Bunny Roo, I Love You [Hardcover]

CN“Young children love to pretend they’re baby animals—it’s an opportunity to explore the world in new ways, while ensuring their nurturers remain close at hand. In novelist Marr’s (the Wicked Lovely series) first picture book, a mother plays along, imagining her baby and herself as six different animals as she lovingly tracks its development. ‘Then you whimpered and meowed, and I thought you might be a thirsty kitten,’ she says. ‘I offered you some milk so you would not be hungry.’ White’s (Adventures with Barefoot Critters) restrained detailing, smudged colors, and frequent use of circular framings give her watercolors a vintage-looking, pastoral prettiness. It’s also fun to see how the mother retains her essential ‘momness’ regardless of what species she assumes: as a lizard, she wears green pearls and carries an over-the-shoulder bag. With its emphasis on motherly pacifying, this warmhearted story is best suited for younger readers who are still happy to consent to all the tender doting that their caretakers are willing to dish out.”—Publishers Weekly
 
“A mother’s observations of her new baby lead to a series of sweet comparisons to various animals. ‘When I met you, you were small and trembling, and I thought you might be a little bunny. / I held you close so you were warm.’ Teen author Marr (Made for You, 2014, etc.) uses playful yet comforting language in her picture-book debut. The baby’s squirming kicks remind her of a ‘lost kangaroo’; a lifting of the child’s head makes her think of a ‘curious lizard’; and the little one’s howl seems like that of a ‘lonely wolf.’ Each of the child’s behaviors leads to a tender action taken by the mother: tucking the baby in, offering milk, and giving a bath. Each time a new creature is introduced, White gently chală+