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The Bunnies #1
Mr. and Mrs. Bunny — Detectives Extraordinaire!
In this hilarious chapter book mystery, meet a girl whose parents have been kidnapped by disreputable foxes, and a pair of detectives that also happen to be bunnies! When Madeline gets home from school one afternoon to discover that her parents have gone missing, she sets off to find them. So begins a once-in-a-lifetime adventure involving a cast of unforgettable characters. There's Mr. and Mrs. Bunny, who drive a smart car, wear fedoras, and hate marmots; the Marmot, who loves garlic bread and is a brilliant translator; and many others. Translated from the Rabbit by Newbery Honor-winning author Polly Horvath, and beautifully illustrated by Caldecott Medal winner Sophie Blackall, here is a book that kids will both laugh over and love.
248 pages, Hardcover
First published February 14, 2012
81 people are currently reading
1419 people want to read
About the author
Polly Horvath
45 books300 followersPolly Horvath is the author of many books for young people, including Everything on a Waffle, The Pepins and Their Problems, The Canning Season and The Trolls. Her numerous awards include the Newbery Honor, the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor, the Vicky Metcalf Award for Children's Literature, the Mr. Christie Award, the international White Raven, and the Young Adult Canadian Book of the Year. Horvath grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She attended the Canadian College of Dance in Toronto and the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance in New York City. She has taught ballet, waitressed, done temporary typing, and tended babies, but while doing these things she has always also written. Now that her children are in school, she spends the whole day writing, unless she sneaks out to buy groceries, lured away from her desk by the thought of fresh Cheez Whiz. She lives on Vancouver Island with her husband and two daughters.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/pollyh...
http://us.macmillan.com/author/pollyh...
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March 27, 2012
Ursula K. Le Guin recently wrote an excellent post about literary awards. The whole thing is thoughtful and thought-provoking, but this passage in particular caught my eye:
"I wish we gave literary prizes freely, the way they used to give prizes at the Pet Show at Codornices Park in Berkeley when I was a kid. Every kid in the neighborhood brought their pet, and every pet got a prize, an ad hoc, unique prize: for Soulfulness — for Loud Meowing — for Unusual Spot Placement — for Being the Only Skink…. There was no Best of Breed (in those days there were many mongrels and few breeds), and certainly no Best of Show."
I very much doubt that Mr. and Mrs. Bunny is going to win the Newbery Medal (though I could be wrong - I used to think there was an upper limit for Newbery weirdness, but then a little book about funeral homes, Hell's Angels, and homicidal octogenarians made the cut). If there were a literary equivalent of Being the Only Skink, though, Polly Horvath would have it in the bag.
And that gets at the heart of my ambivalence about literary awards. I disagree with Le Guin when she says that in "declaring a book as `the best,' a literary award serves that book. It does not serve literature." When Frederic Melcher and the Children's Librarians' Section created the Newbery award, their explicit intent was "to encourage original creative work in the field of books for children." To that end, I think it has met its goal. It has encouraged excellence in writing (and publishing) for children by rewarding excellence in writing for children (with prestige and increased sales).
In that sense, maybe literary awards are most effective within ghettoized genres. If no one believes there's such a thing as aesthetic greatness within children's literature (or science fiction, or romance), the establishment of an award can create a change in perception on the part of both publishers and readers.
On the other hand, this is the age of shrinking shelf space and vanishing bookstores. Awards encourage publishers to give riskier titles a chance in the first place, but if they don't garner the Big One, how long do the books stay in print? There will always be a place on the library's shelves for Polly Horvath, but she'll be in and out of Barnes & Noble in the space of a month, if they ever stock her at all. I guess we'd better hold on to our libraries and our children's librarians: loyal defenders of Only Skinks and other oddities.
But I digress. A lot.
Mr. and Mrs. Bunny is really freaking weird, even for Polly Horvath. The fact that she is listed, on the cover, as having translated the book "from the Rabbit" should tip you off. The plot, such as it is, concerns a sensible little girl whose hippie parents have been kidnapped by some evil foxes (who also own Fox Entertainment, naturally). She enlists the help of Mr. and Mrs. Bunny, who have very recently taken up detective work, mostly as an excuse to wear fedoras.
I described Polly Horvath to Sam as "Daniel Pinkwater meets Kate DiCamillo," but this one obviously has a pinch of Beatrix Potter, and possibly Kenneth Grahame, thrown in. It's hilarious, surreal, and good-natured (with a touch of bite). I will also note that it's so, so nice to see a woman writing unabashedly in the darkly humorous vein. We need more of that.
Sophie Blackall's illustrations complement the text perfectly. They make me want to buy an illustration from her etsy shop. I do worry, though, that the cute bunnies on the cover will put off the weird little boys who will otherwise love this book. Skink defenders, do your work!
"I wish we gave literary prizes freely, the way they used to give prizes at the Pet Show at Codornices Park in Berkeley when I was a kid. Every kid in the neighborhood brought their pet, and every pet got a prize, an ad hoc, unique prize: for Soulfulness — for Loud Meowing — for Unusual Spot Placement — for Being the Only Skink…. There was no Best of Breed (in those days there were many mongrels and few breeds), and certainly no Best of Show."
I very much doubt that Mr. and Mrs. Bunny is going to win the Newbery Medal (though I could be wrong - I used to think there was an upper limit for Newbery weirdness, but then a little book about funeral homes, Hell's Angels, and homicidal octogenarians made the cut). If there were a literary equivalent of Being the Only Skink, though, Polly Horvath would have it in the bag.
And that gets at the heart of my ambivalence about literary awards. I disagree with Le Guin when she says that in "declaring a book as `the best,' a literary award serves that book. It does not serve literature." When Frederic Melcher and the Children's Librarians' Section created the Newbery award, their explicit intent was "to encourage original creative work in the field of books for children." To that end, I think it has met its goal. It has encouraged excellence in writing (and publishing) for children by rewarding excellence in writing for children (with prestige and increased sales).
In that sense, maybe literary awards are most effective within ghettoized genres. If no one believes there's such a thing as aesthetic greatness within children's literature (or science fiction, or romance), the establishment of an award can create a change in perception on the part of both publishers and readers.
On the other hand, this is the age of shrinking shelf space and vanishing bookstores. Awards encourage publishers to give riskier titles a chance in the first place, but if they don't garner the Big One, how long do the books stay in print? There will always be a place on the library's shelves for Polly Horvath, but she'll be in and out of Barnes & Noble in the space of a month, if they ever stock her at all. I guess we'd better hold on to our libraries and our children's librarians: loyal defenders of Only Skinks and other oddities.
But I digress. A lot.
Mr. and Mrs. Bunny is really freaking weird, even for Polly Horvath. The fact that she is listed, on the cover, as having translated the book "from the Rabbit" should tip you off. The plot, such as it is, concerns a sensible little girl whose hippie parents have been kidnapped by some evil foxes (who also own Fox Entertainment, naturally). She enlists the help of Mr. and Mrs. Bunny, who have very recently taken up detective work, mostly as an excuse to wear fedoras.
I described Polly Horvath to Sam as "Daniel Pinkwater meets Kate DiCamillo," but this one obviously has a pinch of Beatrix Potter, and possibly Kenneth Grahame, thrown in. It's hilarious, surreal, and good-natured (with a touch of bite). I will also note that it's so, so nice to see a woman writing unabashedly in the darkly humorous vein. We need more of that.
Sophie Blackall's illustrations complement the text perfectly. They make me want to buy an illustration from her etsy shop. I do worry, though, that the cute bunnies on the cover will put off the weird little boys who will otherwise love this book. Skink defenders, do your work!
February 7, 2018
This was HILARIOUS. Mr. and Mrs. Bunny, empty nesters now that their twelve children have moved out and are having bunnies of their own, decide to turn detective. Their first case? The case of the missing parents! Madeline, a human girl who can understand bunny language, is beside herself when her parents are kidnapped. Can the bunnies help? SHOULD the bunnies help? After all, Madeline's parents are useless hippies and it might be better for the bunnies to keep Madeline as a pet.
As charming as it is hilarious, sweet without being twee, this book was just a delight from start to finish! My children and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
As charming as it is hilarious, sweet without being twee, this book was just a delight from start to finish! My children and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
September 14, 2012
I picked this one up for a couple of reasons. I enjoyed Everything on a Waffle and My One Hundred Adventures by the same author. Also, the cover drew me in with its ridiculous title, its equally ridiculous illustration of two oh-so-serious detective rabbits, and its claim that the book was translated from the rabbit by Polly Horvath.
And even though I laughed through the whole thing, I don’t think kids are going to find it nearly as funny as I did. The kids who pick up a bunny chapter book are not the same age as the kids who are amused by sarcastic, quirky, read-with-a-dictionary-next-to-you wit. Oh, and most kids would absolutely have to read this with a dictionary (or an iPhone, presumably). And speaking of quirk, the eccentricity factor was just a little too high for me; it made some of the humor seem contrived rather than native to the plot. (Please refer to the character of Uncle Runyon for a case study in pointless quirk.) The selfish, brainless hippie parents made me laugh; kids won’t get it. The husband-wife dynamics between Mr. and Mrs. Bunny made me laugh; kids won’t get it. The foreign-language antics of the head of the foxes made me laugh; kids…won’t get it.
I’m a proponent of refusing to underestimate kids’ ability to “get” stuff. But if a kid has no experience of a particular social dynamic or bit of history (and if the book makes references without explaining), he has no context to understand the humor.
You know who kids will like in this book? Mrs. Treaclebunny, the mooching neighbor. If you’ve read it, you’ll know.
Don’t get me wrong – this is a very enjoyable read…for a grown-up. But grown-ups probably won’t be reading it.
And even though I laughed through the whole thing, I don’t think kids are going to find it nearly as funny as I did. The kids who pick up a bunny chapter book are not the same age as the kids who are amused by sarcastic, quirky, read-with-a-dictionary-next-to-you wit. Oh, and most kids would absolutely have to read this with a dictionary (or an iPhone, presumably). And speaking of quirk, the eccentricity factor was just a little too high for me; it made some of the humor seem contrived rather than native to the plot. (Please refer to the character of Uncle Runyon for a case study in pointless quirk.) The selfish, brainless hippie parents made me laugh; kids won’t get it. The husband-wife dynamics between Mr. and Mrs. Bunny made me laugh; kids won’t get it. The foreign-language antics of the head of the foxes made me laugh; kids…won’t get it.
I’m a proponent of refusing to underestimate kids’ ability to “get” stuff. But if a kid has no experience of a particular social dynamic or bit of history (and if the book makes references without explaining), he has no context to understand the humor.
You know who kids will like in this book? Mrs. Treaclebunny, the mooching neighbor. If you’ve read it, you’ll know.
Don’t get me wrong – this is a very enjoyable read…for a grown-up. But grown-ups probably won’t be reading it.
October 27, 2019
When Madeline's parents are kidnapped by nefarious foxes, the young girl, used to taking care of the feckless pair, sets out to rescue them. Appealing first to her Uncle Runyon, one of the top decoders in Canada, and the reason for Flo and Mildred's captivity (the foxes being determined to exchange them for Runyon's services in decoding some recipe cards), Madeline discovers once again that grownups are of little use. It is only when she encounters Mr. and Mrs. Bunny, a leporine couple who have recently taken up detecting, that she finds adults who want to help her, and who can be depended upon. But what can one girl and two bunnies do, against the evil machinations of a crew of foxes...?
An immensely entertaining read, Mr. and Mrs. Bunny - Detectives Extraordinaire! had me in stitches on more than one occasion, and only grew more amusing as the story progressed, and I became more familiar with the cast of characters. The eponymous Mr. and Mrs. Bunny are an endearing pair, and their loving quarrels make for any number of charming scenes. Although quite a bit of suspension-of-disbelief is required here, when it comes to the animal societies existing alongside the human one, apparently unnoticed, I ended up really enjoying the parallel structure, and the commentary this afforded on human relationships. The Bunnys' feelings about Madeline's parents, for instance, their outrage that this young girl must protect them rather than the other way around, and their desire to care for her themselves, was quite poignant in light of Flo and Mildred's indifference to so many of her needs. Recommended to young readers who enjoy animal fiction and/or mysteries. As for myself, I am delighted that there is a sequel, Lord and Lady Bunny--Almost Royalty! , which I plan to begin immediately.
An immensely entertaining read, Mr. and Mrs. Bunny - Detectives Extraordinaire! had me in stitches on more than one occasion, and only grew more amusing as the story progressed, and I became more familiar with the cast of characters. The eponymous Mr. and Mrs. Bunny are an endearing pair, and their loving quarrels make for any number of charming scenes. Although quite a bit of suspension-of-disbelief is required here, when it comes to the animal societies existing alongside the human one, apparently unnoticed, I ended up really enjoying the parallel structure, and the commentary this afforded on human relationships. The Bunnys' feelings about Madeline's parents, for instance, their outrage that this young girl must protect them rather than the other way around, and their desire to care for her themselves, was quite poignant in light of Flo and Mildred's indifference to so many of her needs. Recommended to young readers who enjoy animal fiction and/or mysteries. As for myself, I am delighted that there is a sequel, Lord and Lady Bunny--Almost Royalty! , which I plan to begin immediately.
September 19, 2025
I had high hopes for this book, but was disappointed.
The premise is cute: a young girl's parents are kidnapped by foxes, and she enlists the help of bunny detectives to find them.
There are some laugh-out-loud moments in this book, which is the only reason it gets two stars from me instead of just one. I read this to my nieces (ages 7 and 9) and they said it was "hilarious."
The biggest problem for me was that Horvath didn't seem to know which age group she was writing for. The illustrations are whimsical and appeal to younger children. The plot appeals to younger children. Yet, there are a ton of references that may be over the heads of even some middle schoolers, let alone younger kids. For example, Mr. Bunny goes off on a long tangent about why he doesn't like tipping waiters because their employers should be paying their wages; there's also talk about organically-sourced food and veganism (the girl's parents are hippies), why Prince Charles serves, even though he didn't ask for the honor, and many more instances that I simply can't remember right now. All of these things were clearly an attempt at cleverness and humor, but they fell flat and had absolutely zero to do with the plot. I got very frustrated with them.
On top of that, there was language used that I don't like seeing in children's books: crap, stupid, idiot, heck, shut up, God's name used in vain, and there was even talk of murder and "bodies buried in the basement." None of this is necessary in a children's book! I had to edit it on the fly while reading to my nieces.
I would not recommend this book to anyone.
The premise is cute: a young girl's parents are kidnapped by foxes, and she enlists the help of bunny detectives to find them.
There are some laugh-out-loud moments in this book, which is the only reason it gets two stars from me instead of just one. I read this to my nieces (ages 7 and 9) and they said it was "hilarious."
The biggest problem for me was that Horvath didn't seem to know which age group she was writing for. The illustrations are whimsical and appeal to younger children. The plot appeals to younger children. Yet, there are a ton of references that may be over the heads of even some middle schoolers, let alone younger kids. For example, Mr. Bunny goes off on a long tangent about why he doesn't like tipping waiters because their employers should be paying their wages; there's also talk about organically-sourced food and veganism (the girl's parents are hippies), why Prince Charles serves, even though he didn't ask for the honor, and many more instances that I simply can't remember right now. All of these things were clearly an attempt at cleverness and humor, but they fell flat and had absolutely zero to do with the plot. I got very frustrated with them.
On top of that, there was language used that I don't like seeing in children's books: crap, stupid, idiot, heck, shut up, God's name used in vain, and there was even talk of murder and "bodies buried in the basement." None of this is necessary in a children's book! I had to edit it on the fly while reading to my nieces.
I would not recommend this book to anyone.
July 28, 2024
Marlene hat - mit Verlaub - etwas verhuschte Hippieeltern.
Diese werden nun unpassenderweise entführt und Marlene kümmert sich darum. So wie sie sich immer um ihre Eltern in lebenspraktischen Dingen eben kümmert.
Das Buch ist schlichtweg entzückend. Mit einem liebevollen Blick auf die kleinen Eigenheiten der Protaginist:innen. Hasen, Füchse, Murmeltiere, beweistückverbrennende Butler, hier ist alles dabei..
Dieser zarte, geruhsame Kinderkrimi ist voller Herzenswärme, famoser Lösungsideen und !!Witz und Esprit.
Große Empfehlung :)
✨🐰🦊🍕🔍🥕👑✨
Diese werden nun unpassenderweise entführt und Marlene kümmert sich darum. So wie sie sich immer um ihre Eltern in lebenspraktischen Dingen eben kümmert.
Das Buch ist schlichtweg entzückend. Mit einem liebevollen Blick auf die kleinen Eigenheiten der Protaginist:innen. Hasen, Füchse, Murmeltiere, beweistückverbrennende Butler, hier ist alles dabei..
Dieser zarte, geruhsame Kinderkrimi ist voller Herzenswärme, famoser Lösungsideen und !!Witz und Esprit.
Große Empfehlung :)
✨🐰🦊🍕🔍🥕👑✨
April 27, 2013
Think farce. Think Marshall's The Stupids. Think a book that blows you out of the water for how silly and fun and full of the fun of language a book can be. I KNOW a lot of my colleagues will say this book is just too much, but I loved it! I listened to this as an audiobook but I think I would have enjoyed the book even more. The girl Madeline has parents who are the stereotype of Hippy/Dead Head parents. I laughed the entire time that they were introduced. I kept wondering what age kids would enjoy how many idioms and figures of speech peppered this book. And, I kept wondering if any third or fourth grade teacher would have the courage to use this as a classroom readaloud. I think the kids would love it and the teacher could get a lot of mileage out of talking about all the idioms. I mean, there is at least one every other sentence! Horvath always was good at using more advanced vocabulary in her books, but she has outdone herself here! And, if you, like I, were hesitant to read a chapter book with "Mr. and Mrs. Bunny" in the title, rest assured, this is not in the "bunny" genre!
June 1, 2024
Hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Die Geschichte ist ungefährlich und gespickt mit witzigen Einfällen 🕵🏽🐇🌝
June 6, 2018
A clever book aimed at middle grades. Mr. and Mrs. Bunny bumble their way through solving a crime for young Madeline. Madeline’s parents were taken by foxes and she needs to locate them before it is too late.
The detectives are not always practical in their efforts, but they are sincere. This is silly and surreal and I enjoyed the journey. A fun and smart read.
The detectives are not always practical in their efforts, but they are sincere. This is silly and surreal and I enjoyed the journey. A fun and smart read.
August 29, 2011
The bulk of my reading is middle grade, YA, and adult, but getting the galleys for Polly Horvath's Mr. and Mrs Bunny--Detectives Extraordinaire! made my week, and I'm not even exaggerating. I haven't howled through a book this way since David Sedaris's Naked. And to think it was a chapter book that left me gasping! Mr. and Mrs. Bunny is targeting two completely different demographics, I suspect: seven- to ten-year-olds, and the adults reading to them. The book is due out February 2012, but you can pre-order it now from Amazon. Do it now so you don't forget.
The under-ten crowd might miss the satire (New Age parents and chain restaurants come in for a lot of goosing; and couples will recognize themselves in the happily married, if long-suffering, Bunnies). But the non-stop silliness is equal opportunity fun. Madeline's parents have been kidnapped by foxes running a rabbit by-products factory; she hires Mr. and Mrs. Bunny to track them down. Half the joke is that Mr. and Mrs. Bunny--who wear fedoras and drive a Smart car--are kindly but incompetent. When a very stupid marmot (named The Marmot) is added to the mix the tangles increase exponentially.
The Marmot Question
Just how stupid is that marmot? Well, for starters, he uses a card printed with a precious secret code to wipe his bottom, then flushes it down the toilet. Horvath knows how to take a good joke and keep drawing it out. The Marmot asks Madeline to call him "The," his first name, but Madeline finds this impossibly confusing. "Listen," she says, "can I call you something else? Don't you have a nickname?"
"My Mother sometimes called me her Special Precious," said The Marmot.
"I don't think I could do that," said Madeline, shuddering.
"Look, just let her call you Mr. Marmot," said Mr. Bunny.
"How about Poindexter?" said the Marmot.
"Why Poindexter?" asked Madeline.
"Please do not ask him questions. Please. We'll be here all night. When it comes to marmots, give orders," said Mr. Bunny.
The problem of what to call The Marmot goes on for pages, getting progressively crazier. All the while Madeline's annoying parents, who have brains the size of mung beans, are having an insane conversation of their own with a fox called Grand Poobah. They're tied up back to back in the by-products factory, and Madeline's dad believes--wrongly--that he's getting the hang of speaking fox. Zakszokeyid! Little do they know the foxes are planning to have finger food for dinner that night. Can you guess what the main ingredient is?
The illustrations by Sophie Blackall are charming.Among her twelve previous kids books, Horvath has picked up a National Book Award and a Newberry Honor; I can see why. I plan to go back and read them all.
The under-ten crowd might miss the satire (New Age parents and chain restaurants come in for a lot of goosing; and couples will recognize themselves in the happily married, if long-suffering, Bunnies). But the non-stop silliness is equal opportunity fun. Madeline's parents have been kidnapped by foxes running a rabbit by-products factory; she hires Mr. and Mrs. Bunny to track them down. Half the joke is that Mr. and Mrs. Bunny--who wear fedoras and drive a Smart car--are kindly but incompetent. When a very stupid marmot (named The Marmot) is added to the mix the tangles increase exponentially.
The Marmot Question
Just how stupid is that marmot? Well, for starters, he uses a card printed with a precious secret code to wipe his bottom, then flushes it down the toilet. Horvath knows how to take a good joke and keep drawing it out. The Marmot asks Madeline to call him "The," his first name, but Madeline finds this impossibly confusing. "Listen," she says, "can I call you something else? Don't you have a nickname?"
"My Mother sometimes called me her Special Precious," said The Marmot.
"I don't think I could do that," said Madeline, shuddering.
"Look, just let her call you Mr. Marmot," said Mr. Bunny.
"How about Poindexter?" said the Marmot.
"Why Poindexter?" asked Madeline.
"Please do not ask him questions. Please. We'll be here all night. When it comes to marmots, give orders," said Mr. Bunny.
The problem of what to call The Marmot goes on for pages, getting progressively crazier. All the while Madeline's annoying parents, who have brains the size of mung beans, are having an insane conversation of their own with a fox called Grand Poobah. They're tied up back to back in the by-products factory, and Madeline's dad believes--wrongly--that he's getting the hang of speaking fox. Zakszokeyid! Little do they know the foxes are planning to have finger food for dinner that night. Can you guess what the main ingredient is?
The illustrations by Sophie Blackall are charming.Among her twelve previous kids books, Horvath has picked up a National Book Award and a Newberry Honor; I can see why. I plan to go back and read them all.
March 19, 2012
I had really high expectations for Mr. and Mrs. Bunny—Detectives Extraordinaire!, because it sounded so cute and charming, and plus, it was about bunnies, which are my favorite animals ever! When I started reading it, I really liked it, especially the human character, Madeline. However, the silly and cutesy parts of the story really started to wear on me. I'd say it ventures on parody, with bunny versions of Jane Austen and The Old Spaghetti Factory. After a while you start to wonder how many names you can stick Bunny into.
The story is about a girl named Madeline who lives on a small island in British Columbia with her hippie parents. Although most of the children on the island are home-schooled, she takes a two hour trip to Vancouver to attend school, where she hasn't made any friends, due to her scavenged clothes and general other-ness. When she learns that Prince Charles will be visiting her elementary school graduation, she desperately wants to go, but learns that she needs white shoes for a special performance, something she knows her parents will never pay for. But one week before graduation, her parents get kidnapped by foxes looking for information on where to find her uncle, Canada's top decoder. Madeline inadvertently enlists Mr. and Mrs. Bunny, amateur detectives, to help her find her parents, with varying results.
The slightly madcap tone and humor, mixed with the charming illustrations and old-fashioned (albeit with Glade PlugIns references) sounding narrative reminds me a bit of The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy. Maybe I wasn't in the right mindset when I read it. In any case, I feel that there are better animal stories or funny tales to recommend to kids.
Grades 3-5
The story is about a girl named Madeline who lives on a small island in British Columbia with her hippie parents. Although most of the children on the island are home-schooled, she takes a two hour trip to Vancouver to attend school, where she hasn't made any friends, due to her scavenged clothes and general other-ness. When she learns that Prince Charles will be visiting her elementary school graduation, she desperately wants to go, but learns that she needs white shoes for a special performance, something she knows her parents will never pay for. But one week before graduation, her parents get kidnapped by foxes looking for information on where to find her uncle, Canada's top decoder. Madeline inadvertently enlists Mr. and Mrs. Bunny, amateur detectives, to help her find her parents, with varying results.
The slightly madcap tone and humor, mixed with the charming illustrations and old-fashioned (albeit with Glade PlugIns references) sounding narrative reminds me a bit of The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy. Maybe I wasn't in the right mindset when I read it. In any case, I feel that there are better animal stories or funny tales to recommend to kids.
Grades 3-5
February 17, 2015
This was fun and silly, although I went back and forth with how much I liked it while I was reading it. I sometimes got tired of the silliness and wanted it to end sooner, but I always wanted to finish and find out what happened. I mostly liked Mr. and Mrs. Bunny and Madeline, but not too many of the other characters. There were several quotes that I really liked, some of which made me laugh out loud.
I find now that I've finished that I would be willing to read another Mr. and Mrs. Bunny book sometime, which surprises me. So this is one of those rare books that I look back on with more enjoyment than I had while I was reading. If you are looking for a fun and quite silly book where rabbits and foxes and marmots can talk and be detectives and write books and enjoy garlic bread, this might be the book for you.
(This is a nominee for Arizona's 2015 Grand Canyon Reader Award.)
I find now that I've finished that I would be willing to read another Mr. and Mrs. Bunny book sometime, which surprises me. So this is one of those rare books that I look back on with more enjoyment than I had while I was reading. If you are looking for a fun and quite silly book where rabbits and foxes and marmots can talk and be detectives and write books and enjoy garlic bread, this might be the book for you.
(This is a nominee for Arizona's 2015 Grand Canyon Reader Award.)
Read
October 27, 2018I assumed this book would be a bit silly but fun, like a more lighthearted Beatrix Potter. Instead, I found it beyond frustrating, mostly because of the kind of humor it utilized. There were so many times that Mr. Bunny yelled about Madeline's ENORMOUS BOTTOM.
Butts are funny, I'm not denying that but how about children's books refrain from using the size of a girl's butt as the punchline of a not very original joke. Like, seriously. I'm so fucking sick of the insidious ways the shaming women and girls for how they look or their size just oozes into literally everything.
Beyond that, I found Madeline's parents impossible. They were such annoying hippie caricatures and I'm just not in the mood for the liberal-parents-don't-know-how-to-parent-bullshit, intentional or not.
I wouldn't recommend this for parents or kids. Pick up some Beatrix Potter instead.
Butts are funny, I'm not denying that but how about children's books refrain from using the size of a girl's butt as the punchline of a not very original joke. Like, seriously. I'm so fucking sick of the insidious ways the shaming women and girls for how they look or their size just oozes into literally everything.
Beyond that, I found Madeline's parents impossible. They were such annoying hippie caricatures and I'm just not in the mood for the liberal-parents-don't-know-how-to-parent-bullshit, intentional or not.
I wouldn't recommend this for parents or kids. Pick up some Beatrix Potter instead.
June 20, 2020
As much as I wish I could say something nice about this book beyond the lovely illustrations by Sophie Blackall, in the end, I found it tacky, overly obsessed with its own cleverness, and, frankly, insulting. This isn't a book in the vein of The Rescuers or Stuart Little. It's a book that is too self-absorbed to realize that its contempt for its characters, its valorization of abusive tropes, and its incessant tangents and desperation to seem clever makes it memorable for the wrong reasons. It's not a book for kids. It's a training manual for conservative rabbits. And there's a bloody sequel...
Full review at https://medium.com/@shaunduke/how-to-...
Full review at https://medium.com/@shaunduke/how-to-...
October 8, 2019
The summer solstice has arrived and the residents of Hornby Island are preparing for the festival of Luminara. While Madeline’s parents are busy making luminaries, she is getting ready for her school’s awards ceremony where Prince Charles himself will be handing out the awards (Madeline is getting three!). All is pretty much as it should be until Madeline returns home that night to find a mysterious note on her door stating that her parents have been taken in for questioning. It was signed by “The Enemy” and even included a “mwa-haha”, which is NEVER a good sign. With her decoder uncle in a sudden and rather inconvenient coma, Madeline is alone and truly in over her head. She seeks help from Mr. and Mrs. Bunny—Detectives Extraordinaire and although these two don’t seem to know what they’re doing, they DO have rather smart-looking fedoras and that has to count for something. So, with Mr. and Mrs. Bunny on the case, this game is officially afoot!
Although Polly Horvath merely translated this story from Mrs. Bunny’s personal account, she still delivers a funny, quirky, and lighthearted romp that will delight and entertain young readers who enjoy a good mystery. Filled with fiendish foxes, garlic-bread-eating marmots, exploding chapeaus, and high-speed chases, "Mr. and Mrs. Bunny—Detectives Extraordinaire" is an action-packed thrill ride where faith is blind, reason is deaf, and hope springs eternal.
Despite its whimsy and charm, Horvath does give readers a few poignant lessons that hopefully won’t get lost amongst all the fur, fluff, and fun. Through Madeline, we see a girl caught between two worlds: the happy hippies of Hornby and the more mainstream children at her school on Vancouver Island. Her classmates have already formed an opinion of her based solely on where she lives and nothing Madeline does can alter that prejudice: “[Madeline] didn’t know how to make the other children like her, and she felt she constantly had to defend herself from unspoken accusations about a way of life she hadn’t chosen to begin with.” Pretty weighty stuff, but this is why Polly Horvath is one of my favorite children’s authors. She never writes down to her audience and presents real-life problems in a way that young readers can easily relate to and connect with. She also shows us that family is what you make it for the Bunnys, not all that familiar with humans or children, manage to see and appreciate something in Madeline that her own parents have chosen to either overlook or ignore and end up loving her as their own. Lastly, she shows us the absolute wonder of simply being noticed and appreciated (see previous comment about Madeline’s parents). Madeline has the unique gift to understand and communicate with animals. When she mentions this to Prince Charles, he replies, “I’ve often heard animals speak. Plants too. It’s all a matter of noticing, isn’t it? The richness of our lives depends on what we are willing to notice and what we are willing to believe.” In this world of clatter and clutter and non-stop input, it’s hard to just stop and notice the beauty that surrounds us every day. It’s quiet and subtle and often goes unnoticed. But lucky for us, we have a ten-year-old girl, two clever bunnies (with rather smart-looking fedoras), and the heir apparent to the British throne to remind us that it’s there and it’s well worth the effort.
Although Polly Horvath merely translated this story from Mrs. Bunny’s personal account, she still delivers a funny, quirky, and lighthearted romp that will delight and entertain young readers who enjoy a good mystery. Filled with fiendish foxes, garlic-bread-eating marmots, exploding chapeaus, and high-speed chases, "Mr. and Mrs. Bunny—Detectives Extraordinaire" is an action-packed thrill ride where faith is blind, reason is deaf, and hope springs eternal.
Despite its whimsy and charm, Horvath does give readers a few poignant lessons that hopefully won’t get lost amongst all the fur, fluff, and fun. Through Madeline, we see a girl caught between two worlds: the happy hippies of Hornby and the more mainstream children at her school on Vancouver Island. Her classmates have already formed an opinion of her based solely on where she lives and nothing Madeline does can alter that prejudice: “[Madeline] didn’t know how to make the other children like her, and she felt she constantly had to defend herself from unspoken accusations about a way of life she hadn’t chosen to begin with.” Pretty weighty stuff, but this is why Polly Horvath is one of my favorite children’s authors. She never writes down to her audience and presents real-life problems in a way that young readers can easily relate to and connect with. She also shows us that family is what you make it for the Bunnys, not all that familiar with humans or children, manage to see and appreciate something in Madeline that her own parents have chosen to either overlook or ignore and end up loving her as their own. Lastly, she shows us the absolute wonder of simply being noticed and appreciated (see previous comment about Madeline’s parents). Madeline has the unique gift to understand and communicate with animals. When she mentions this to Prince Charles, he replies, “I’ve often heard animals speak. Plants too. It’s all a matter of noticing, isn’t it? The richness of our lives depends on what we are willing to notice and what we are willing to believe.” In this world of clatter and clutter and non-stop input, it’s hard to just stop and notice the beauty that surrounds us every day. It’s quiet and subtle and often goes unnoticed. But lucky for us, we have a ten-year-old girl, two clever bunnies (with rather smart-looking fedoras), and the heir apparent to the British throne to remind us that it’s there and it’s well worth the effort.
March 16, 2021
First of all, Goodreads gives credit to Polly Horvath for writing this book, although the book jacket plainly states that it is by Mrs. Bunny and Polly Horvath translated it from the Rabbit. Just thought we should get that straight at the start. Madeline is clearly the adult in her household; her parents are old hippies who let her do the practical things in life, like change the lightbulbs. When the evil foxes kidnap the parents because they want to know where Uncle Runyon lives, Madeline goes in search of them. Uncle Runyon is in a coma, but Madeline meets Mr. and Mrs. Bunny, who've decided to become detectives (fedoras are so becoming!). And who better than a bunny to know how to avoid a fox? Mrs. Bunny would like to adopt Madeline to fill her empty nest, but Madeline is determined to find her parents.
xx-dnf-skim-reference
January 20, 2023Got to the end of the chapter after p. 50 feeling very meh. Now see other reviews that say meh. The highest praises are about the humor, mostly, which I'm not feeling.
January 2023
January 2023
March 24, 2025
This was my favorite book as a child and it does not disappoint it’s so funny
February 16, 2012
Mr. and Mrs. Bunny-Detectives Extraordinaire! by Polly Horvath is a children's chapter book with much more to it than I expected from the cover. There are two story lines in the beginning, that intersect and continue in unexpected ways. Madeline is a responsible young girl being raised by two free spirited parents, in an equally free spirited town. One night Madeline comes home from work to discover her parents have been kidnapped. Mr. and Mrs. Bunny are moving to a new home, that has been vacated under mysterious circumstances. To alleviate boredom Mrs. Bunny has decided they should become detectives, which turns out to be a good choice when they meet Madeline, who has sought help from her uncle. As the story continues, it gets funnier and more interesting with quirky characters and beautiful illustrations from Sophie Blackall.
Mr. and Mrs. Bunny-Detectives Extraordinaire is a hilarious mystery full of expected characters like detective bunnies, disreputable foxes, and a garlic loving marmot. I liked the fact that Madeline was smart and self reliant, and thought it was even better that the bunny couple wanted to take care of her. She is a practical girl that seems to be raising her parents. The entire island she lives on seems to look at her as the strange one, because she is responsible. The bunny community is equally odd. The kidnapping and the search for Madeline's parents draws in a slew of eccentric characters, like the brilliant code breaking but odd uncle, scatterbrained marmot, hat loving bunnies, and a nuisance of a neighbor. The bunny couple is well-meaning and many parents might see some aspects of their own relationships in the bunny interactions. The entire effect is fun and highly entertaining.
I recommend Mr. and Mrs. Bunny-Detectives Extraordinaire! For seven to twelve year-old’s, and the adults that might read to or with them. Teachers, parents, and anyone that enjoys children's literature will also enjoy this book. There is something fun and entertaining for both distinct levels of readers, and I am looking forward to further exploring the work of Polly Horvath and Sophie Blackall.
Mr. and Mrs. Bunny-Detectives Extraordinaire is a hilarious mystery full of expected characters like detective bunnies, disreputable foxes, and a garlic loving marmot. I liked the fact that Madeline was smart and self reliant, and thought it was even better that the bunny couple wanted to take care of her. She is a practical girl that seems to be raising her parents. The entire island she lives on seems to look at her as the strange one, because she is responsible. The bunny community is equally odd. The kidnapping and the search for Madeline's parents draws in a slew of eccentric characters, like the brilliant code breaking but odd uncle, scatterbrained marmot, hat loving bunnies, and a nuisance of a neighbor. The bunny couple is well-meaning and many parents might see some aspects of their own relationships in the bunny interactions. The entire effect is fun and highly entertaining.
I recommend Mr. and Mrs. Bunny-Detectives Extraordinaire! For seven to twelve year-old’s, and the adults that might read to or with them. Teachers, parents, and anyone that enjoys children's literature will also enjoy this book. There is something fun and entertaining for both distinct levels of readers, and I am looking forward to further exploring the work of Polly Horvath and Sophie Blackall.
January 9, 2025
This is a very strange tale, filled with anthropomorphic animals who interact with a family of humans. It's the first book in The Bunnies series by Polly Horvath (and Mrs. Bunny, of course).
The narrative is humorous, but in the very oddest way, and as we read the tale, I can't tell if I'm amused or confused.
The dialogue is at times snarky, witty, and downright bizarre. But as long as you can keep up with rubber-lined hat-wearing bunnies parading for Prince Charles and a marmot who fixates on garlic bread from The Olde Spaghetti Factory, then you won't have any problems.
We took our time reading this book, usually reading only a chapter at any time. I'm not sure if I could've handled more.
interesting quotes:
"'We read a lot of books. Children's books mostly, because they're always much more truthful than adult books. And much more entertaining,' said Mrs. Bunny.” (p. 75)
"The prospect of thirty-seven hills was not a welcome one at the moment, but as she started walking, Madeline discovered that there was a certain point in fatigue where it was possible to keep moving one foot after another with little thought to what came next." (p. 76)
"'I didn't know you could Google marmots,' said Madeline.
'You can Google anything, dear,' said Mrs. Bunny patronizingly." (p. 115)
"On the one hand, they were very sweet and responsible adults. On the other hand, they were rabbits." (p. 140)
"The richness of our lives depends on what we are willing to notice and what we are willing to believe." (p. 243)
The narrative is humorous, but in the very oddest way, and as we read the tale, I can't tell if I'm amused or confused.
The dialogue is at times snarky, witty, and downright bizarre. But as long as you can keep up with rubber-lined hat-wearing bunnies parading for Prince Charles and a marmot who fixates on garlic bread from The Olde Spaghetti Factory, then you won't have any problems.
We took our time reading this book, usually reading only a chapter at any time. I'm not sure if I could've handled more.
interesting quotes:
"'We read a lot of books. Children's books mostly, because they're always much more truthful than adult books. And much more entertaining,' said Mrs. Bunny.” (p. 75)
"The prospect of thirty-seven hills was not a welcome one at the moment, but as she started walking, Madeline discovered that there was a certain point in fatigue where it was possible to keep moving one foot after another with little thought to what came next." (p. 76)
"'I didn't know you could Google marmots,' said Madeline.
'You can Google anything, dear,' said Mrs. Bunny patronizingly." (p. 115)
"On the one hand, they were very sweet and responsible adults. On the other hand, they were rabbits." (p. 140)
"The richness of our lives depends on what we are willing to notice and what we are willing to believe." (p. 243)
June 4, 2012
At the library where I work, we have a section for new books (print books and audiobooks), and I am always perusing it on my out. To be honest, I pulled this book because of the cover! lol I'm also fond of mysteries.
One thing I can't stand about modern TV sitcoms is that parents, usually the dad, are portrayed as idiots. In this story, the parents are idiots, but in a way that should make some kids appreciate their own parents a bit more. In this story, Madeline is a girl who lives on a tiny Canadian island with her "hippie" parents--Madeline is the one who forces herself to get up at the crack of dawn to travel to a nice school to get a good education; she cooks; she cleans, etc. Her own parents don't even want to go to her grade school graduation! One day, Madeline's awful parents are kidnapped by some foxes to get some information, which, of course, they don't know... With the help of Mr. and Mrs. Bunny, Madeline eventually finds her parents.
This is a hilarious chapter book. The Bunnies have the best lines (for example, see the part when they first meet Madeline and what they say about most children's books and dead parents), and I love the way the husband-wife bunnies pick on each other. I'm hoping there's another Mr. and Mrs. Bunny book in the works!
One thing I can't stand about modern TV sitcoms is that parents, usually the dad, are portrayed as idiots. In this story, the parents are idiots, but in a way that should make some kids appreciate their own parents a bit more. In this story, Madeline is a girl who lives on a tiny Canadian island with her "hippie" parents--Madeline is the one who forces herself to get up at the crack of dawn to travel to a nice school to get a good education; she cooks; she cleans, etc. Her own parents don't even want to go to her grade school graduation! One day, Madeline's awful parents are kidnapped by some foxes to get some information, which, of course, they don't know... With the help of Mr. and Mrs. Bunny, Madeline eventually finds her parents.
This is a hilarious chapter book. The Bunnies have the best lines (for example, see the part when they first meet Madeline and what they say about most children's books and dead parents), and I love the way the husband-wife bunnies pick on each other. I'm hoping there's another Mr. and Mrs. Bunny book in the works!
May 14, 2013
Thanks for the tip, Lu! We enjoyed listening to this in the car, and filling in at home with the book in between.
The tongue-in-cheek tone reminded me of the Alexander McCall Smith mysteries, like the Prof. Dr. von Igelfeld books. So many laughing moments in this book--Pearl couldn't help herself and acted out several times during the week the moment when for dramatic effect in the courtoom, Mr. Bunny paused so long that "several councilbunnies went out for coffee. One had time to order a short decaf double shot no whip mocha iced frappuccino to go. Mr. Bunny paused so long that when the coffee came he had time to change his mind to a venti semi-skim soy no sugar caramel macchiato with no whip but double caramel and a reduced fat skinny poppy seed and lemon muffin, hot, no butter."
The book does not waste the fact that these are bunnies. There are foxes out to eat them, which makes for a great backbone of themes that depend on the differences between animals and humans. Mostly, it I loved the irony of the bunnies being more 'civilized' than Madeline's hippy parents, Flo and Mildred, who btw got the best lines in the book--and Polly Horvath's reading of their voices had me in stitches, while driving. I hope she comes to CCIRA next year.
The tongue-in-cheek tone reminded me of the Alexander McCall Smith mysteries, like the Prof. Dr. von Igelfeld books. So many laughing moments in this book--Pearl couldn't help herself and acted out several times during the week the moment when for dramatic effect in the courtoom, Mr. Bunny paused so long that "several councilbunnies went out for coffee. One had time to order a short decaf double shot no whip mocha iced frappuccino to go. Mr. Bunny paused so long that when the coffee came he had time to change his mind to a venti semi-skim soy no sugar caramel macchiato with no whip but double caramel and a reduced fat skinny poppy seed and lemon muffin, hot, no butter."
The book does not waste the fact that these are bunnies. There are foxes out to eat them, which makes for a great backbone of themes that depend on the differences between animals and humans. Mostly, it I loved the irony of the bunnies being more 'civilized' than Madeline's hippy parents, Flo and Mildred, who btw got the best lines in the book--and Polly Horvath's reading of their voices had me in stitches, while driving. I hope she comes to CCIRA next year.
December 31, 2012
I picked this up b/c it's been on a lot of potential Newbery lists. It's cute, but I didn't love it. Typical quirky Horvath (which is good) with lots of unusual characters, but I wish I'd read this and not listened to it. The author narrates her own book, and I didn't like her narration. Plus the book has some cute illustrations that I'm sorry I missed. In a nutshell, Madeline comes home from school one day to find that her hippie parents have been kidnapped by foxes. She sets out to try to find them, and finds herself helped by a couple of talking rabbits. A fun, quick read, but I certainly don't think it has Newbery potential.
August 13, 2012
Just . . . not my thing. There's something so condescending about the style of this that I didn't really like anyone in the entire story. I didn't find anyone particularly cute or funny. Just irritating. It is, I suppose, a well told little story for what it is, if you like anthropomorphic animals who act exactly like people, but live in a world with humans as well (who don't have a clue that animals can talk).
September 10, 2012
It's a shame this isn't eligible for the Newbery award since it is a translation from the original Rabbit, but what a translation! Horvath has done an amazing job of rending Mrs. Bunny's prose into elegant, first-rate English. A triumph.
June 20, 2022
ignore this plz I don't want to be seen reading this
October 8, 2022
What an absolute fever dream of a book. I used to love this book back in the day - it was so strange, and Mr. and Mrs. Bunny were hilarious. Completely forgot it existed until today, when I absentmindedly googled the phrase 'detective extraordinaire', which I tend to use... more than the average person in my writing, and this book popped right up. That unlocked a whole lot of forgotten memories, and I felt a sudden urge to reread it. I'm glad I did.
If it was good at seven years old, it's even better now. Mr. and Mrs. Bunny make the sorts of a snarky little comments that flew over my head as a kid, but now I can snicker at. At one point Mr. Bunny goes off on a rant about the absurdity of tipping culture and the importance of paying waiters a living wage, and I just sat there like... you know what? That's actually a decent point, Mr. Bunny.
Either way, I love this book so much, and although it's meant to be aimed mostly at younger audiences, it's hilarious and something I think everyone would enjoy. 5/5. Polly Horvath, what a wonderful translator you are.
If it was good at seven years old, it's even better now. Mr. and Mrs. Bunny make the sorts of a snarky little comments that flew over my head as a kid, but now I can snicker at. At one point Mr. Bunny goes off on a rant about the absurdity of tipping culture and the importance of paying waiters a living wage, and I just sat there like... you know what? That's actually a decent point, Mr. Bunny.
Either way, I love this book so much, and although it's meant to be aimed mostly at younger audiences, it's hilarious and something I think everyone would enjoy. 5/5. Polly Horvath, what a wonderful translator you are.
June 3, 2018
What fun! Madeline and Mrs Bunny both love Jane Austen. Prince Charles is totally cool: “Ah,” said Prince Charles. “I’ve often heard animals speak. Plants too. It’s all a matter of noticing, isn’t it? The richness of our lives depends on what we are willing to notice and what we are willing to believe. Of course, I get crucified in the press for talking to my plants, but it’s awfully rude not to talk back to anyone who speaks to you, isn’t it?”
September 25, 2022
3.5 stars. Delightfully odd and clever. This book is probably better enjoyed by an older audience than the cover implies. There is a lot of satire and tongue-in-check humor that would be lost on younger readers. I wish there was more character depth and plot. The book skates along exclusively on wit. I enjoyed it, but it could have been better.
November 2, 2024
Paper is paper.
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