my bunny

Since Brianna graduated from book-chewing to book-viewing, we’ve had fun exploring the world of children’s literature.

I really had no idea how devious and manipulative these stories are... some are so sly – like that book, Good Night Moon lulling children into a sedative state… or I Love You ALL the Time, brainwashing children to believe their parents love them despite being gone all day at work then spending half of their play time on the phone or issuing discipline. The Smile! book coaches the little ones into being photographable, and What Time is Grandma Coming attempts to turn an essential life skill into a game. Such cunning and craft…

But one of Brianna’s favorite is a scheming hardback that tops them all… The Runaway Bunny.
It’s basically my life, in illustrated children’s book form. Though I feign resentment of this…I was very touched when Brianna's Nonny gave this book to us:

From Margaret Wise Brown’s The Runaway Bunny

Once there was a little bunny who wanted to run away. So she said to her mother, “I am running away.”
“If you run away,” said her mother, “I will run after you. For you are my little bunny.”
“If you run after me,” said the little bunny, “I will become a fish in a trout stream and I will swim away from you.”
“If you become a fish in a trout stream,” said her mother, “I will become a fisherman and I will fish for you.”
“If you become a fisherman,” said the little bunny, “I will become a rock on the mountain high above you.”
“If you become a rock on the mountain high above me,” said her mother, “I will be a mountain climber, and I will climb to where you are.”
The little bunny said, “I will be a crocus in a hidden garden.”
“If you become a crocus in a hidden garden,” said her mother, “I will be a gardener. And I will find you.”
“If you are a gardener and find me,” said the little bunny, “I will be a bird and fly away from you.”
“If you become a bird and fly away from me,” said her mother, “I will be a tree that you come home to.”
The little bunny said, “I will join the circus and fly away on a flying trapeze.”
“If you go flying on a flying trapeze,” said her mother, “I will be a tightrope walker, and I will walk across the air to you.”
“If you become a tightrope walker and walk across the air,” said the bunny, “I will become a little girl and run into a house.”
“If you become a little girl and run into a house,” said the mother bunny, “I will become your mother and catch you in my arms and hug you.”
“Shucks,” said the bunny, “I might just as well stay where I am and be your little bunny.”
And so she did.
“Have a carrot,” said the mother bunny.

I love reading this story to my little bunny... over and over and over again (heh heh!)