The Runaway Bunny

Author: Margaret Wise Brown; Pictures by Clement Hurd

Type or emotional/crisis issue(s) addressed: Parent/Child relationship problem

Year of Publication: 1942

Publisher & Location: HarperCollins Publisher; New York, NY

ISBN#: 0-590-99634-7

Target Age Level: Lower and Upper Elementary

# of Pages: 40

Quality of Illustrations: Black & White with words (story), alternating with color pages with no words

Brief Summary: "Within a framework of mutual love a buny tells his mother how he will run away and she answers his challenge by indicating how she will catch him. Warmth prevails." --School Library Journal

Personal Comments/Biases, and/or Things to Consider When Using This Book With Children: Good to use to have parent read to child. The bunny wants to be away from home/parents for an unknown reason and the parent, in a loving way, tells the child how she will catch up with the child. Can be very healing in a parent/child relationship that is suffering IF parent can be genuine when reading book to child.

Activity:
The best thing would be to have the parent read this book to the child every night (or however frequently is decided by you and the parent). Have the parent discuss with the child why they thought the bunny wanted to run away, and why the parent bunny did not want the child to run.