Can't Shush Suki: Suki, the Very Loud Bunny by Carmela and Steven D'Amico

EVERYONE KNOWS THAT BUNNIES ARE SOFT, FUZZY, SHY LITTLE CREATURES WHO SPEND THEIR LIVES HOPPING THROUGH FIELDS, NUZZLING VEGETABLES, AND BARELY MAKING A SOUND.

Well, meet Suki. That little ring around her left eye tells you that she's a girl bunny who likes to stand out in a crowd and who likes to make herself heard. Suki likes hopping right into mud puddles and making a big splash. She likes giving her brothers and sisters a loud wake-up call in the early morning, and following butterflies, hoping to learn the secret of fluttering above the ground. Even Momma's stern warning that she's had just about enough of Suki's exuberant noise for one day doesn't quash her free spirit, despite her apology and temporary intentions to be a good and quiet little bunny.

But adventure calls, and when brother Mickey is too timid to take off across the field on a carrot expedition, Suki sets off on her own. This little runaway bunny has a wonderful time out in the open until she spots something long and pointed, orange and yummy just ahead. Ooops! In her excitement, Suki fails to notice that that tempting carrot is the bait in a box-and-stick deadfall trap, and only Suki's powerful hops unbox her and save her from capture. Suddenly, Suki wishes she were curled up quiet and safe in Momma's burrow like Mickey. And Suki still has that one well-honed asset:

"MOMMIE!"

Carmela and Steven D'Amico's latest, Suki, The Very Loud Bunny (Dutton, 2011) is proof that a well-loved premise can always prosper in the hands of a skilled practicioners. Carmela D'Amico, creator of the popular Ella the Elephant books, creates just the right amount of danger and suspense in this tale of the little adventurer in the tradition of the timeless Peter, and Steven D'Amico's soft shapes and skillful use of color make this story a charming read. Pair it with the Caldecott-winning Kevin Henkes' newest bunny tale in this same genre, Little White Rabbit, (Greenwillow, 2011) (see my recent review here) for a pair of bedtime bunny stories that bring it all home, right where all little bunnies should be at bedtime.