Little Rabbit and the Night Mare - Hardcover

KATE KLISE and M. SARAH KLISE are sisters and collaborators who grew up sharing a bedroom (and a few bad dreams). They have created three other Little Rabbit picture books and a number of middle grade novels. Kate Klise, who is also a correspondent for People magazine, lives in Norwood, Missouri. M. Sarah Klise, who is also an art teacher, lives in Berkeley, California. 

Kindergarten-Grade 3—This charming story has the same tone and spirit as the previous books about this character, Shall I Knit You a Hat? (2004), Why Do You Cry? (2006, both Holt), and Imagine Harry (Harcourt, 2007). Little Rabbit gets a school assignment to prepare a report, and when he goes to sleep that night, his anxieties about choosing a topic lead his imagination to create a mysterious dream creature that carries him away. His mother explains that it was a nightmare, but he interprets the word as "night mare." The next evening, the "horrible horse" returns, jumping and bucking until Little Rabbit finally falls off. Distracted from choosing a topic, he attempts to scare the night mare off with signs and then a trap, but eventually finds that he must face it. When he does so, he sleeps well and is able to present his report about the night mare to the class. This engaging tale about a child's imagination and his strategies to confront his fears is told with gentle humor. The bright-hued acrylic artwork depicts colorful classroom scenes, comforting moments with Mother Rabbit, and Little Rabbit's dream world (the night mare is created out of a pillow and blanket). Readers will be reassured by the final image of the protagonist sleeping soundly. This book will stimulate discussions about facing fears and the stories that our minds create when we sleep.—Susannah Richards, Eastern Connecticut State University, Willimantic, CT
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