How to catch the Easter Bunny

PreS-Gr 2-The Easter Bunny is an elusive and clever creature, able to escape every imaginative trap, or at least that's the theme of this adaptation of the Easter-themed book by Adam Wallace. There are many creative traps set to catch the basket-carrying bunny, but none are successful. Kirby Heybourne narrates the rhyming text with a bounce to his voice and a hidden smile as Andy Elkerton's bright pastel illustrations are simply animated. Background music reflects the story, starting out with a sprightly tune, then changing to a stronger beat as the traps are set and avoided. VERDICT This slight story has about as much substance as a Peep, but it has been nicely packaged in this format. Those who need a quick Easter Bunny fix will find it here.-Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary School, Federal Way, WA © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

The bestselling series (How to Catch an Elf, 2016, etc.) about capturing mythical creatures continues with a story about various ways to catch the Easter Bunny as it makes its annual deliveries. The bunny narrates its own story in rhyming text, beginning with an introduction at its office in a manufacturing facility that creates Easter eggs and candy. The rabbit then abruptly takes off on its delivery route with a tiny basket of eggs strapped to its back, immediately encountering a trap with carrots and a box propped up with a stick. The narrative focuses on how the Easter Bunny avoids increasingly complex traps set up to catch him with no explanation as to who has set the traps or why. These traps include an underground tunnel, a fluorescent dance floor with a hidden pit of carrots, a robot bunny, pirates on an island, and a cannon that shoots candy fish, as well as some sort of locked, hazardous site with radiation danger. Readers of previous books in the series will understand the premise, but others will be confused by the rabbit's frenetic escapades. Cartoon-style illustrations have a 1960s vibe, with a slightly scary, bow-tied bunny with chartreuse eyes and a glowing palette of neon shades that shout for attention. This bunny escapes all the traps but fails to find a logical plot or an emotional connection with readers. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.