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Bunns Rabbit
Bunns Rabbit II: The Return of the Spirit Rabbit:
One adventure has ended, only for a new epic journey to begin . . . Author-illustrator and Academy Award–winning filmmaker Alan Barillaro takes his storytelling and artwork to new heights in a compelling sequel.
When Bunns Rabbit returns from her quest to find the Spirit Fox, she hopes to go back to her quiet life among her family. But Fox has other plans for her. A war is on the horizon, pitting the Spirits of the Sea and Wind against those of the Land and Fire. According to Fox, only one little rabbit stands in their way—her.
This time there is more than just her family on the line. It is up to Bunns to save every living creature on the land before they are washed away by the sea forever. With war imminent and newly acquired powers she barely understands, Bunns must avert disaster and find it within herself to stand up and face this new world, whether she is ready to or not.
With his inviting prose, warm illustrations, and dramatic graphic panels, Alan Barillaro brings another action-packed tale of daring, bravery, and adventure, filled with heart, kindness, and hope.
When Bunns Rabbit returns from her quest to find the Spirit Fox, she hopes to go back to her quiet life among her family. But Fox has other plans for her. A war is on the horizon, pitting the Spirits of the Sea and Wind against those of the Land and Fire. According to Fox, only one little rabbit stands in their way—her.
This time there is more than just her family on the line. It is up to Bunns to save every living creature on the land before they are washed away by the sea forever. With war imminent and newly acquired powers she barely understands, Bunns must avert disaster and find it within herself to stand up and face this new world, whether she is ready to or not.
With his inviting prose, warm illustrations, and dramatic graphic panels, Alan Barillaro brings another action-packed tale of daring, bravery, and adventure, filled with heart, kindness, and hope.
- GenresMiddle GradeAnimals
320 pages, Hardcover
Published October 6, 2026
About the author
Alan Barillaro
5 books22 followersAlan Barillaro is the Academy Award–winning writer and director of the animated short film Piper and has been supervising animator on many other popular theatrical releases, including The Incredibles, Incredibles 2, WALL-E, and Brave. He began his career in animation at the age of sixteen and spent more than twenty-five years at Pixar Animation Studios. Alan Barillaro lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 1, 2026
So sweet and heartwarming! I hope for a third!
November 1, 2026
Beautiful and heartwarming, just like the first book!
October 20, 2026
Beautiful illustrations. I'm so glad to be back with Bunns and her friends in this amazing adventure!
October 14, 2026
What worked:
Bunns is an innocent, humble rabbit who doesn’t want to become the new Land Spirit. Spirit Fox believes these qualities make her the perfect choice, perhaps because other spirits have been hungry for more power. Readers will enjoy Bunns’s transformation from a runt bunny with small ears into the Spirit Rabbit, who controls the land's power. She’s the only creature that can hear the heartsongs of all animals, and she uses this ability to help others. Her selfless attitude and kindness toward all animals are a stark contrast to previous spirits.
Spirit Fox is Bunns’s mentor, but he grows weaker and tells Bunns he will die soon. The Spirit Walrus and Spirit Albatross wage war against Bunns and Fox, and Bunns lacks the confidence and strength to stop them by herself. The author builds tension as Bunns’s efforts to find peace are repeatedly thwarted, and the war’s outcome seems imminent in a fixed future. The book includes an element of folklore, with the characters sharing tales from the past to teach lessons. Illustrations are sprinkled throughout the story to help young readers visualize the troubling events.
Young readers can learn a great deal from the characters and events. Bunns’s kind, modest personality slowly convinces others of his sincerity. She has loyal friends, offering their support without considering the dangers. Bunns can count on love and understanding from her parents and siblings, even as she faces doubt and defiance from others. Characters with different backgrounds and beliefs learn that understanding and caring can be celebrated. Climate change is addressed later in the story; the effects of warming waters create problems.
What didn’t work as well:
Readers new to the series may not understand the backstory of the characters and setting. The blend of plot, folklore, memories, and magic may be unclear. I recommend that you read the previous book first to alleviate this concern.
The final verdict:
It may surprise readers to find a book about a small, cute bunny that shares deep emotions and messages. The plot builds to a suspenseful climax with a thoughtful, satisfying. I recommend you try it for yourself.
Bunns is an innocent, humble rabbit who doesn’t want to become the new Land Spirit. Spirit Fox believes these qualities make her the perfect choice, perhaps because other spirits have been hungry for more power. Readers will enjoy Bunns’s transformation from a runt bunny with small ears into the Spirit Rabbit, who controls the land's power. She’s the only creature that can hear the heartsongs of all animals, and she uses this ability to help others. Her selfless attitude and kindness toward all animals are a stark contrast to previous spirits.
Spirit Fox is Bunns’s mentor, but he grows weaker and tells Bunns he will die soon. The Spirit Walrus and Spirit Albatross wage war against Bunns and Fox, and Bunns lacks the confidence and strength to stop them by herself. The author builds tension as Bunns’s efforts to find peace are repeatedly thwarted, and the war’s outcome seems imminent in a fixed future. The book includes an element of folklore, with the characters sharing tales from the past to teach lessons. Illustrations are sprinkled throughout the story to help young readers visualize the troubling events.
Young readers can learn a great deal from the characters and events. Bunns’s kind, modest personality slowly convinces others of his sincerity. She has loyal friends, offering their support without considering the dangers. Bunns can count on love and understanding from her parents and siblings, even as she faces doubt and defiance from others. Characters with different backgrounds and beliefs learn that understanding and caring can be celebrated. Climate change is addressed later in the story; the effects of warming waters create problems.
What didn’t work as well:
Readers new to the series may not understand the backstory of the characters and setting. The blend of plot, folklore, memories, and magic may be unclear. I recommend that you read the previous book first to alleviate this concern.
The final verdict:
It may surprise readers to find a book about a small, cute bunny that shares deep emotions and messages. The plot builds to a suspenseful climax with a thoughtful, satisfying. I recommend you try it for yourself.
October 28, 2026
This installment didn't have as much of the heart of the first one so much as a super-powered rabbit. I still enjoyed Bunns and her friends as they race to save the world from a war breaking out between the other Elder Spirits, but this felt less...unique than the first book. Bunns also has a powerful lesson about the need to be deliberate with wishes in book one and in this one, since she has powers, she's making trillium wishes left and right with seemingly no consequences. Kind of undercuts the original in the same way Frozen 2 undercuts the original by having Elsa learn to rely on others and not run away only to end movie 2 with her running away again. I hope the ending is open-ended for the sake of being open-ended and not to add more books. The first is great. The second is...alright.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
The second book in the Bunn’s Rabbit series is even better than the first, which I didn’t think would be possible. There is a lot of character growth for Bunn in this book and an immense amount of action and suspense mixed in with strong friendships. Highly recommend!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews