FICTION

Spring Hare

by Eugene YELCHIN
illus. by Eugene Yelchin. 32p. Holt. Jan. 2017. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9781627793926.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 1—An adorable hare and a little girl bounce on a trampoline as high as they can. The rabbit jumps so high that he's able to soar through the sky, with the little girl close behind in various modes of air transportation. The presentation is wordless, but there is a lot of detail to talk about as well as minor challenges (birds, hot-air balloons) that the hare has to overcome to continue his upward journey into the stratosphere. The hare hitches a ride on a shooting star to come back down to Earth and join his friend back on the trampoline. Illustrations have been traditionally drawn, then cut to create a collage feel; seeing individually cut blades of grass, trees, drops of rain, and stars seems to add to the imagination of the piece. Young viewers will want to spend time poring over the pictures and constructing narratives. Although the book is not as seasonal as the name or cover would imply, it does feature a bright blue and green palette that might work for a spring storytime.
VERDICT A warm and fanciful journey suitable for one-on-one and small group sharing.
Reviewed by Peter Blenski, Greenfield Public Library, WI
Yelchin presents a whimsical wordless tale brimming with energy. The story begins with a sequence of panels depicting a red-haired girl and a curious rabbit enjoying a romp on a trampoline. One particularly big bounce sends the child into the sky, leaving the watchful rabbit below; however, the rabbit soon springs up into the clouds after its friend. A series of progressively fanciful scenes unfolds, including: a hitched ride on a biplane, a run-in with a hot-air balloon, a race across a rainbow, and a trip to outer space, where Rabbit and the spacesuit-clad girl are finally reunited. A ride on a shooting star sends the rabbit back down to Earth, where the girl has landed on the trampoline. Readers may be left puzzled -- did the outrageous events actually occur, or were they figments of the characters' imaginations? Close looking might uncover a hint or two. Panoramic double-page spreads, along with a range of textures and a vibrant color palette, result in an immersive and buoyant bounce of an adventure. patrick gall
 , Dec 01, 2016

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