Bunny Avatar: Big, Bad Bunny by Franny Billingsley

Over in the Mouse House Mama Mouse is putting her three little ones down for a nice nap. There are kisses for little Tippy and for little Flurry, but when she comes to the wee bed of Baby Boo Boo--she's GONE!

Outside in the wilds there is cause for alarm. Somewhere OUT THERE is BIG, BAD BUNNY, a creature with long claws (SCRITCH!) and pointy yellow teeth (CHOMP) who stomps through the bushes and ka-splashes and crashes through the mucky swamp, SQUOOZLE!

Oh, no. Mama Mouse rushes out fearlessly, tearing through the bushes and swamp. The way is hard, but Mama Mouse can go anywhere for Baby Boo Boo. "Baby, where are you, Baby?" she calls.

Still BIG BAD BUNNY growls and stomps and roars his way onward, curiously costumed in a yellow onesie with pink polka dots and fuzzy slippers. Wait! Are his gigantic long ears tied to his head with a cute little bow? Could it be.....?

Suddenly, BIG BAD BUNNY ceases his fearful roar.

BIG BAD BUNNY has come to a steep, slippery hill.

Does that stop BIG BAD BUNNY?

YES! BIG BAD BUNNY is lost! Eeek, Eeek, Eeek!

Mama Mouse is right there in a moment. "My BABY BOO BOO! At last I've found you!" she coos.

Her fake ears drooping, BIG BAD BUNNY wipes her eyes and says

"I'm not Baby Boo Boo! I'm not a BABY! I'm BIG BAD BUNNY."

"Oh," says Mama Mouse. "Nice to meet you. Do you want to come home?"

BIG BAD BUNNY (nee Baby Boo Boo) and Mama Mouse crash and stomp and ka-splash and squoozle back home, where BIG BAD BUNNY tiptoes back inside for a belated nap, and Mama tucks her in with an "I love you, Big Bad Bunny, and I always will."

Big Bad Bunny, wittily illustrated by noted artist G. Brian Keras, has a humorous surprise for the reader as the identity of BIG BAD BUNNY is slowly revealed to the observer. Billingsley's text imaginatively reworks the old story of the prodigal runaway with whimsy and affectionate empathy for the little mouse who wants to create a bolder persona for herself.