by Sam Juliano
There are more carrots in the text and illustrations of Wolfie the Bunny than in any picture book since Creepy Carrots and there is even an unwitting homage to the earlier work by way of the “Carrot Patch” food coop, the place of replenishment for the bunny family at the story’s center. Trendy Park Slope, Brooklyn in the setting of the 2015 release by Ame Dyckman, with art by Zachariah Ohora. This is the neighborhood where the Bunny Family resides, and where they are surprised to find a bundle outside their basement door one day. They are subsequently aghast when they discover a baby wolf, but ever the progressives they immediately embrace their new acquisition with red carpet bravado. While mommy and daddy bunny profess no quibbles at claiming immediate ownership, and assessing how cute he is, their daughter Dot is grounded in the reality of the situation, frantically opining “He’s Going To Eat Us All Up!” Much too infatuated to listen the bunny parents set him up at bedtime and he’s soon fast asleep. Fearing the worst Dot stays up keeping an eye on the unwanted intruder via a headband featuring a flashlight. In the morning Wolfie is served carrots for breakfast and is repeatedly photographed by the proud parents. Dot, however, is unwavering as she warns them again that they will soon be Wolfie’s next meal. After Dot’s friends stop by to see the family’s new sibling, they join Dot in fearful denunciation, screaming “He’s Going to Eat Us All Up!”, prompting Dot to recommend an alternate location to play.
What Dot does not see is that her new “baby brother” is crying over the sudden desertion, and when Dot returns he showers her with accentuated affection, following the young girl all over and drooling on her. To the parents he can do not wrong: “He’s a good drooler” says Papa. Time passes. The wolf -and his appetite- grow. Soon they are out of carrots (“He Ate Them All Up” says Dot) Quickly to the rescue is the ever-reliable carrot patch strap bag, which Dot takes to the store, followed by Wolfie, who is endorsed as a good helper by the doting parents. Still unconvinced of his true intentions she curtly tells him “I’ve got my eye on you, buster!” Wolfie, in his new zippered pink bunny suit tags along. Once in Carrot Patch -a store specializing in organic perishables- Dot notices Wolfie’s mouth opening wide as she has secured one more carrot, prompting her to confidently declare “I knew it!” Armed with the carrot she challenges him “On guard!” but is soon made aware of the new danger threatening them both. A bear wearing a “Yummy Bunny” tattoo is fooled by the bunny costume and grabs Wolfie while triumphantly declaring “DINNER!” The unexpected crisis gives Dot a chance to save herself, but she surprisingly runs forward toward the bear exclaiming “Let him go!, or I’LL EAT YOU ALL UP!” The bear, in disbelief, tells her “You’re a bunny,” but Dot clarifies “I’m A Hungry Bunny.” The incredulous bear then declares “But I’m bigger than you,” but Dot unfazed tells him “I’ll Start On Your Toes.” The bear recoils in fear: “Help! She’s Going to EAT ME ALL UP!”as Wolfie gets flattened. Dot announced they are now both safe as the bear runs away, but then is initially shocked at Wolfie’s sudden move to pounce on her. But a good deed does not go unrewarded, and all the mistrust, consternation and resentment is all eradicated with an embrace. While some stories would have ended on that cathartic image, Dyckman has Dot accepting Wolfie as her little brother, as they leave the store for dinner.
Ohora’s retro art for Wolfie the Bunny is bold and vibrant yet still suffused with narrative nuances throughout. The initial double page spread set in front of a red bricked variation of a brownstone is adorned with sidewalk trees (two smalls birds are perched in one), a chalked hop scotch grid on the pavement, and two compact sized cars, one in pink to announce what is to be the book’s primary and thematic color. Potted plants and pink window flowers add splendid decorative touches. Dad is dressed in a cardigan, mom in a Scottish design. A fire hydrant reminds of the urban location. Ohora’s thick black lines for the bunnies are in the style of Caldecott Honor winning illustrator Lauren Castillo, but Ohora fills in the inky color for the mom’s ears, the father’s hat and the hairs on everyone, including the gray base for Wolfie. Black is employed for the store name letters, window frames, tree trunks, cameras as well as for the vast majority of the typography. In one superlative spread Dot keeps her eyes open during the night, and even envisions a black visage of Wolfie baring his teeth. But the predominance of black makes the controlled use of color that much more effective.
In the spirit of William Stieg, shows how her animal characters are all-too-human in their willful blindness, exhibiting the penchant to do things before thinking of possible consequences. Ohora’s drawings show parents fully smitten with eternal smiles, but a daughter who is the family watchdog, never believing anything until there is concrete proof. The book’s illustrative design is diverse; some tapestries are full double page spreads, some a series of amusing vignettes with some objects fully colored and others outlined; and some single, full page panels. During the confrontation with the bear at the Carrot Patch the figures are enlarged. It was a great choice to have Dot as physically bigger than the bear as he cried help after she asserts the upper hand, and prior to that having her enclosed in a red triangular halo as she rails against the bear. Wolfie’s final hug enveloping Dot in reassuring pink will bring smiles to readers of all ages. The radiant yellow dust jacket, featuring Wolfie in costume full front is replicated on the inside cover, though the illustrator shows the back of the wolf and reversing the letters. The back of the dust jack, conversely features three illustrations from the book mounted in scrapbook design. The pink end papers front and back are uniform, and feature the central characters and a bunch of carrots under each in black ink sketch.
Wolfie the Bunny, like its effervescent author is the kind of irresistible, and infectious book that would score high on any list of kid-friendly and thematic attuned picture books. It is a book about bonding through baptism under fire, sibling competition and courage. In the end love conquers all after a most unconventional denouement. The fact that the book’s art is so pleasing, eye-catching, stylish and kid-friendly almost seems beside the point but it is not. As it is Wolfie the Bunny is among the pantheon of finest children’s picture books of 2015 and as such it’s sublime art has been rightly under the Caldecott radar since its early year release. Dyckman and Ohora may find themselves in the winner’s circle on January 11th, and if so like the readers of this fabulous, this writer will be all smiles.
Note: This is the twenty-fourth review in the 2015 Caldecott Contender series that will be published at this site over the coming months, up until the January 11th scheduled awards date. The books that will be examined are not necessarily ones that are bonafide contenders in the eyes of the voting committee, but rather the ones this writer feels should be. The order they will be presented is arbitrary as some of my absolute favorites will be presented near the end.
