Crimi, Carolyn, and John Manders. Henry & the Buccaneer Bunnies. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick, 2005. Print.
Summary
The Henry who makes up the first half of the title is the son of Barnacle Black Ear, the captain of the Salty Carrot and the leader of a band of rabbit pirates called the "Buccaneer Bunnies." According to the author, "When pirates on other ships saw their long floppy ears and fluffy white tails, they shook with fear." Henry, however, would much rather spend his time reading books than partaking in pirate activities, much to the dismay of his father and the ridicule of the crew. When a storm shipwrecks the Salty Carrot, Henry is the one able to step up and to save the day with all the knowledge he has gleaned from reading.
My Impressions
Aye, I verily lo'ed this book, argh! (Translation: I really loved this book!) The author found a cute and fresh way to show the value of reading and learning. The idea of making rabbits, usually portrayed in children's literature as cute and harmless, into fearsome pirates was a clever twist. I agree with the reviewers in the following section that the illustrations are the best aspect of the book. I love all the little touches the illustrator put in. For example, in one scene Henry is reading a book which the pictures identify as "The Old Hare and the Sea" even though the narrative never does. Both children and adults will love re-reading the book over and over again just to catch all the little details such as that. This would make a great story time selection for any public library, school library, or classroom because of its lively dialogue and storyline.
What Other Reviewers Said
What Other Reviewers Said
PreS-Gr. 2. As the pirate ship The Salty Carrot sails the high seas, all of the rabbit pirates pitch in to help with the duties except Henry, the captain's son, who prefers to read. After their ship succumbs to a storm, the rabbits find that Henry's trunks of books can act as life rafts, which transport them to a desert island. On land, Henry's vast book learning becomes invaluable, and he provides the rabbit crew with food, shelter, and a means of escape. Manders' watercolor, gouache, and pencil illustrations are the highlight of this effort. His rabbit pirates have huge buckteeth and look especially comical toward the end of the book, when they are elaborately decked out in eighteenth-century finery, including feathered hats and lace trim. Bookworm Henry is rather stereotypically portrayed with huge glasses hung from a string. A story on the joys and usefulness of reading is nothing new, but the funny Buccaneer Bunnies should provide some interest, even to children who are not inspired by the lesson. -Todd Morning (1)
K-Gr 2-Henry is not a typical buccaneer bunny. Instead of performing his proper pirating duties, he would rather read the books that he took from other ships. His father, the captain, is not proud of his son and the rest of the crew makes fun of him. When they are shipwrecked on a deserted island, however, it is Henry and his "book smarts" that save the day. Although the plot is weak, the illustrations are fresh and comical, and send a clear message about the importance of reading.-Lisa S. Schindler, Bethpage Public Library, NY (2)
Suggested Activities
With Talk Like a Pirate Day coming up on September 19th, now is the perfect time to plan a kid-friendly pirate party/story-time! The kids can don their eye-patches and pirate hats as they hear the adventures of Henry and the Salty Carrot crew. Then you can read other pirate books such as How I Became a Pirate or do an activity, such as a crossword puzzle of pirate terms like "landlubber" and "buccaneer". At the end, if you have some donated books, each child can take one home with them from a treasure chest.
Other Citations
(1) Morning, Todd. "Henry and the Buccaneer Bunnies. " Rev. of: Henry and the Buccaneer Bunnies, The Booklist 1 Dec. 2005: Research Library, ProQuest. Web. 28 Aug. 2010.
(2) Schindler, Lisa S. "Henry and the Buccaneer Bunnies. " Rev. of: Henry and the Buccaneer Bunnies, School Library Journal 1 Nov. 2005: Research Library, ProQuest. Web. 28 Aug. 2010.
