Garth Williams (1912–1996)

This story is a wonderful way to explore the goodness of patience, even when it is difficult to wait. Mother Raccoon is never short or impatient with the unending questions (who can relate?), but continues to engage with Little Raccoon with love and tenderness. The simple plot is lovely in its exclusive focus on the experience of anticipation, with gentle encouragement to the virtue of doing things at the appropriate time. The ending note at first felt abrupt to me - after the buildup we do show more not get a full description of what happens when the moon is full - but after a few re-reads I think it’s a masterful decision as to pacing and imagination. Williams’ illustrations enhance the emotional narrative, with two-tone black and brown illustrations throughout up until the full-color full moon. show less

This is a historically band picture book. This book is a product of 1958 and when it first came out, it pissed people off. This simple book is of a black rabbit and a white rabbit that like to play together. The black rabbit has small bouts of depression when they feel sad. But the white rabbits is always able to play with them and make them happy again. It turns out that the black rabbit wishes they could be with the white rabbit forever and the white rabbit says I do too. They get married, show more surrounded by friends and live happily ever after. Want to take a guess on why this book was hated in 1958? If you guessed racism, you are correct! At the time this book was written interracial marriage was rare, extremely frowned upon, and illegal in many states. This book saying that it’s okay for two to marry, and it even brings about a happy ending. This book is not currently in print and you have to find it in an library to read a copy, but our modern issues in 2023 are the same issues. We have been fighting the same things for 70+ years. This book was lovely, not just for the time it was written, but for now as well. This book should be a classic. It shouldn’t be banned, but as with many things in our society today. it is. show less

This was one of my favorite books as a child, and I was delighted to find it again as an adult, and read it to my child. A bunny bounds through the early spring, and, in his search for a home, talks with several other animals. It's beautiful simplicity explains why it is an enduring classic. It will always have a place on the shelves of our family library.

A pretty cute story about a restless and imaginative little badger trying unsuccessfully to settle down for bed.

The parents handle her pretty well until the threat of a spanking is dropped on the proceedings like an atomic bomb. It warps the story unpleasantly, but doesn't break it.

My daughter liked this when she was two, and we re-read it many times.

FOR REFERENCE:

#1521 in our old book database. Rated: Good.

Rated "Good" in our old book database by Rod and Adelia