Pretty decent set-up as we await the inevitable appearance of the bunny, but the payoff falls a little short, as if another page or two were needed to really drive it home. ( )

original William Blake poem in the back of the book - my library covered it with a big RFID tag. :-( ( )

Taking William Blake's classic poem, "The Tyger," as a starting point, author Richard T. Morris spins an amusing tale of a group of woodland animals who, despite the vociferous objections of a little tiger, insist that in their forest, it's the bunnies who should be feared. The tigrine interloper is mocking at first - what, he wonders, can the bunny do: "cute" him to death? - but eventually his fellow animals' fears are communicated to him, and he hides. Then he sees an adorable little bunny in person, and emerges from his hiding place just a moment before its thousands of fellow bunnies come hopping down the road as well...

Having greatly enjoyed this author's hilarious This Is a Moose, I picked up Fear the Bunny with expectations of a funny read, and I was not disappointed. Although not quite as giggle-inducing as that earlier title, I think the narrative here will provide amusement to young listeners, particularly if the reader captures Tiger's mocking scorn, when reading his lines aloud. The idea of bunnies being fearsome is one that has been exploited to great effect before, in Daniel Pinkwater's Bad Bears books, and that association may have increased my enjoyment. Priscilla Burris' artwork here is colorful and cute, capturing the sense of humor in the text, particularly Tiger's dramatic expressions. Recommended to anyone looking for new picture-books to tickle the funny bone, as well as to fans of the original poem, which is reproduced at the rear of the book. ( )