Too Many Rabbits; Davide Calì, illustrated by Emanuele Benetti, translated by Angus Yuen-Killick

Rabbits provide the backdrop for maths practice as a discount deal leads to havoc in the home with rabbits running riot in a delightful picture book.

Siblings Owen and Zoey desperately want a pet rabbit and after a month of pleading dad has finally relented. When they arrive at the pet store they cannot believe their luck…two rabbits for the price of one. Everyone knows that the more rabbits you have the better life is. But before long the two rabbits make more rabbits, who in turn make more rabbits. There are rabbits everywhere, hop hop hopping their way through the day, chewing furniture and leaving little chocolate surprises all over the place. Overrun by bunnies the family need to find their pets new homes. But what do you do with two-hundred-and-ten rabbits…

​Anyone who knows anything about rabbits will know exactly why there are too many rabbits. The father in this instance is blissfully unaware of the trouble that awaits when he takes home a male and a female, much to the delight of his children. Mischief, fun and an enormous amount of rabbits will have readers happily hopping their way through the pages.

​Too Many Rabbits is quirky and entertaining, encouraging children to get involved in the fun with rabbits to spot and count throughout. Illustrated in black and white, fluorescent orange rabbits pop off of each page with numbers in oversized text guiding counting. Children will love adding up the rabbits and will giggle away at some of the places and silly situations that occur as rabbits are left in the toy department, the supermarket, the neighbour’s house, the bowling alley and on the tennis court. The quirky ending, where the pet store is offering another special, will leave readers smiling knowingly at what awaits the children should they take advantage of the supposed pet bargain.

Very much a cautionary tale of being careful what you wish for and will have parents thinking carefully at any requests to purchase rabbits. While plenty of fun is had by the family on their rabbit removal quest it would be pertinent to discuss with children the importance of only getting a pet if you can look after it properly. The light-hearted nature of the story does suggest that it is OK to abandon pets and this is never acceptable.

Riotous rabbit-based fun!

Recommended for 3+.

With huge thanks to NewSouth Books for the copy I received in exchange for an honest review.