It is Christmas Eve and all is going well in Santa’s North Pole workshop. All is going well, that is, until some mischievous little bunnies fill the Elves with candy canes that make their tummies so full that they cannot move. This is exactly what the bunnies are aiming for – they set off on a ride through the snow and are soon tucked up in Santa’s sleigh. The bunnies are off on an adventure – and, seeing as Santa has been left without his elves, it is down to the bunnies to help. Just imagine the trouble and mayhem a sleigh full of bunnies could cause on elf duties!
I can promise you one thing: one read of this book and the rhyme will stick in your head forever. It’s essentially jingle-bells but rewritten to cause a heck of a lot more laughter. I laughed. I laughed the second time. And I can only imagine that young readers will have this book on repeat year in, year out.
Ardagh gets the story spot on. There’s a chorus line that readers can join in with and will learn before the first read is over. No joke outstays it’s welcome – like any strong story it has an arc. There’s fun and mayhem in just the right place, potential peril (but only for moments because, after all, nobody wants to worry about Santa and a sleigh full of bunnies). The ending winds down and then comes back with a final triumphant line that can be anticipated and shouted on every read after the first. Ardagh is an experienced writer but his understanding of children shines through the text. Equally, this book is fun for adults, which is important when the book has to be reread and not ‘lost’ down the back of the sofa.
There’s vast amounts of joy in the illustration. The facial expressions are spot on, from the horror of Chief Elf to the utter bonkers delight the bunnies take in every bit of Christmas mayhem. It’s not over the top though and that’s what makes it believable. Think of a toddler running wild with a crayon on the walls or a primary aged child offered the chance to chuck mud about. That’s your bunnies. The poor overstuffed elves are every person who has ever overeaten on Christmas Day. The second thing I love about the illustrations is that the spreads become a game of ‘Spot The Bunny’. In some spreads this is tricky and young readers who spot one cleverly hidden will delight in the victory. In others most of the bunnies are highly visible – but there’s still something to spot and laugh about. The best part of this is that, once found, the visual humour can be enjoyed.
I was initially sceptical when I saw the title because hasn’t every picture book animal ridden in Santa’s sleigh? I eat my words like an elf chomping on a candy cane. This is delightful. This is entertaining. Most of all, this is perfectly pitched for children and their adult readers or friends to share in the build-up to Christmas.
- Bunnies In A Sleigh by Philip Ardagh and Ben Mantle is available now from Walker Books. RRP. £12.99 (Provided for review)
