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PS
Illustrated by
Zachariah Ohora.
Sonny, an anthropomorphized and very fuzzy red fox, "finds a thing" on the playground and quickly becomes attached to the pink plush bunny, which he dubs Bun-Bun. "Mine!" Then Honey (a furry pink animal) and Boo (a rabbit) approach the sandbox with solemn faces: Boo has lost Suki, her beloved pink plush bunny. Sonny claims he's never seen Suki, and slyly tucks the toy he found out of sight. Sonny tries various tactics to distract Boo from her missing stuffie, but her sadness stretches on, and Sonny is faced with a quandary. Within a limited color palette of OHora's bold digital illustrations, the creatures' emotions are augmented through thick-lined black brows, dotted eyes, and small but expressive snouts. The simple and repetitive text easily involves young listeners in familiar and relatable scenarios: losing something precious and practicing empathy. On the last spread Sonny says, "Come back soon!" as he waves with his friends, breaking the fourth wall and transforming the tale into a role-played fable of sorts. Inviting and light-handed in its morality, the story offers safe territory for exercising that empathy muscle alongside Sonny and his friends.
Reviewer: Grace McKinney
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2021