Hannigan follows Ida B.
, her critically acclaimed debut, with this environmental fable, which she has illustrated with tender watercolor art that often displays deft touches of humor. Lonely Emmaline wants a bunny “most mostly” (one picture shows her watching a bunny on TV, its legs lining up with the set's, its ears with the antennae). But messy pets are prohibited in her town, Neatasapin, where ornery Mayor Orson Oliphant has outlawed dirt, weeds and puddles. She follows a wild bunny into the underbrush where she learns that in order to keep the rabbit in her company, she must make her world more inviting to wild creatures, i.e., messier. The resulting unruliness of her yard riles the mayor, but brings about his overturn. The green message is kid-empowering; the prose style—which favors verb constructions like “scoot-skedaddling” and “scimper-scampering,” and exclamations like “dungleberrydoo,” and “hoopalala!”—will divide the audience, who will find it charming or twee. Still, the text, art and compact trim size add up to an overall package that young animal lovers will likely find irresistible. Ages 7–12. (Mar.)
