Bunny My Honey (by Anita Jeram)

Many children seemed genuinely concerned when the little rabbit is lost, and more than one expressed concern in the form of anger toward the mother rabbit. "How could she let them play by themselves in the woods?" one 5-year-old pondered worriedly, while others seemed anxious and upset. Of course, the story's payoff -- when the two rabbits find one another -- met with cheers from older listeners, while younger ones seemed comforted at the reassurance that "Mommy's always here."

The watercolor-and-ink drawings are charming, and the earth browns and fern greens add to the warm feelings. The expressions on the animal faces capture the feeling of the action: enthused at play, confused while lost, and ecstatic when found again. Even though there is little text, younger children repeatedly urged a reader to turn the page to see what happens next, especially since they could determine the story's outcome on their own.