Folk Tales and Fairy Tales Revisited ~ Rabbit's Gift

Book Cover Photo Source, Barnes and Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Rabbits-Gift/George-Shannon/e/9780152060732/?itm=1, accessed May 5, 2009.

Bibliography

Shannon, George. 2007. RABBIT'S GIFT. Ill. by Laura Dronzek. New York: Harcourt books. ISBN 9780152060732

Summary

In this charming tale of friendship, winter is approaching and Rabbit needs to find food quickly. But when he finds not one but two turnips he decides to keep one and share the other. He leaves the turnip on Donkey's doorstep thinking of him alone on the hilltop. When Donkey returns from finding a potato to eat, he in turn leaves the turnip on Goat's doorstep because "My potato is plenty for me. Goat's always hungry. I'll take this to him." When goat returns with a cabbage he'd found, he thinks that Deer may have lost the turnip and decides to leave it at her house. Deer in turn decides that with all the snow that had fallen, rabbit "couldn't have found much food," and takes it to Rabbit where he is sound asleep in his rabbit hole. The next morning Rabbit wakes up to find that the turnip has made it's way back to him due to the generosity of all the friends. "Who in the woods could have brought me this?" Rabbit wonders. Distraught because he doesn't know who to thank, he decides the best way to accomplish this is to share it with all of his forest friends. Because he says, "A turnip always makes for a cozy meal."

Reviews

PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY: "Winter has arrived, but Rabbit has gotten lucky: he's found an extra turnip in the snowy field. Then it dawns on Rabbit that his friend Donkey may not be as fortunate, so he deposits the second turnip on her doorstep. Donkey, in turn, leaves the turnip for Goat, who delivers it to the home of Deer, who generously but unwittingly returns the vegetable to its original owner. Once again Rabbit knows the right thing to do: he brings all the animals together for a small winter feast. The artist's naif acrylic paintings, rendered in rich, saturated colors, are particularly effective in conveying both the winter chill and the effort involved in paying it forward; Rabbit and Goat push the prized turnip through the snow with their snouts or heads, while the other animals must navigate deep drifts to make their delivery. Shannon and Dronzek (previously paired for White Is for Blueberry) prove once again that they are likeminded talents, able to tackle a potentially treacly subject with understated earnestness and lyricism. " Ages 3-7.

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "This story of sharing and caring for one's neighbors begins as Rabbit goes out to collect food to sustain himself through the coming winter storm. He has some good fortune and decides to give an extra turnip to his friend Donkey. Donkey is away but when she returns home, she finds the turnip and, knowing she has enough to eat, she, too, passes it on. With each consecutive house, the gift is deemed more than enough and eventually makes its way back to Rabbit. He exclaims, "I don't know who to thank . . . .But I know just who to share it with!" This folktale, with versions found in many cultures, is well told and richly illustrated. The appealing acrylic art supports the simple text and enhance the story. This title also includes an author's note and Chinese calligraphy glossary. A terrific seasonal storyhour selection."

KIRKUS REVIEWS: "Shannon takes an ancient folktale and shapes it into quite a nice little winter story. Though it's cold and snowy, Rabbit finds not one but two turnips. One is enough for him, so he rolls the other over to Donkey's house and leaves it outside the door for her. Donkey comes home with a potato, and concerned that Goat is always hungry, leaves the turnip for him. Goat has a cabbage, so brings the turnip to Deer; and she, satisfied with her carrot, leaves the turnip outside Rabbit's door. The next day, Rabbit shares the turnip all around. Dronzek makes a lovely border of turnips, with the Chinese ideograms for the names of the animals, as a leitmotif; her shapes are soft, rounded and sculptural and the snow is deep and soft. The animals have expressive faces and move the gift of the turnip around by pushing, butting and rolling. In a graceful author's note, Shannon traces what he can of the misty origins and multiple versions of this story. A low-key but lovely winter tale. "