HOME SCHOOL BOOK REVIEW
Book: The ABC Bunny
Author: Wanda Gag
Illustrator: Howard Gag
Publisher: University Of Minnesota Press, republished 2004
ISBN-13: 978-0816644162 Hardcover
ISBN-10: 0816644160 Hardcover
ISBN-13: 978-0590442008 Paperback
ISBN-10: 0590442007 Paperback
Language level: 1
(1=nothing objectionable; 2=common euphemisms and/or childish slang terms; 3=some cursing and/or profanity; 4=a lot of cursing and/or profanity; 5=obscenity and/or vulgarity)
Recommended reading level: Ages 5 – 6
Rating: ***** 5 stars (EXCELLENT)
Reviewed by Wayne S. Walker
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Gag, Wanda. The ABC Bunny (published in 1933 by Coward McCann Inc., an imprint of Putnam and Grosset Group, 200 Madison Ave., New York City, NY 10016; republished in 1990 by Scholastic Inc., 730 Broadway, New York City, NY 10003). This is a very fun alphabet book which follows the story of a little bunny and his bunny-like ABC adventures as he runs about during his day, scampers through the alphabet, and encounters other animals as well. “A for Apple, big and red. B for Bunny, snug a-bed.” What will Q and X and Z bring? Author Wanda Gag (1893-1946) was born in New Ulm, MN. Originally published in 1933 and winning a Newbery Honor status in 1934, this book was republished in 2004 as part of the Fesler-Lampert Minnesota Heritage Series. It is much more enticing than the dreary old Puritan primers. “In Adam’s fall, We sinned all.”
Created for Gag’s small nephew Gary, The ABC Bunny was a family affair with charming black-and-white illustrations hand lettered by the author’s brother, Howard Gag. The end pages of the book also include sheet music for a song based on the words, with the tune composed by Flavia Gág, Wanda’s youngest sister. By today’s standards the book would never be given Newbery consideration because it’s a picture book, the kind for which the Caldecott Medal was later created. However, it is quite similar in nature and appeal to Gag’s other Newbery honor book, Millions of Cats (1928).
