Module 1/June 6-12/ Bunnicula: a rabbit tale of mystery by Deborah and James Howe

Bibliographic Citation: Howe, James and Deborah  (1979). Bunnicula: a rabbit tale of mystery. New York: Atheneum

Summary:  Told from the perspective of Harold the dog, the Monroe family find an abandoned bunny while watching “Dracula” at the movies one night. They name him “Bunnicula”. Chester feels that this name is very appropriate especially when strange white vegetables drained of their juices begin showing up in the refrigerator.  Chester is convinced that Bunnicula is a vampire and works to save his family from harm. 

Review: “Gr 3-5—To the Monroe family, Bunnicula is just a poor waif of a rabbit left at the movie theater during a Dracula flick. But to Chester, their cat, he is really a vegetarian vampire. After all, doesn’t he sleep all day and stay up all night? Doesn’t he have sharp teeth? Doesn’t he suck the juice out of vegetables? Chester convinces himself that Bunnicula is a threat not only to the Monroes but to the world.  Howeve, he can only half convince easygoing Harold the dog, the narrator, and Chester’s perfect foil, of the danger. The story by Deborah and James Howe is done in the same vein as Jean Van Leeuwen’s The Great Cheese Conspiracy (Dell, 1973) and it’s fun.” Stevenson, D. (1979). Bunnicula (Book). School Library Journal, 25(9), 81. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Personal Impressions: I’m not a big fan of vampire stories but this is no ordinary vampire story. This book takes vampires to a different level turning what one might consider a sweet furry animal into a vampire. I love how the author took the typical elements of a vampire and made it fit the animal. Such as the black covering of fur looking like a black cape and vegetables being drained of their juices and turning white.  I also enjoyed how the author chose to tell the story from the perspective of the family pets.  Who would have thought a sweet bunny rabbit could possibly be an evil blood thirsty vampire?

Suggestions for Use: This would be a great story to read around Halloween for a program. However, since it is more of a chapter book if I were to use it for a program, I would only read a few of the chapters aloud.  It is also a great inspiration for a craft activity creating other  animal or pet vampires.