Tricky Rabbit Tales

January 1, 2012

Gr 3-5-There's no shortage of excitement in these Choose-Your-Own-Adventure-style graphic novels. The format ensures that they are more about the journeys than the destinations, as every couple of pages end in a cliff-hanger. Readers must decide how to proceed, guiding the story. In Coyote, children must help the animal escape a confrontation with an angry bear. In the more successful second book, Rabbit tries to prove to Fox that he is the cleverest animal in the forest. As one might expect based on the format, some of the endings are extremely abrupt. The narratives branch out fairly randomly-readers concerned with making the "right" decision to continue the story needn't deliberate too long. Loosely based on folktales from the Native-American and African-American traditions, these books may prove an effective gateway for further exploration of those genres. The illustrations are bold with a bright color palette. Coyote in particular has a decidedly animation-inspired feel. For beefing up reluctant-reader offerings, these books are worth a look.-Travis Jonker, Dorr Elementary School, MI

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