Loppylugs

Bored with his humdrum existence, floppy-eared pet rabbit Loppylugs longs to romp in the fields with the wild rabbits. He gets his chance when his owner leaves the door to his hutch open one day, and he follows the wild rabbits into a shed filled with animal feed. When the farmer pursues the intruders, poor Loppylugs is at a clear disadvantage: he's never had to run for his life, and his long ears keep getting in his way. Rolling down a snowy bank, he unwittingly turns himself into a snowball and manages to escape the farmer. Predictably, the cold and hungry rabbit realizes that freedom has a bitter aftertaste, and he heads for home. When his owner finds his hutch door open, she tells Loppylugs how happy she is that he didn't run away. Pizer's love of animals is evident in her gently realistic illustrations, which bring together an unusual array of soft grays and browns. It is through these beguiling pictures rather than her somewhat lackluster storytelling that Pizer brings this heartwarming tale to life. Ages 3-8. (Aug.)