Mini Rabbit Is Not Lost by John Bond
Published by Neal Porter Books on October 8th 2019
ISBN: 0823443582
Pages: 32
Goodreads

Following the adventures of a young rabbit in search of berries so that he can make a cake with his mother, Mini Rabbit Is Not Lost is vibrantly and whimsically illustrated. This is the author’s first illustrated children’s book, and Bond has not yet discovered his purely original voice as a storyteller. The story has  similarities in both text phrasing and character illustration as Jon Klassen’s I Want My Hat Back. Mini Rabbit Is Not Lost does not come across as a successful debut book, perhaps because it feels so strongly influenced by Klassen’s work. Lacking a strong moral and original humor, this book feels disappointing. Despite reading this with a critical eye, I do think that Mini Rabbit Is Not Lost is appealing to its target audience of children ages 3 – 6 years. The illustrations are eye catching and skillfully created, and the singular-mindedness of Mini Rabbit wanting to bake a cake with his mother (“Cake! Cake! Cake! Must have cake!”) is relatable to this age group. Young children will enjoy this whimsical read.

Reviewed by Jennifer Benham, Prince Memorial Library, Cumberland