Little Bunny Finds Christmas

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

What is Christmas? Is it sweet as a mother's love? A shining star? Is it peace on earth? Little Bunny sets out with friends to discover what Christmas is really about.Pirkko Vainios luminous watercolors lusciously weave the tale of the animals who made the journey to see the baby Jesus in the manger.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

School Library Journal Review

PreS-Gr 1-Despite the cold and snow, the chickadees are excited. "It's Christmas!" they tell Little Bunny. Then they fly off before they explain what it is. A deer, a wolf, and an owl all know a tiny bit about the mysterious thing called Christmas, and decide to join Little Bunny in his search. Following a shining star, the animals come to a cheery, well-lit stable with smoke rising from its chimney, and of course the Holy Family is inside-clean, cheerful, cozy, and content. Children will likely not quibble over the geographical inaccuracy, or the motel-like stable. The real story here is in the animals joining together on a quest. Their dialogue is simple and natural, and the pictures will carry in a storytime setting. The furry creatures are charmingly depicted in softly textured pastels against bluish snowy backgrounds.-Linda Israelson, Los Angeles Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

The Christmas depicted here is the Christian one, with the original manger scene plunked improbably in the middle of a wintry forest. A bunny encounters some chickadees on a cold winter evening chirping about Christmas. Bunny then asks every animal he meets, What is Christmas? The answers it's as bright as a star, as perfect as peace on earth, as sweet as a mother's love accumulate, and humor spices things up. The wolf says Christmas is peace on earth, adding: That is why I'm not eating you. Vainio's paintings, contrasting bright berries and icy blue sky with the snow-filled landscapes, enchantingly illustrate Bunny's quest. This is the English translation of a book originally published in Switzerland earlier in 2008. A winning antidote to Christmas materialistic frenzy.--Fletcher, Connie Copyright 2008 Booklist

Kirkus Book Review

On a snowy winter evening, Little Bunny meets four chickadees who twitter excitedly about a mysterious thing called Christmas. Little Bunny tries to follow them to find out more, meeting other young animals in the forest who join his quest and asking the newcomers in turn about the meaning of Christmas. Each animal offers one understanding of Christmas; for example, it "is as perfect as peace on Earth," according to the wolf. These concepts and the question that spawns them are repeated in classic cumulative fashion as the animals follow the rays from a special star toward a stable glowing with welcoming lights. The animals discover the full meaning of Christmas for themselves in a concluding spread that shows the Nativity scene inside the stable, with Little Bunny and friends gathered at the doorway. The gently told story is well-matched by soft-focus illustrations in a muted palette of silvery blues accented with falling snowflakes. The appealing design includes a large trim size and full-spread illustrations, which add extra perspective to the scenes of snowy, starlit landscapes. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.