{Synopsis} – On the last night of summer, Emma tags along with her game warden father on a routine call. They’re supposed to rescue a wild rabbit from a picket fence, but instead they find a little bunny. Emma convinces her father to bring him home for the night.
The next day, Emma starts public school for the very first time after years of being homeschooled. More than anything, Emma wants to make a best friend in school.
But things don’t go as planned. On the first day of school, she’s paired with a boy named Jack for a project. He can’t stay on topic, he speaks out of turn, and he’s obsessed with animals. Jack doesn’t fit in, and Emma’s worried he’ll make her stand out.
Emma and Jack bond over her rescue rabbit. But will their new friendship keep Emma from finding the new best friend she’s meant to have?
Newbery Honor-winning author Cynthia Lord has written a beautiful and sensitive book about being different and staying true to yourself.
{My thoughts} – Cynthia Lord has done it again. She is a brilliant writer when it comes to stories that include animals. I have read her Pet Squad Series in the past and loved it. When I saw this book was coming out I just had to have it. I am definitely not disappointed.
Emma is a sweet girl that has been home-schooled her entire life. Now she is about to start the 5th grade and has decided that she would rather go to a real school. The night before her first day of school her dad and her rescue a trapped rabbit. The rabbit instantly bonds with her.
When Emma has her first day of school all she can do is hope that it turns out alright and then when she gets home her and her dad are suppose to take the rabbit to the local shelter. Her first day doesn’t really go as great as she would have liked, but she does try to make the best of it, since it’s a huge learning experience for her. Once she gets home she’s quickly reminded that the rabbit has to go to the shelter.
Emma and her dad go to the shelter and find out that no one is looking for the rabbit, so she ends up taking it home and keeping it. Her dad agrees she can take care of it until it’s owners are found. At this point however, she is extremely attached to the rabbit and doesn’t want to consider it not being with her. She continues going to school and continues to struggle with the social ladder.
I think this is a great book for any child that is starting their first day of school. Even if it isn’t because they had been home-schooled in the past. The first day of school can be scary and challenging and hard on any child. I remember what a couple of my first days were like and I had just as rough a time as Emma did within the pages of this book. I also was very dependent on my animals for comfort as I was growing up, I think that is normal for any child. An animal always knows exactly how you feel and exactly what you need in order to feel better when things feel really bad.
I can’t wait to read this book with my younger daughters. I also look forward to having my older three read it and seeing what they think about it. Hopefully they won’t be asking for a pet rabbit once they are through reading it!
Final Conclusion: 5 Star Rating.
