Wanted!: Ralfy Rabbit, Book Burglar

K-Gr 2—This is the endearing tale of Ralfy, a little rabbit who can't get enough to read. While other rabbits dream of lettuce and carrots, Ralfy dreams of nothing but books. When he's not reading, he's making lists of his favorites (The Catcher in the Vegetable Patch, The Hoppit) and lists of books he wants to read (The Rabbit with the Dandelion Tattoo, A Hutch with a View). While it is unlikely that most children will get most of the references, they are indeed quite clever (A Tale of Two Warrens, One Flew over the Rabbit Hutch). Then, Ralfy begins sneaking into houses and reading other people's books; next, he's nabbing novels and pinching poetry. Arthur, who also loves to read, discovers gaps in his bookshelves along with half-eaten carrots and lies in wait one night. He spots Ralfy, but no one believes his story about a bunny book thief. However, when Ralfy sneaks into Officer Puddle's house, he is captured and identified in a lineup because all the other rabbits wearing "I Love Books" T-shirts grab the carrots from the conveyor belt while Ralfy goes for the books. Arthur feels sorry for Ralfy, and comes up with the perfect solution, taking Ralfy to a place where he can borrow all the books he wants. The volume is accompanied by charming, child-friendly cartoon-type illustrations with lots of details that enhance the humor.