Be More Bernard

A striking black and sparkly cover shows a with-it rabbit beneath a disco glitter ball, dressed in mod gear and sporting a red super powers cape… dancing to music from its headphones, AND wearing roller boots. This is Bernard, who doesn’t like the other rabbits in his warren, doesn’t like carrots, doesn’t like lettuce. He does try to conform, hopping when the other rabbits hop, bouncing when they all bounce. But he senses he is uncomfortable, and only feels himself in his far-from rabbit dreams. Finally, he discovers his true love – at Bertie and Brenda’s Annual Bunny Ball. Here, he dresses just as we see him on the cover, most unbunny-like. Oh, how the others express their horror, at his audacity in dress as well as his actions! For he struts and swaggers and peacocks and hustles, grooves with grace, and jives with joy. It is wonderful, and Bernard has never before felt so happy, so himself. Whilst the other rabbits are horrified by his outrageous behaviour, maybe one little rabbit isn’t? Soon, Betsy is just as groovy, happy and different. That got the others thinking, and before long, they are all as different from each other as is Bernard. Finally, they all agree that although they are the same in many ways, ‘being yourself is the BEST thing a bunny can be.’

Natty illustrations of all the rabbits give lots of talking points for readers, each spread being different in character from others, using the spaces to draw the eye to the actions, and following the text admirably. The rabbit force is a building company par excellence, and the pictures give us a peep into their very busy world before Bernard decides to be himself!