Peek-a-Boo Bunny

“Bunny’s with his friends today,/ and there’s one game they love to play!/ Bunny, Bunny, don’t you peek..../ Bunny, Bunny, hide and seek!” Unfortunately for Bunny, the rabbit is kind of terrible at seeking, racing past his hidden friends. Bunny’s friend Mole tries to keep up, pointing out the hidden animals Bunny has missed (in a fun reversal of the mole-with-poor-eyesight cliché). Readers can get in on the action, too, spotting the animals that peek from behind tree trunks and clusters of foliage; it’s not difficult to spot them, but Surplice’s mixed-media collages invite close study themselves. Her pale pastel backdrops feature heavily worked textures of plaster and paint, with a riot of vivid flowers and leaves incorporated digitally. The animals have plenty of personality, too, creating a mood of playful fun around the game; when Bunny nearly gives in to frustration at the end, his friends are there to boost his spirits. Surplice (About a Bear) offers a simple but energetic game of hide-and-seek, with buoyant visuals and rhymes. Ages 4–8. (Jan.)