The Little Gray Bunny

K-Gr 2—In McGrath's third adaptation of "The Little Red Hen," the little gray bunny seeks help from the turtle, the duck, and the lamb as he prepares for Easter, to no avail. He works tirelessly to collect eggs, boil and dye them, and hide them in the meadow. As expected, his friends are more than willing to join in a hunt for the eggs and to share in some holiday treats. True to the original tale, the bunny has his revenge, supplying his friends with fertilized eggs instead of jelly beans and cupcakes, and they are shocked to find themselves surrounded by newly hatched chicks. The turtle, the duck, and the lamb are selfish and lazy, as expected, but they are also haughty. The illustrations are done in watercolor, pen, and gouache; they lack warmth, and the colors are harsh. This Easter tale has a clever twist, but it does not have the allure of McGrath's The Little Green Witch (2005) and The Little Red Elf (2009, both Charlesbridge).—Diane Antezzo, Ridgefield Library, CT