I wanted to get into this one but I just couldn't. I gave it away to someone who might appreciate it more than me.

I fell in love with Cress Watercress right from the start. She's an adorable little rabbit with her mom and little brother, Kip. Forced to move after her Papa does not return home, the family begins an adventure in a new home - a tree called "The Broken Arms." It is there that Cress meets a whole bunch of new people, some nice and some not so nice! While adjusting to her new home, Cress discovers many new things, such as what fear is, what friendship is, what it means to be in a family, loss, empathy, compassion and moving forward against all odds. I loved this book - make a note of it! :) ( )

The YA fiction work is amazing. The illustrations are so beautiful and add so much to the story. I read this book in 1 day which is unusual for me. Cressy is an amazing rabbit with a very strong mother. She deals with hard experiences and learns how to deal with change while learning there are other animals - starting out as strangers - soon become friends and guardian angels. I recommend this book to young adults of all ages and those readers who still think of themselves as young! ( )

When Cress's father disappears, she, her mother, and her little brother must leave their cozy burrow by the stream and venture out to find new housing at the Broken Arms, an apartment tree overseen by a crusty owl landlord. There are no other bunnies in Cress's new neighborhood, but she makes friends with some squirrels upstairs, and gets to know her new neighborhood in a series of adventures, all while coming to terms with her new life and the changes she has been through, and is still going through.

This is a sweet, gentle read, for though there are dangers (Mr. Reynard the fox, a snake known as The Final Drainpipe) and sadness, Cress's world is mostly a safe and cozy one. This gives her room to deal with her grief over her papa, as well as her desire for a little more freedom as she grows up. I occasionally found myself questioning the workings of Maguire's animal world, as the animals still behave like animals in many ways, they also have some of the trappings of human habitation, like rugs and furniture. The rabbits eat the grass for breakfast, but apparently Mama occasionally bakes cheese popovers, too. It mostly works, and young readers are unlikely to let it bother them, since the story is engaging and the pacing strong. Recommended as a family read-aloud, or for independent readers who have just mastered chapter books and enjoy cozy animal stories. ( )

Gregory Maguire has written a tender children's story about family, grief, community, and coming-of-age. The illustrations add to the charm of the book. Ideal read aloud for 8 to 10 year olds.