WILLOW AND BUNNY, by Anitra Rowe Schulte and Christopher Denise, Two Lions, Oct. 10, 2023, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 4-8)
Follow the special tale of a tree and the animal she loves in Willow and Bunny, by Anitra Rowe Schulte and Christopher Denise.
Bunny needs a new home. After a long journey, he meets Willow and knows he will be safe beneath her branches. Every day is theirs to share. Just Bunny and Willow, Willow and Bunny.
Then, one evening, an angry spiral whips through the wood. Every creature in the forest runs to Willow for shelter. As the storm rages, Willow shields and protects them with all her might. But when the calm returns, Willow’s beautiful branches are tattered, twisted, and forever changed. Bunny and the other creatures know it is their turn to help. —Synopsis provided by Two Lions
At the heart of Willow and Bunny is a story of friendship. It’s also about community, selflessness and the hope that comes after hardship.
Author Anitra Rowe Schulte’s gentle prose sets the tone. Her simple, comfortable text is warm and inviting, with pauses in just the right places, especially when reading aloud. In her text, she translates a big concept into terms little ones can easily understand.
Caldecott Honor artist Christopher Denise’s illustrations have a lovely glow that makes you want to look closer. His almost grainy renderings are full of movement and depth, giving his images an almost ethereal feel.
The suggested age range for Willow and Bunny is 4-8, but it’s probably too simple for an 8-year-old. Kids as young as 2 will love the pictures and ages 3 and up should be able to follow the story.
About the creators:
Anitra Rowe Schulte is the author of Dancing with Daddy, which won the Christopher Award and the Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award. She has worked as a journalist for The Kansas City Star and the Sun-Times News Group, as a staff writer for Chicago Public Schools, and as a publicist. She lives in the Chicago area with her husband and their three daughters. Visit her at www.anitraroweschulte.com or @anitraschulte on Twitter.
Christopher Denise wrote and illustrated Knight Owl, a 2023 Caldecott Honor winner and New York Times bestseller. He is also the illustrator of many critically acclaimed children’s books, including Anika Aldamuy Denise’s Bunny in the Middle, Alison McGhee’s Firefly Hollow, and Anne Marie Pace’s Groundhug Day, as well as several in Brian Jacques’s award-winning Redwall series. Christopher lives with his family in Rhode Island. Visit him at www.christopherdenise.com and @christopherdenise on Instagram.
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