Too many rabbits

The title of this cautionary counting comedy from an Italian duo reveals its core conflict. After Owen and Zoey beg their father for a rabbit, Dad succumbs to the pet shop's two-for-one offer, and trouble ensues. Deadpan narration by Calì (The Writer) describes bunny life: "They eat, gnaw at the furniture, hop all the time, and leave little chocolate eggs all over the place." When the quickly procreating animals' number reaches 210, the event kicks off an elaborate rabbit-removal scheme, which Benetti illustrates with tight, hard-edged grayscale drawings dotted liberally with small orange rabbits. The donations start small ("1 they gave to a juggler.// 2 they put through the neighbor's mailbox"), then grow. Chaos proliferates as 14 rabbits reenact naval battles in a department store ball pit and some of the 15 left at the ladies' underwear counter stage a two-legged race. When 16 are left at the Pop Art Museum, those who encounter a Jeff Koons--style rabbit sculpture bow down before it. By the time the white-presenting family lets 20 rabbits "go with the wind," none remain--leading to another trip to the pet store, and the potential for further disorder, in this harebrained title. Human characters are depicted with various skin tones. Ages 4--8. (Mar.)

A two-for-the-price-of-one sale at the pet store challenges a resourceful family to cope with the inevitable consequences. Hardly have Owen, Zoey, and their dad had time to feel amazed before their two new rabbits have turned into 210, nibbling on the furniture and leaving "little chocolate eggs" all over. It's time for a grand, if occasionally ruthless, giveaway--but after leaving one with a passing juggler, slipping two into an unsuspecting neighbor's mail slot, dropping three into the instrument case of a distracted street musician, and so on up to tying the last 20 to balloons, the children are dismayed to discover that there are none left. And so it's back to the pet store…just in time to take advantage of a two-for-one sale on ferrets! Aside from looking for a message, if any, buried in the silliness, the chief fun of this Italian import will be counting the orange bunnies in Benetti's duotone illustrations--they're all there, each individually drawn and engaged, singly or in bunches, in tomfoolery. Human figures, rendered in grayscale, are mostly light-skinned, but there are also a few who are darker-complexioned. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A delightful domestic debacle with pictures to pore over and many bunnies to count. (Picture book. 5-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.