Bon Appetit, Mr. Rabbit!

Turning up his nose at his usual plate of carrots, Mr. Rabbit sets off to find out what other animals eat. Nothing his neighbors have appeals to finicky Mr. Rabbit either: not the frog's flies, the bird's worms or the monkey's bananas, and especially not the fox's favorite mealrabbit. When the fox lunges, Mr. Rabbit flees to the safety of his own kitchen, now minus his ears. He humbly fixes himself a pot of carrot stew, ""because carrots make rabbits' ears grow.'' This resolution is a bit jarring: Mr. Rabbit's violent encounter with the fox lacks the absurdity to be outright funny and may leave young readers feeling unsettled or even spooked rather than amused. The illustrations are crayon-bright, though they don't endear Mr. Rabbit to us or engage us in his quest. Ages 5-8. (September)