4 out of 4 stars
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The Invisible Blue Rabbits is an illustrated children’s storybook written by Kathy Lindsey. Every year, one blue rabbit is chosen to become the Easter Bunny. To celebrate Jesus’ ascension into heaven on the day of Easter, the Easter Bunny must deliver candy-filled baskets to all of the children in the community. A young, blue rabbit named Donald is chosen for this special task, but he adamantly refuses because he lacks the courage to do the job. Although his father and sisters are very disappointed with his decision, Donald is much too afraid of coyotes, storms, and eagles to become the Easter Bunny. Not wanting to hurt his father, he turns to God in prayer and after a little heart-to-heart with his dad, Donald changes his mind.
I absolutely loved this short story. It contained several lessons that will be applicable to children, for example, overcoming bullying, overcoming fears, asking God for help and, maintaining self-confidence. Children will also learn about Easter in a friendly way, but without any concepts that might be disturbing such as the violent crucifixion of Christ. I truly appreciated this. The author also incorporated a few biological facts about rabbits in her story. For instance, she stated that female rabbits can have several litters in a year and these young rabbits are called kittens. Since rabbits are a common family pet, children will surely be delighted to learn more about these animals. Furthermore, the story leaves many unanswered questions to a child’s imagination. For instance, how did Donald’s brother die? Could this be the reason why Donald is scared of so many things?
Another thing which I admired about this story is that it included a positive view of traditional gender roles. In the story, only male rabbits can become the Easter Bunny. However, Donald’s father told him that in the future, girls will also be chosen for this position because the world is changing and they must change with it. I think that this small tidbit of progressiveness can positively shape a child’s perception of gender roles and equality.
The fonts used in the book are quite large. The language used is also appropriate and simple. Additionally, a range of emotions is expressed by the characters such as disappointment, sadness, fear, and happiness. Children will have no trouble reading and comprehending this interesting story by themselves.
The only thing that required more effort in this book is the illustrations. In my opinion, they could have been bigger. Brighter colors could have also been used since this will appeal more to children. I also noticed one thing that did not make sense. In the story, blue rabbits are invisible, but Donald’s mother advised him to hide from hunters if he heard loud noises. However, I do not think children will notice the impossibility of hunting invisible prey. This book seemed to be professionally edited and I only spotted one error.
Despite my few concerns about The Invisible Blue Rabbits, I will rate it 4 out of 4 stars because it is educational, interesting and it activates the imagination. I would recommend it to children aged seven and over. This is also an excellent book to be read aloud to a Sunday-school class because it facilitates Christian learning.
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The Invisible Blue Rabbits
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I'm sure your grandkids will love this book, it is such a nice story. Its true - the pictures are what makes a book interesting for the little ones who can't read yet.
