I liked--though I'm not sure small children would like--the colorful, wild and jarring, (seemingly) Ralph Steadman-influenced illustration by StephaniI liked--though I'm not sure small children would like--the colorful, wild and jarring, (seemingly) Ralph Steadman-influenced illustration by Stephanie Rohr more than its story, though like I said, it was jarring. I read this for Easter 2019 because I was looking for something unconventional and satirical. It's about an Easter Bunny who gets mad and goes crazy-Bad Santa-ishly destructive because kids don't thank him. Until one does, and then shazam! everything is all right with the world. An Easter story kind of about the importance of thanking people and making them feel better, and telling kids they should say thanks to others, which is an okay, but kinda weird, thing to make an Easter (well, Easter bunny) book about, I thought. But it's okay, it has a title that was inviting enough for me to order it from the library....more
"If you believe, then the Easter bunny will come!"
This book was a revelation to me as I read it for the recent (Christian) holiday, Easter, after hid"If you believe, then the Easter bunny will come!"
This book was a revelation to me as I read it for the recent (Christian) holiday, Easter, after hiding plastic eggs filled with coins and jelly beans for three middle school children who have been long known that the Easter Bunny actual does not exist.
But she does!
I had thought the Easter Bunny was just a capitalist creation intended to sell mounds of candy as is Halloween and Valentine's Day, but no, in the end I am convinced:
Scarry clearly depicts her crossing a bridge to find some carrots some of the other animals have left for her to find so they can see her for herself she is real! Proof! I believe! (So bring me my candy!)
Normally, Scarry's manic Busytown style raises my blood pressure right through the roof; it's for me like long teacher's fingernails slowly dragged down what used to be called a blackboard, but this book is just a tad less manic, and thus just a tiny bit more calmly persuasive. It's still too busy, though, and not quite as adorable as much of the whole wide world that has made him rich thinks, imo. Entirely flat and forgettable as art and story.
I don't know if this is the worst example of his busy busy Busytown, but you can maybe see a bit of what I mean.
I think of the detailed work as I do the (also popular, so I know I am also in the minority here) Where's Waldo books, where the art style seems manic. ...more