Mini Rabbit Is Not Lost

Mini Rabbit

by John Bond

Mini Rabbit is prepared to travel far and wide when he and Mother Rabbit realize they've run out of berries for the cake they're baking. And really, it's all about cake.

Mini Rabbit and Mother Rabbit are just putting the finishing touches on a cake when they realize they're out of berries! But before Mother Rabbit can even open her mouth, the intrepid Mini Rabbit is out the door.

Must have cake, he repeats to himself, as he crosses oceans, climbs mountains, and treks through creepy forests, all the while keeping his eyes peeled for some delicious berries.

And as he travels further and further from home, Mini Rabbit insists to everyone who asks that he is not lost.

Or is he?

At least there's one thing that can lead Mini Rabbit back home no matter how far he roams...the alluring smell of cake.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Food, Adventure, Humor, Storytime

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 6, 2018

About the author

There is more than one author with this name

John Bond is an illustrator, author and artist. Growing up on a farm in the Cotswolds, he went on to study a degree in Illustration at Kingston University, London. He now lives and works in Worthing on the south coast.

His debut picture book, ‘Mini Rabbit Not Lost’ – published by HarperCollins – was nominated for best picture book in the 2019 Waterstones Book Prize. The follow up title ‘Mini Rabbit Must Help’ published in June 2020 with the final book in the series, ‘Mini Rabbit Come Home’ being published in March 2021.

John has recently joined forces with award winning author, Peter Bently, to work on a series of exciting new picture books. Their first title 'Dogs in Disguise' (published Sep 2021) is a hilarious, rhyming story about the secret lives of our four-legged friends.

You can follow John on Instagram/Twitter/Facebook - @iamjohnbond

Reviews

[Sue Read · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like the art work in this book. It is colourful, humorous and uses a really pleasing range of pastel colours. I like the occasional use of alternative colours too; a variety of purples for trees in a wood and blues for trees in the snow. I also like the variety of layouts.

The story is about Mini Rabbit, whose impulsive need to find berries in order to bake a cake with Mother rabbit, necessitates the need for a truly wide search. Mini Rabbit doesn't stop to listen or really look for berries and so the search escalates from a near by wood to the sea to a frozen land to underground. I like the objects and characters that are hidden along the way; plenty to spot and discuss, for example a diving duck, small 'islands' with eyes, a crab falling from the light house keeper's fishing line and a kettle boiling on a fire in the snow! Look for the heavily camouflaged white bear, the eyes that follow Mini Rabbit everywhere and the skeletons in the cave! I really like the double page towards the end that consists of six sections depicting Mini Rabbit's journey home; a reminder of the environments and characters who are still watching his search for berries. Mini Rabbit eventually arrives home, following the smell of a freshly baked cake, but then requests some ice cream!

I think the style of language in this book still needs to grow on me. The text is frequently characterised by short statements, the sort that are spoken by young children as they learn to talk. There are questions posed by characters on the way, offering help and caution about the cold and being too far from home. There are also sentences offering a commentary, separate to the dialogue. It is certainly a new and unique style. I expect children would recognise the impulsive, repetitive and 'honed down' style of language. I expect they would love the adventure, the humour and the silliness of Mini Rabbit's character! I think their enthusiasm and joy would help me to appreciate its genius!

[KC · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book about a rabbit needing to find berries so his mom can make a cake. All he can think about is cake. Yup. Been there.

[Mathew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Debuting with the first of what is now to be a trilogy of Mini Rabbit adventures, Bond's humorous little voyage and return story turns out to be as anarchic as the titular character in that nothing changes. Only too happy to help his mum finish making the berry cake, Mini Rabbit sweeps off in search of the missing ingredient heedless of his mother's calls and advice.

The quest for the elusive berries begins and our hero treks through forests, over rivers and mountains. So focused is he and determined that he deters help and fails to see the answers to his quest all around him. Who knows? The observant reader! This is why this book works so well. Yes, it ends on a humorous twist but it is the play here between the unobservant Rabbit and the observant young reader that makes this so enjoyable.

[Shaye Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mini Rabbit has one thing on his mind: cake. His mother's cake, to be exact. But before his mother can make cake, he has to find some berries. He travels far and wide to find berries for the cake and eventually isn't sure where he is. Thankfully, the smell of cake brings him back to his senses and he find his way back home. But is he hungry for cake anymore? I'm disappointed that I couldn't find out how the artwork was created because I really liked it and wanted to know more about it. At times you can see a canvas look.

For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Klein konijn>


TAART TAART TAART

[Matrosens Stjärna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sonen ville höra om och om igen. Tårta låter gott, och vändningen på slutet innehåller en hög igenkänningsfaktor för alla småbarnsföräldrar. En bilderbok som har allt!

[Mehsi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Een dom en idioot konijn gaat besjes zoeken maar denkt totaal niet na over enig iets in zijn reis. Hij kan alleen maar denken aan de taart en ondertussen mist hij alles om hem heen. Mijn hemel wat was dat konijn dom zeg. Het verbaast me echt dat ie ansich nog zolang heeft overleeft.
Maar gelukkig vond ik de rest van het boek wel leuk, gewoon niet denken aan dat domme beest. Kijk naar die prachtige illustraties, mijn hemel wat waren die prachtig en wat waren er veel geinige en leuke details (en die vogel is wel een stalker want die komen we overal tegen). Ik genoot dus ook enorm van illustraties en dat zorgde er ook voor dat ik bleef lezen ondanks dat ik het konijn het liefste zag verdwenen. Daarom rate ik het boek ook 3 sterren. Dat en de vertaling las ook erg lekker.

[I' · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Cake! Cake! Cake!"

One of my colleagues recommended me to have a look at this book.
The art is super cute, I absolutely loved that. Specially the designs and colours.
The story is also very cute and hey, who does not like cake and will go far and beyond to get some berries to put on top. However, if you don't listen to your mum, things can get off hand.

Also, loved that ending.

[Amy Brydon Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the humour in the book and the illustrations were beautiful. I think children will love it, however i thought the language was too repetitive and it could have been switched up at some points.

[Eris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jajajaja

Me recuerda a muchos

[Dee Dee G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute. My son loved it.

[🌶 peppersocks 🧦 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reflections and lessons learned:
“Cake…cake…cake!”
Ahhh… sometimes us small ones need to find a sweet treat at the wrong time, but persevere regardless - a new repetition for a weekend!

[Greta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is genius.

[Nessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want my cake! Give me my cake!

Cute little mini rabbit goes on an adventure looking for berries for some cake!

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Silly and fun.

Cake cake cake… 😆

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

And who doesn't love cake? I think I've uttered those very words "Must Have Cake" a time or two myself. Those of us who are particularly fond of cake with berries can relate to Mini Rabbit's determination to find more berries after his mother realizes that they need berries. Although there is a bush brimming with berries right nearby, Mini Rabbit doesn't pay attention and sets off on a long, winding journey to find those berries. Although he claims that he isn't lost as various animals offer him help, he is lost but trudges on in his single-minded quest to find those berries. Through thick and thin, stormy and chilly weather, he perseveres and returns triumphantly with one berry. Meanwhile, his mother has moved on with her baking plans and has a delicious cake ready for him. Of course, the twist here is that after all that effort and his constant comments about how much he wants cake, Mini Rabbit no longer wants a slice of cake but something else. Mini Rabbit reminds me a bit of some folks that I know whose interest in something is single-minded and pointed until it isn't anymore, and they are distracted by something else. This one is a fun read and will have youngsters using some of Mini Rabbit's comments.

[Shaunterria · Rating 4 out of 5]

[PreS-Gr. 1] Reminiscent of the Hat trilogy (Klassen) in all the best ways, Mini Rabbit is Not Lost combines deceptively simple storytelling with beautifully rendered landscapes in a whimsical and entertaining way. Mini Rabbit and his mother are making an eagerly anticipated cake when Mother Rabbit realizes they are completely out of the final ingredient, berries. Upon hearing this, Mini Rabbit dashes out the door on the hunt for berries, heading farther and farther away from his home. He comes across several other animals during his journey, all of them concerned that he may be lost, but Mini Rabbit’s determination in finding the needed berries keeps him unafraid and on the hunt. Unfortunately for him, once he finally finds a berry he also discovers he has no idea how to get home; luckily keen senses lead Mini Rabbit to his mother and (most importantly) cake. The characters are simplified into graphic representations of animals that children are sure to enjoy deciphering, while the backgrounds are gorgeous biomes ranging from forest to seashore and cave. A surprise at the end sure to elicit giggles from young readers makes this one to a storytime winner.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a lovely picture book!
I like the repetition which runs throughout the story creating a rhythm for young readers to follow and join in with.
I particularly like the illustrations and the different shapes they take as this adds to the uniqueness of the book (triangular, circular and rectangular).
Having read the book a second time I noticed some hidden extra details. Each page contains a hidden berry within the background and they have been illustrated really cleverly by being placed within birds beaks, a snowman’s nose, on the end of a fishing rod and many more places. The fact that the rabbit sets off to find berries and they are all around them adds to the sweetness of the book.
Such a great read!!

[Teresa Bateman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mini Rabbit loves cake. In fact, she is obsessed with it. She and her mother are making a berry cake, but have run out of berries. Fear not! Mini Rabbit will find some. She sets off with one thing in mind...well, two--cake and berries. With this sort of focus she isn't really paying attention to her surrounds, or to the those who try to steer her in the right direction. Will she be able to find her way home again? Wait, wait is that smell? Big bold illustrations follow Mini on her circuitous journey. The final page turns the table and will make young readers giggle.

[Ella · Rating 3 out of 5]

A silly and funny book for young children. Mini rabbit wants mum to make a cake but there are no berries so they rush off to find some before mum can say there are some below their house, children are likely to notice this from the illustrations. Mini rabbit goes searching everywhere before returning home to the smell of cake. The range of layouts of the illustrations is interesting and helps to create the sense of journey throughout the book. A nice book to share with FS and year 1 children as a read aloud story.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good choice for kids who get so focused on one task, they fail to notice everything important around them. I was happy my 5 year old understood Mini Rabbit was getting more and more lost even though there were plenty of opportunities to find his way or get help if he had stopped to looked or listen. We also loved the artwork. Lots of little details to find in the pages. Kiddo gives it 100 stars.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pretty dang cute! This would make for a silly bedtime story or a quick story time read-aloud. However, it doesn't have much substance. Not that every book needs to be about> something, its just that if you're trying to tie in a theme or a lesson this might not be the one.
If you are looking to read a book about a silly lil rabbit boi who wants so cake, this is def the one.

[Meredith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mini Rabbit gets lost looking for berries to go on a cake.

Young readers will appreciate the single-minded pursuit of cake.

As a parent, I disliked how Mother Rabbit just let her obviously spastic child take off alone and unsupervised in clearly what was the wrong direction. The adult acquaintances whom Mini Rabbit encounters showed much more concern than his own mother.

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

They say don't judge a book by its cover but I picked up this book because I loved the cover. It turns out the book is great too.
Mini Rabbit has an adventure as he tries to find ingredients for his cake. He searches high and low for the berries until...is he lost!?
Such a humerous story with a funny ending too, it keeps you wanting to read until the end.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be a very fun read-aloud. Cake! Cake! Cake! So cute. I did not expect that ending though. But being the parent of a young child, I totally get it. They change their minds at the drop of a hat.

[Dina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read; however, I felt that in a way the text promoted the concept of not listening and running off as a good option. The book's ending was fun--I can definitely see a kid changing their mind at the last second.

[Youth Services at Indian Trails Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Rabbit and mon are baking a cake and they discover there are no berries to have for the cake. Mini rabbit travel across oceans, forests etc. As his travels take him further and further from home he insists I AM NOT LOST!! Cute adventure for a read-aloud.

[Opal Edgar · Rating 5 out of 5]

My kids (3 and 6) love this book and so do I. Beautiful colours, adorable assertive unstoppable main little character, strange universe, wondrous and a little creepy, and a very satisfying ending that leaves everyone with a smile and even a laugh from the kids.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved how many times the word 'cake' was used and the different effects it gave out. Cleverly written. I highly enjoyed it. The art too! I just wasn't a fan of the rabbits having huge eyes. Otherwise it was great!

[Rebecca Piazza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bright, textured, simply gorgeous, John Bond’s simple story is all the more better thanks to Mini Rabbit’s persistence. The journey away from home and back plot is nothing new, but it works so well here. Mini Rabbit is my new picture book hero!