Because of the Rabbit

Because of the Rabbit
Cynthia Lord
Scholastic, 2019 183 pages
Grades 3-6
Realistic Fiction

Homeschooled Emma is a little excited, but mostly scared, the night before she is to start public school for the first time. Her father, a Maine game-warden, is called out to remove a trapped rabbit. Emma tags along and she and Dad discover that it is not a wild rabbit, but a pet and she takes him home. Emma names her new friend Monsieur Lapin (Lapi) after the main character in her beloved grandfather's stories. Fifth grade starts out awkward and rough. Emma tries to make friends with the two girls seated next to her, yet they seem to already be best friends with no room for a third. Another seatmate, Jack, is friendly, yet inappropriately strange. He is kind to Emma and interested in her pets, yet she is scared to call him a friend in case it puts off one of the girls. A new classmate brings to Emma's attention a missing rabbit in the neighborhood. Could it be Monsieur Lapin? Emma is scared to confess the find to her parents or call the number. She is also scared to be Jack's friend in public. As Emma's world gets bigger, life gets scarier, yet with the help of her supportive family and lessons learned from her new pet, Emma works it all out.

This quiet friendship story is for a slightly younger audience than Lord's famous and fan favorite Rules. As per an author's note at the end, Lord confesses to adding elements of her own life to the story including rabbits, homeschooling, French-Canadian storytelling grandparents, and a family member with autism. She encourages children to get writing and to use their own personal stories to get started. Whether homeschooled or not, readers will relate to this first person account of a young girl struggling to fit in and find a friend. Many kids love animals and will also relate to Emma's passion for her pets. Each chapter heading is a rabbit tip seemingly ripped out of a notebook that connects to what is to follow. This story is perfect for readers getting into harder chapter books. It reads quickly, has large margins, and consists of a lot of dialog. What it doesn't have is illustrations, which is refreshing to see and has become a rarity in books for this age group. The Maine setting is realized and cozy and Emma's family is kind and supportive as she branches out and expands her world.  As in Rules, Lord includes an autistic character who, though different, is a great friend, hopefully broadening reader's perceptions. My favorite message of the book is when Emma learns that to have friends, your need to first be a friend. The penny drops and Emma does the right thing, allowing her an entrance into school society. A great lesson for all of us!