The Runaway Bunny

The Runaway Bunny is a timeless classic, proven by the fact that the hardback I just bought for my niece was the 75th anniversary edition. While I know probably hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions, of children have read The Runaway Bunny by now, including my own, a scene that is indelibly etched in my memory is of a retreat where I witnessed a man read this book to a room of 50 or 60 women. These woman were so focused, intent, and moved by this book that you could have heard a pin drop from the moment the gentleman started reading until he finished. There weren’t many dry eyes in the place as the women related to the type of love that follows and waits for the loved one to turn back to them. It is a love that waits and watches, never forcing itself upon another, but patiently and diligently keeps guard and maintains a place of safety for the loved one’s return.That’s the magic of this story which was written three-fourths of a century before helicopter parenting was a thing. This isn’t helicopter parenting, but it’s what safe parenting ought to be. The mother rabbit knows that the child needs to run away, to practice independence, to be free to make mistakes, but she allows this freedom in a gentle guardianship. Almost all her actions are simply to watch over and keep her little bunny safe and to be there when he has stretched his legs enough and needs to rest in safety. The mother rabbit doesn’t snatch the little bunny/bird out of the air, she forms a tree in which he can safely perch and rest when he chooses to. It is the best of love that allows room to grow and the safety in which to do it.Small children will relate to this story and to the desire to run away, to be independent, but they will also relate to their desire to have a parent waiting for them in a place of safety, ready to offer rest and refreshment when their wandering ways carry them back home. They will also love and relate to the many adventures the little bunny envisions as he dreams of a future where he is free and grown, ready to wander where he will to conquer the world.I’m so glad I picked this up, because I admit I read through it after it showed up. (Quality control, you know, lol.) The retrospective was quite illuminating, as I had no idea about the history of the author, the artist, or the story. I may have to buy a copy of the edition for myself. I had picked this up after I got a shower invitation from my niece lately asking people to bring a book instead of a card along with their gift. I grabbed three of our old childhood standbys: Stellaluna 25th Anniversary Edition, Verdi, and The Runaway Bunny: A 75th Anniversary Retrospective. It’s so hard to choose so few out of so many of our favorite books, but she may be inundated with more books as her son gets older. ;) I also ordered a new favorite, A Boy and a House, but I’m not sure it will get here in time for her shower.Highly recommended; simply one of the sweetest picture books for children out there. The fascinating retrospective is a wonderful bonus.

I first heard of this book while watching the movie Wit. With Emma Thompson. It is a children's story, but it has a much deeper meaning. A beautiful parable of never ending, unconditional love.

I like that the pictures are as sweet and rich as the words. I used this book to give a children’s sermon once. It’s about love that is forever and no matter what. You can’t run away from this kind of love. This book is a treasure.

This is such a sweet book, made me cry the first time I read it. Great for mothers to read to their sons as a bedtime story. I’m a Christian so this reminded me of the love of Jesus, but it’s still applicable for mothers who want to communicate their love to their sons. 5/5!

My granddaughter loves this sweet book. We read it every night when she visits, at bedtime. She loves that the mother bunny always finds the baby bunny.

Got this for my Hubby. He told me he wasn’t read to as a child and didn’t know fairy tails and classic stories. Got him this one first to remind him that no matter how far away we are from each other that I’ll always follow him and he will never be alone. Got him Rapunzel later on. This book is thick and durable.

This is the sweetest book about how much a parent or loved one loves a lil one. It’s a must buy.

I really like Margaret Wise Brown books...one of my all time favorite children's books is Goodnight Moon of the same author. The first time I read Goodnight Moon, I wasn't sure how I felt, but after a couple of times through it with my daughter it quickly became our favorite book. Margaret's style just has a knack for speaking to children in a way they get.That said, I feel like Goodnight Moon is her best, and the rest can quite keep up. This is a great story, but there are a few things about the story I am not crazy about. My daughter does love it however, and we have read this 100 times at least. So don't get me wrong, it's a great book and the board book versions are best, she just left some big shoes to fill for herself after Goodnight Moon. I also really enjoy the Big Red Barn of the same author, moreso than this book.

12 years ago I sat beside a woman on an airplane who said she had been a children’s librarian for 40 yrs. My first niece was nearly a year old and I imagined all the story times we would share together as she got older, so I asked this lady to share with me the best children’s stories—Runaway Bunny what the first on the list. I buy it for almost every baby shower and I sob every time I read this story. A beautiful and timeless story. Many people here have written wonderful reviews about the story in detail that I do not feel I can add to. One thing we do every now and then is substitute God’s name everywhere it talks about the mother bunny because the way the mother bunny would run after, chase after, swim after, and fly after baby bunny is just what our Heavenly Father does for us. Love that this is the limited addition hardcover with additional details about the story and artist. I bought two, will buy more.

Baby loves it and I love going back to an old classic I use to read

The poem captivates the young minds with its narrative.

Um livro delicado e gostoso de ler

Bonito libro. La historia es muy bonita