Little Bunny Foo Foo: The Real Story

by Cori Doerrfeld

Finally, the real Little Bunny Foo Foo song can be sung. You see, Little Bunny Foo Foo was provoked into bopping those field mice on the head after they stole her freshly baked cupcakes! And the so-called "good" fairy? Well, let's just say she was spotted accepting a sweetly frosted bribe or two. Adorable art, irreverent humor, and a deliciously satisfying surprise ending - Cori Doerrfeld has given this classic song an irresistible modern twist.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Humor, Storytime, Rabbits, Animals, Fantasy

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 19, 2012

About the author

Cori Doerrfeld lives in Minneapolis, MN with her husband and two children. She received her undergrad degree in Studio Art from St. Olaf College and her Post Baccalaureate from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. She has several published titles including many self authored/self illustrated books.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 2 out of 5]

Author/illustrator Cori Doerrfeld presents a revisionist take on the classic children's song, "Little Bunny Foo Foo," in this bright pastel picture-book. Bopping the field mice on the head because they have stolen her newly baked cupcakes, Foo Foo finds herself unfairly persecuted by the Good Fairy, who doesn't understand why she is assaulting her murine neighbors. Eventually, Foo Foo is transformed into the threatened monster, but it is the Good Fairy who really suffers...

Although I do recall singing this song as a girl, it was never one of my particular favorites, and I haven't given it a thought for years. Truthfully, I'm not sure it really needed the fractured fairy-tale treatment, but I was curious to see what Doerrfeld would do with her story. Unfortunately, I wasn't terribly impressed with the result, finding the narrative a bit muddled - can't the Good Fairy see that the mice have made off with Foo Foo's cupcakes? - and the artwork too aggressively pastel and cutesy for my taste. I was surprised at how indifferent I was to this one, as I simply loved Doerrfeld's most recent offering (and my first title by her), The Rabbit Listened . Perhaps she's changed styles? However that may be, tastes do vary, so if you have a child who absolutely loved the song "Little Bunny Foo Foo," you might want to give this one a try.

[Melissa Rochelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to read this a couple of times before I realized that Foo Foo was unjustly punished by the Good Fairy. And that's not a good thing.

The first time I read it, I was horrified that Foo Foo ate the Good Fairy! I mean, she was basically rewarded through her "punishment." However, after I sat and stewed about what a terrible message this was for kids, I had to read it again.

Upon closer inspection, I realized that Foo Foo was just trying to get her cupcakes back that the Field Mice had stolen. It's unclear who hired the Field Mice to steal the cupcakes, probably the Good Fairy, but still...Foo Foo could have just told the Good Fairy what was going on BEFORE she was turned into a fairy-eating monster. Of course, if the GF was in fact evil, Foo Foo did the right thing.

As an adult, it's easy to overlook the picture aspect of a picture book, especially when it's something as familiar to me as "Little Bunny Foo Foo" (which I now have STUCK IN MY HEAD). Perhaps the illustrations could have been a little clearer. I don't know. But it's still kind of cute, and not terrible. It just takes a little more explanation. *shrug*

[Stefani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did you ever wonder why Little Bunny Foo Foo was bopping those field mice on the head? While the words follow the song (except the ending), the illustrations tell the real story.

[Shanshad Whelan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This takes a familiar story song and twists it a little . . .most of the twist is evident only through the illustrations. Rather than see Foo foo as the foolish villain, this one sets him up as a misunderstood and put upon rabbit that finally gets a little revenge. Not really appropriate for the Pre-K kids, I think, but might be fun for older readers and listeners who like a bit of payback and humor in their stories.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 2 out of 5]

A mostly unsuccessful attempt at a "fractured" spin on the song.

[Laura McCarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny twist at the end... the fairly godmother turns bunny foo foo into a monster who then swallows the fairy godmother. My first graders were rolling on the floor!

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My students loved this book! The illustrations were great and gave us a little more information on why Little Bunny Foo Foo went on a bopping rampage. So cute!

[Colby Sharp · Rating 3 out of 5]

All my #hatback friends on Twitter need to read this book.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

The illustrations are really cute and colorful.

[SPOILERS AHEAD]

Those cupcakes looked so good I wish they were real so I could eat one! The bunny is adorable and apparently this was a song? I'm unfamiliar with the song, but as for the story it is short and I found it a bit rude that the Good Fairy wanted to punish the bunny for bopping the mice on the head when the mice were the ones stealing cupcakes from the bunny. Why didn't the Good Fairy warn the mice to not steal? Overall, it was okay. Nothing really exciting, but I did find it weird and a bit disturbing that the bunny ended up eating the Good Fairy. On the bright side the bunny didn't mind being a monster. The last page showed her and her bunny friends all happy eating cupcakes.

[MaryAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I would definitely read this with a child and discuss. The familiar children's ditty is more complex then it would seem. Lots of good discussion possibilities. And everyone will identify with the hazards of being misjudged, not thinking through your actions and the real reason Little BFF was boppin' those field mice on the head. It wasn't just random violence, I tell ya. I had a good reason! What judge and jury hasn't heard that before, let alone parents.

[Angie Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

It made me laugh out loud.

[Lindsey Schultz · Rating 4 out of 5]

The traditional story of Little Bunny Foo Foo is very cute. I would like to read both this story and the traditional story and have the children compare and contrast.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

W.t.f.

[Stacy Natal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is just fun to sing along to. The illustrations show us why Little Bunny Foo Foo was bopping those field mice and there is a twist at the end.

[Nicole Salter Braun · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reminded me of my childhood

[Kaitlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Didn't see that coming...hahahahaha

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sad that my daughter and her boyfriend had no clue who little bunny foo foo was

[Angelique Jordonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a classic! And I so did not see that ending. How terrifying.

[Annie S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reveals the real reason little bunny foo foo has been bopping field mice on the head, and why the Good Fairy should be more careful. A. Enjoys this one and B. Loves the plot twist.

[Nanny B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the way I remember telling it to my kids. The field mice are cute. Like the original ending better.

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The silly...I mean, the real story behind the song.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I adored Little Bunny Foo Foo as a kid so I was excited to read this new "real story". The book had so much promise because the illustrations were terrific and so cute! Then came the twist at the end...Little Bunny Foo Foo gets turned into a monster, a monster powerful enough to eat the Good Fairy! She also says she tasted good!!! Too much...not usable for story time, in my opinion, though I did get a great laugh from it as an adult :)

[Romelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fractured tale of the real Bunny Foo Foo, which I have not read. In this version, a fairy warns Bunny about her bad behavior. But poor Bunny is only trying to get back her cupcakes which were taken by mice. Despite warnings from the fairy, Bunny continues to bop the mice on the head. So the fairy punishes Bunny. And Bunny gets back at the fairy. I found this book funny and quirky. The theme of the book: REVENGE.

On the flip side, this book can open up a discussion about how you would handle a situation of someone taking something away from you.

[Jocelin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny little story about little bunny foo foo. This one has a little twist were little bunny becomes the bad guy. In the original we see that little bunny gets taught a lesson, this one shows little bunny is the teacher. This little tale doesn't show the consequences of misbehaving, instead it shows that punishment can backfire. I agree with one of the other reviews about this book it is not really for children who are under 5.

[Carissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the illustrations for the book. There is one particular page where it looks like the bunny is roaring as she chases the mice. I didn't realize the bunny was a girl (or else it's a guy bunny wearing a dress--hey, it could happen). It seemed masculine... it's the lack of eyelashes. The ending was surprising.

Also, woodland critters should not be eating cupcakes, heheheh.

[Heidi · Rating 1 out of 5]

I bought this book from Scholastic Book Club for my 5 year old daughter. I did not remember how the song went, but I thought it would be a cute book about a bunny. I'm not sure which is more disturbing, the illustrations or the storyline. Just when you think it can't get any worse, it does. My 7 year old daughter who LOVES books read it once and asked me to get rid of it. Enough said.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this funny little story about a not so nice little bunny. Yeah it was kind of weird and probably not the kind of impression you want to give your kid, but whatevs, Jesse and I loved it.

*side note, this reminded me of my childhood friend Elyse who sang this tune all the time. Good memories.

[ReadingWench · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just do not know what to say about this book. Odd. Weird. Unexpected. I am torn on how to rate it as well. One one hand I want to rate is a 5 due to it being unexpected. On the other I want to rate it a 2 for being a bit weird and creepy.

[Elisabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

How many kids today are really SO familiar with the original(awesome) Bunny Foo FOo song that they will connect at all with this fractured version? It's also a little confusing and the ending was pretty gross.

[Joenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reveals the reason Little Bunny Foo Foo has been bopping field mice on the head, and why the Good Fairy should be more careful.

I would add this to our SRC booklists, but (spoiler), the Fairy gets eaten at the end!!