Book Summary:
Bunnicula is a rabbit that is found by the Monroe family
in a theatre during the playing of the movie Dracula. Harold the family dog and
Chester the family cat are mutual friends, and they become curious with the new
addition of a pet rabbit. The family debates as to what the rabbit’s name
should be, and Mrs. Monroe suggests the name Bunnicula because he is a bunny and
he was found at a Dracula movie. Soon after, the family finds vegetables that
have turned white and Chester believes that Bunnicula is responsible. He tells
Harold that Bunnicula sneaks out of his cage at night and then sucks out all the
juice from the vegetables in the refrigerator. Chester is determined to save
the family from a vampire rabbit, and he gets Harold to help him. Harold soon
discovers that Bunnicula is just a normal rabbit and tries to convince Chester that
he is only a harmless rabbit. Chester makes a mess in the house trying to
convince the family that Bunnicula is a vampire and he is sent to an animal
psychologist. The family attributes the white vegetables to a vegetable blight;
however, they switch supermarkets and everything is normal again.
APA Reference of Book:
Howe, D. (1979). Bunnicula a rabbit-tale of mystery. New York, NY: Atheneum.
Impressions:
Bunnicula is
a fun story that is filled with good clean humor with a little suspense thrown
in. Harold, the family dog, tells the story from his perspective and he
develops a good partnership with Chester the family cat. We can’t blame Chester
for believing that Bunnicula is a vampire because after all he has read about
them in the family’s library. He’s a smart intellectual character who seems to
be the one who will save the family from the pet vampire; however, it is easy
going Harold who ends up the winner. He is able to see that the Bunnicula is
just a normal rabbit, and he ends up befriending him. Chester on the other hand
goes crazy because of his wild imagination and ends up receiving psychological help.
The humor will keep you laughing and the vegetables will keep you wondering why
they turned white. Was it really just a bad crop of vegetables? The story has a
nice ending to the mystery that supposedly vindicates Bunnicula.
Professional Review:
Gr 3-5 -- To the Monroe family, Bunnicula is just a poor waif of a rabbit left at the movie theatre during a Dracula flick. But to Chester, their cat, he is really a vegetarian vampire rabbit. After all, doesn't he sleep all day and stay up all night? Doesn't he have sharp teeth? Doesn't he suck the juice out of vegetables? Chester convinces himself that Bunnicula is a threat not only to the Monroes but to the world. However, he can only half convince easygoing Harold the dog, the narrator and Chester's perfect foil, of the danger. The story by Deborah and James Howe is done in the same vein as Jean Van Leeuwen's The Great Cheese Conspiracy and it's fun.
Stevenson, D. (1979, May 1). [Review of the book Bunnicula, by Deborah Howe]. School Library Journal, 25(9), 81.
Library Use:
This would be a good story to introduce students to a lesson in law and
justice, and in the judging of character. Chester the cat was quick to
accuse and judge Bunnicula because of circumstantial evidence instead of
giving him a chance to prove himself. It would teach students to
respect others and not judge so quickly, and it would make a nice lesson
in citizenship and friendship.
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Gr 3-5 -- To the Monroe family, Bunnicula is just a poor waif of a rabbit left at the movie theatre during a Dracula flick. But to Chester, their cat, he is really a vegetarian vampire rabbit. After all, doesn't he sleep all day and stay up all night? Doesn't he have sharp teeth? Doesn't he suck the juice out of vegetables? Chester convinces himself that Bunnicula is a threat not only to the Monroes but to the world. However, he can only half convince easygoing Harold the dog, the narrator and Chester's perfect foil, of the danger. The story by Deborah and James Howe is done in the same vein as Jean Van Leeuwen's The Great Cheese Conspiracy and it's fun.
Stevenson, D. (1979, May 1). [Review of the book Bunnicula, by Deborah Howe]. School Library Journal, 25(9), 81.
Library Use:
This would be a good story to introduce students to a lesson in law and justice, and in the judging of character. Chester the cat was quick to accuse and judge Bunnicula because of circumstantial evidence instead of giving him a chance to prove himself. It would teach students to respect others and not judge so quickly, and it would make a nice lesson in citizenship and friendship.
Stevenson, D. (1979, May 1). [Review of the book Bunnicula, by Deborah Howe]. School Library Journal, 25(9), 81.
Library Use:
This would be a good story to introduce students to a lesson in law and justice, and in the judging of character. Chester the cat was quick to accuse and judge Bunnicula because of circumstantial evidence instead of giving him a chance to prove himself. It would teach students to respect others and not judge so quickly, and it would make a nice lesson in citizenship and friendship.
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