Independent Reading Level: 4th-5th Grade
Awards: Mythopoeic Fantasy Award Nominee (1975), Guardian Children's Fiction Prize (1973), Audie Award Nominee for Best Male Narrator (2020), Boston Globe-Horn Book Award (1975), California Young Readers Medal for Young Adult (1977), Carnegie Medal (1972)

A delightful book, even better the second time around.

This classic tale has something relatable for everyone. While yes the characters are rabbits, the overall tale is one that can easily be applied to people as far as a tale of survival and perseverance.

The story shows the resilience and determination. Sensing danger a brave group dares to set out and build a new home. Just as many refugees, the rabbits have their struggles yet their legends and myths help guide them and by sticking together they succeed.

There are lessons throughout this book that can teach us all something. ( )

Entertaining, but surprisingly gruesome. Hard to believe he wrote this for his daughters given his consistent disparagement of the rabbit does.

My brother bought this for me as I had said that I had always wanted to read it as a child and never had. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it! I know it's been said before, but it has a lot in common with post-apocalyptic fiction, which has come so much more into vogue in the decades since this was written. A lot of lessons on leadership too, for those into that kinda thing. ( )

2.5 stars

The story was meh - I had a hard time getting into it, as the pace was so very slow in the beginning. It finally began to pick up about 1/2 or 2/3 of the way through.

I have to say, the fact that Adams felt it necessary to make up a rabbit "language" was strange to me, and it only served to make the story even more confusing (and long) in the beginning, when he has to keep explaining what these made-up words mean.

I normally love it when books have quotes at the beginning at the chapter - it adds a certain depth. I often end up liking the quotes more than the book itself, even. But this book had many quotes included that were in foreign languages, and no English translation was given - this didn't make any sense to me.

Also, there was a bit of language, particularly the D-word, along with made-up profanity. This was so unnecessary!

It was okay - I'm glad to be done with it, since it's been on my to-read list for so long - but I just wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

One quote I did like:

"Many human beings say that they enjoy the winter, but what they really enjoy is feeling proof against it. For them there is no winter food problem. They have fires and warm clothes. The winter cannot hurt them and therefore increases their sense of cleverness and security. For birds and animals, as for poor men, winter is another matter." (p. 465) ( )