Caleb Smith (2)

I saw a TV segment about Peacebunny Island a while back and was positively charmed by the story. So, when I saw this book was available, I couldn’t wait to order it. I was looking forward to reading it; I was expecting to love it…and I was so disappointed when I didn’t. : (

I finished the book disgusted and disenchanted more than anything else.

Caleb Smith is a teenager, and his immature and often cocky tone can get incredibly grating. His desperate attempts at humor are especially show more painful. And it would have been nice if Caleb had opted to spend some time honing his grammar skills before deciding to pen this memoir. But, he is a still just a boy and he is not a professional author, so I just tried to adopt a philosophical ‘grin & bear it’ attitude (that didn’t really help, though).

Overall, the book has all the artificial syrupy sweetness of an after school special or a Lifetime movie. Caleb’s unbelievably wholesome family and friends dispense homespun words of wisdom and encouragement by the truckload at every available opportunity. Look out, a lot of trite platitudes & cornball sayings in the spirit of self-help gurus and Joel Osteen sermons are getting hurled at you throughout this book. I know I am jaded, but I can’t help thinking that a whole lot of dysfunction is lurking beneath the surface of all that fabricated optimism and joy.

Caleb’s parents come across as particularly unpleasant. First of all, they are described as not liking pets and not being terribly keen on animals (strike one!).

Although they are heavily involved in making his endeavors successful, it often seems as though they treat Caleb more like an exasperating, oddball business associate than a son. They are big on having business-conference-type family meetings. At one such meeting, little Caleb dons a dress suit to present a business proposal to his parents (Shark Tank style) to appeal for a new pet rabbit and generate support for his idea for a rabbit fostering program. I guess it explains why such a little boy has such an odd fixation with spreadsheets.

At one point, they even require Caleb to take out a small business loan and rent tables and chairs from them so he can have a summer lemonade stand with his neighborhood friends. Shortly thereafter, his mother rubs her thumb and fingers together in a ‘moola’ hand gesture as a reminder that he needs to repay the loan…the only thing missing was a threat to call out her goons, Vinnie and Guido, to break his legs if he fails to come through with the dough!

I suppose trendy parents would argue that they are simply introducing their child to the real world, but—honestly—who treats their own seven year old child that way? What kind of deranged parents actually loan money and demand rental payments from their elementary school child—especially for something as fundamental to childhood as a front yard lemonade stand? Many parents manage to successfully teach their children the importance of hard work and the value of an honest dollar without being such genuine asses about it. It begs the question, does Caleb live in a family home or in an authoritarian bootcamp for the Future Businessmen of America? It’s no wonder he’s got issues.

My first major problem with Caleb himself came early on. After a detailed discussion about being an animal lover, his beliefs about humanely caring for animals, etc., the author goes into raptures about eating animals (specifically chicken enchiladas). Later on, its sausage and peppers and then future plans for a fishing trip with his buddies. Anyone who is a self-professed animal lover and proponent for any kind of animal welfare issues should not be rabbiting on about killing and eating them. Like a social worker who intervenes in child abuse cases and then goes home to beat his own children, it just reeks of hypocrisy.

I was especially taken aback by his blasé attitude toward certain animals entrusted to his care. He talks at-length about how seriously he takes his responsibilities for caring for his rabbits over the entirety of their lives; and he discusses the rules and procedures he has in place for managing the fostering, adopting, and return of his bunnies within his organization. He then relates two instances in which the rules were not followed…with tragic results.

In one case, a family failed to follow the proper care and safety guidelines outlined for fostering bunnies; their actions (or lack thereof) resulted in the rabbit, Heavenfluff’s, death. Caleb fails to provide the gory details, but it is implied the death was probably horrific. Although swathed in a lot of rationalizing hyperbole, Caleb’s reaction is essentially, ‘Oh, well! That’s too bad, but mistakes happen. Here’s another bunny. Try to do better this time!’ Really??? I’m sorry, but—if someone kills an animal through carelessness, neglect, or indifference on my watch—I’m not handing him another one until hell freezes over. Probably not even then. Forgiveness is one thing, but that doesn’t mean intentionally jeopardizing the life and well-being of another animal by handing it over to individuals who have already proven they are negligent and irresponsible. Good grief!

In another case, Caleb decides to ignore his own rules and regulations by giving a strange woman called Wendy a rabbit called Wonderfluff to foster—even though she utterly fails to do any of the required preparatory work. His justification? Well, she has a STEM-based college degree so that automatically makes her qualified and trustworthy, right? And she was just so gosh-darned enthusiastic!

The end result: the clearly disturbed woman steals the rabbit and refuses to return it, and the poor rabbit is never seen again. So, a criminal who has already proven she is a thief and a liar with severe mental and emotional problems takes off with one of Caleb’s rabbits and what does he do? Does Caleb file a criminal complaint against her? No. Does Caleb take legal action to have the rabbit returned? No. Does Caleb do anything any sensible, responsible caretaker would do to ensure the well-being and safe return of the rabbit entrusted into his care? No, he sure doesn’t.

To make matters worse, Wonderfluff’s original family had been promised that she would live out her life as part of Caleb’s support care program; good way to engender confidence with your donors, Caleb! His thought process basically boils down to, ‘Well, technically, the rabbit isn’t mine, she belongs to God; so, I am going to assume God has this covered. I’m just going to bury my head in the sand, delude myself into thinking this lady isn’t really as unhinged as she appears to be, and hope for the best.’ WTF, Caleb?!?! At this point, I became firmly convinced that this kid shouldn’t be trusted with a pet rock.

Perhaps it is uncharitable, but—in spite of all his flowery rhetoric to the contrary—I came away with the nagging feeling that Caleb ultimately views animals as a commodity & that Peacebunny is less of a heartfelt passion project and more of a means to establishing the foundation for a lucrative business career in adulthood. The fact that he is engaged in deliberately breeding rabbits when, by his own admission, so many rabbits are abandoned and have almost no chance for a forever home kind of reinforces that dismal assumption. He is deliberately contributing to a problem he is pretending to help solve. It is just depressing and sad. (I finished this book still unclear as to whether Peacebunny Island is a non-profit charity, or a full-blown business venture).

5 million stars for all the bunnies!
5 stars for the whole idea of a Peacebunny Island.
Virtually no stars for this book.
And less than zero stars for the family’s Prius, which gets a suspicious number of specific mentions throughout the book. show less

Encouraging and uplifting, Peacebunny Island is a sweet read for anyone! Caleb Smith is a 15 year old with big dreams who never let challenges hold him back. In this memoir, Smith recounts how, at 9 years old, he decided on starting a safe place for bunnies to be rehabbed and loved. He didn't know how this kindness to the bunnies would change his life and the lives of many others!

Caleb's journey takes him many places: nursing homes,the homes of families of children with special needs and show more first responders garages. He takes his rabbits to visit, beginning the healing process for the humans so in need of a gentle friend.

Peacebunny Island is a keeper of a book, but you will want to share this heartwarming story of determination to spread love and compassion with anyone you know who loves a great book.

I was an early reader, thanks to the publisher. All opinions are my own. show less

This is a delighful and amazing memoir by a very young man of extrordinary maturity, wisdom, and compassion.