The Magic Rabbit by Annette LeBlanc Cate
Genre: Graphic picture book
When I selected the list of books I wanted to write on for this blog, The Magic Rabbit was not one of them. That is because I didn't know this book existed until yesterday. As I was browsing through the reduced-price kid's section at Cole's (a favorite pass time of mine) I spotted this book. What caught my attention was the word rabbit in the title. As a bunny-mom (yes, you read that right!) I collect all things rabbit, including books. As this book was only $4.99 I immediately bought it without even looking through the pages. As soon as I reached my car I sat inside and read the book. I must have looked absolutely ridiculous as I sat in the driver's seat reading a children's book and laughing hysterically. Because by the end of this book I was in stitches.
First of all, the plot is touching and sweet. It's about a magician, Ray, and his business partner, Bunny. They are best friends and do everything together (including washing dishes). Every Saturday they perform a magic show. Unfortunately, one Saturday Bunny becomes lost in the big city and must navigate his way home to Ray. Eventually he finds a trail of popcorn (Bunny's favorite treat) which leads him back to his friend. The story is cute but what makes this book stand out are the illustrations. They are simply phenomenal. The text was hand-lettered by the author-illustrator in pen and ink and watercolor, and they are DETAILED!! From end page to end page Cate captures every last detail of Ray and Bunny's life which is what makes this book a winner. There are three main aspects to Cate's illustrations which make this book so successful (in my opinion): attention to detail (as mentioned above), use of black and white, and her ability to capture the subtle nuances of a rabbit.
1. The author-illustrator really puts a significant amount of effort into depicting Ray and Bunny's life together in the big city. Their apartment is what you would expect of a bachelor and his pet rabbit: it's tiny, cluttered, and messy but has a comforting and homey feel. Dying houseplants and mis-matched chairs epitomize the bachelor life. You need to devote a lot of time to reading this book. Although the story is short there are so many subtle details that it could really take hours to digest them entirely. For instance, if you look carefully at the drawing of Ray's bedroom you can deduce that he has most likely done a lot of travelling although this is not mentioned in the story. There are posters of foreign countries, a globe on a shelf, and ornaments which look to be different cultures. Another example is when Ray and Bunny are washing dishes. In the kitchen there is a calendar on the wall with pictures of bunnies. Obviously Ray has an affinity for these animals. You can learn so much about his personality by simply examining the illustrations.
2. The entire book is done in black and white with the exception of a few hints of yellow. It is strategically placed as the bright spots in Ray and Bunny's life: on the front end page, it is the light coming from their bedroom window, the stars falling from Ray's wand when he and Bunny are preforming, and the stars which help Bunny find his way home. Cate's choice to draw 99% of the illustrations in black and white suits her style of drawing. The illustrations look like sketches from The New York Times which highlights the big city life central to the story.
3. The final aspect of Cate's illustrations which makes her picture book so successful is her portrayal of Bunny. For anyone who has a rabbit and appreciates the very subtle but significant characteristics which make them unique will acknowledge the great job Cate does at capturing Bunny's personality. Rabbit's are endearing, stubborn, clever and amazing little creatures (see below for my inspiration). Bunny is all of these things. Cate illustrates rabbits' affectionate side as Bunny cuddles with Ray while watching T.V., their fear of other animals as he runs from a dog, their curiosity as he plays with a squirrel in the park, and their love and loyalty for their owners as Bunny searches desperately for Ray. The facial expressions of Bunny and Ray as they find each other are one of the best parts of the story and definitely the funniest. Cate ends the book on a humorous note and I had to include the scene in which Ray and Bunny are reunited. (This is what provoked my laughter.) Sometimes no words are needed:
Although it's hard to see the facial expressions with such small pictures, I think one can understand the hilariousness of the situation. There are several pages such as this where Cate lets the illustrations tell the story as with all graphic picture books. The wordless drawings seem to be the most effective and it forces the reader to closely examine the illustrations.
This is definitely a Top 10 Book in my opinion. It has all the elements of a wonderful graphic picture book: an interesting plot, likable characters, and fantastic illustrations.
Rowan: My Magic Rabbit
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