Buttermilk

Serendipity

by Stephen Cosgrove, Robin James (Illustrator)

To little Buttermilk bunny, everything she sees on the way home through the dark forest is scary. Her father shows her that during the daylight, things aren't always what they seem.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Animals, Classics, Rabbits

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

Reviews

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been years since I've read this book but the beautiful illustrations still stick with me. The entire Serendipity series was centered around a variety of moral and life lessons. Buttermilk is about being afraid of the unknown and using knowledge to conquer fear.

My favorite part of the story involves Buttermilk the bunny finding out that a dreaded dragon is only a willow tree... but if you look closely in the illustrations, there's a tiny, adorable dragon in the picture. Definitely a good book for younger grade school readers; beautiful pictures but also some denser text, a little much for most pre-schoolers.

[JD Waggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely adorable but also very good at not being condescending toward the reality of night-time fears. This is a great moment of reassurance that your imagination can get away from you when it's dark and shadowy; I gave it four stars instead of five because the wrap-up moral at the end destroys that sense of understanding by simply saying that monsters aren't real. Of course they're not real, but they feel real enough (especially to children) that there isn't much difference.

Also, ten million points to Buttermilk's dad who is my favorite part of this story (other than the tiny dragon, of course, because Stephen Cosgrove is delightful and Robin James's art is just the best). He simply stays with Buttermilk when she's afraid and is a comforting, non-judgmental presence. In the light, when she's had time to calm down and create some distance, he goes with her to tame the things that frightened her and lets her do all the figuring out herself. There isn't any attempt on his part to *tell* her how things aren't what she thought, just his presence while she sees them in daylight. Love, that's what that is, and it's what makes this book so very good.

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

The bunny scared of her imagination ~_~

This book was about a bunny who feared of things that were not real but only her imagination it was a funny book and I liked it so thanks :)

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about cute bunnies! Well, about one in particular, and her fear of creepy things in the night that, as her father shows her, are just trees in odd shapes. The twist is, she actually DOES see a dragon, but it's not the large scary one she think she saw, but a baby one beneath the large "dragon." (It's a cute twist, but I think in this case it takes away from the moral of the story.)

I still don't like this particular binding, and for some reason the Serendipity books I have with this binding have at least one or two pages where the printing is slightly offset. I don't know if that's consistent across all the books (I'd hope not!), but it's distracting from the cuteness of the artwork.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful children's book. I have had the paperback book in our house since 1986 and read to our children over the years. I am now reading to our grandchildren.

Buttermilk is the cutest little bunny ever. She runs away from his home during the day, and when returning at night sees all kinds of scary monsters. She is terrified and tells her Daddy of all the scary things she had seen. The next day Daddy returns to all the places with her and, in the daylight, they see that the monsters are just bushy trees and broken trees.

[Arwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The dark of night, and a vivid imagination, can make ordinary things seems scary."

A book about being scared of the dark, and how things seems different in the dark than in the light of day. A very handy book for parents dealing with these things. Plus it's beautifully illustrated. (And I just want to hug Buttermilk, she is too cute.)

[Mely · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was simply adorable. Not only does it have cute illustrations, it has a great moral to the story. This is the perfect book to read if you have a child who is scared of things that go bump in the dark. I am eager to read more from this children's author.

[Kest Schwartzman · Rating 4 out of 5]

gotta love the underlying pathos, barely covered in a thin veneer of weirdly sexualized fuzzy bunny butt. (also, in this world, a bunny is afraid of a banshee, but owls? owls are our friends)

[Misty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've loved these books since I was a little girl, I hope to read every one of them. Perfect for any kid, and teaches a valuable lesson about being afraid of the dark.

[Chels · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was good book

[Kimberly Souza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love

[Atlantis · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is part of a series from the ‘70s (Serendipity). Colorful pictures and a little lesson in each story. About one paragraph a page alongside a full page picture.

[Tabitha Emerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll always love Serendipity books

There's really not much to review in a Serendipity book as each one is a delightful treasure and never disappoints. 💛💛💛💛💛

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet little story I picked up at a used book store 1. Because bunnies 2. To shore up for the future.
Bringing fears out into the light in the very gentlest of ways.

[Rose | Belletrist Anarchist · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly love this story. Sometimes it’s easy for our imaginations to take a hold of us! A good reminder that things are not always what they seem.

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could only choose one Serendipity book to keep, it would probably be this one. I love everything about it. (Rabbits aren't even my favorite animals. Why is it that my favorite stories are about rabbits?) The softness of the bunnies; the beautiful landscapes; the path of nightmares Buttermilk dashes through after dark; the funny reveals in the morning, when she finds an owl, a tree stump, and a gorgeous weeping willow instead of a banshee, bear, and dragon. (And as a child, I would wiggle with glee at Buttermilk not seeing the tiny baby dragon under the willow!)

Still love this. Every page is perfect. And I think it's a much more exciting and effective bedtime story than the earlier Jingle Bear.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Basic plot: Buttermilk is scared of everything.

I think I got my first Serendipity book through a Scholastic book order or book fair. I quickly became obsessed and collected a ton and a half of them as a child. I would spend hours just looking at the pictures because the art is simply gorgeous. The stories were whimsical and fun, and always ended with some sort of life lesson for kids. I kept reading these books long after other picture books had been set aside.

[Shelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book series for kids that want to work toward reading chapter books but are not quiet there yet. Every other page has a beautiful illustration next to a page that is not overwhelming with text.

In this story Buttermilk is on her way home to her bunny burrow when night comes sooner than anticipated. So many scary things hid in the shadows at night, and Buttermilk fears her fast feet are not fast enough to get her to safety.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable book that shows just how much the imagination plays havoc in the dark while Robin James does a great job of making those night-time monsters so graphic looking that you can agree with Buttermilk. And I love the idea how her father doesn't only comforts her but takes her out the next day to see what the actual monsters were. Loved the little dragon under the willow tree :)

Definitely one of the best.....

[Suzanne Mather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Serendipity books have always been some of the best ones for kids in my opinion. Buttermilk is just one that I adored as a child. When I was 6 I loved the book so much I drew the cover for my art teacher and it made a blue ribbon at the art show that year. I wish I still had it! I will be checking the library for this one for my little ones soon as well.

[jacky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember this cover, so I'm pretty sure I read this one since I liked Squeakers so much.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute children's book that teaches kids to deal with their fears and how to overcome them.

[Angela Bagwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was my favorite book as a child and the illustrations where beautiful.

[Nakya · Rating 5 out of 5]

the bunny's are cute

[Samantha wickedshizuku Tolleson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book of helping your little one get over their fear of the dark.

[Ria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations. My son loves to look at the pictures and he can read the book alone. It's not too hard for 6 year old boys to read.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book amazing art ✨🌿

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it, and you will find out.

[Erin]

Well this was sweet. When Buttermilk runs home terrified after her nighttime adventure and her run-ins with imaginary monsters, her father doesn't mock her fear or tell her to grow up, he comforts her and calmly takes her out the next morning to show her what her fears look like in daylight. Then, when she understandably feels incredibly stupid for seeing witches and dragons in trees and stumps, he gently tells her that there's no shame in being afraid and that even he sometimes gets scared at night.