of his thoughts. I liked the simple illustrations, and the students I read it to enjoyed predicting what the bunny would look like on the imaginary page.

[Jenn Adams]

Going back through all the old Goodreads choice picture book nominees

I thought I was going to be underwhelmed by this, but I liked it more than I expected to. The rabbit was cute, but there was also substance to each page of the story. As the rabbit imagines each different thing he could be, you could discuss what that would be like etc