The Remarkable Rescue at Milkweed Meadow

Milkweed Meadow #1

by Elaine Dimopoulos, Doug Salati (Illustrator)

This timeless early middle-grade adventure about friendship and community will charm animal-loving fans of The Tale of Despereaux and Clarice the Brave.

“With the confidence of a maestro, Elaine Dimopoulos breathes vigor and beauty into a tale of a brave and thoughtful young rabbit . . . A chorus of woodland cheer for such a remarkable rescue."
—Gregory Maguire, author of Wicked and Cress Watercress

Butternut lives in the burrows of Milkweed Meadow with her nine rabbit brothers and sisters. Together they practice strategies for survival and tell stories. With disastrous scenarios blooming in her mind, Butternut embraces the lesson of her families’ stories: stick to your own rabbit-kind. But after befriending an incorrigible robin and a wounded deer, Butternut begins to question what she has been taught.

When the three friends discover other animals in crisis, Butternut must decide whether she can help, rally her friends and family, and be as brave as the heroes in the stories she tells.

Beautiful and arresting black-and-white illustrations bring the animals to life in this heartwarming story about friendship, community, and doing what is right

Genres: Middle Grade, Animals, Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction, Childrens, Juvenile

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2023

Reviews

[Elizabeth☮ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Butternut and her siblings live a quiet life in a warren in a meadow that offers plenty of treats. Sage, Butternut's grandmother, has taught the children to be cautious of humans and the art of storytelling.

I LOVE Butternut and her friends. She befriends Piper Firstfledge and the two teach each other invaluable lessons about friendship, bravery and found family. From the first line of this book I was hooked.

This would be a great read aloud in the tradition of Charlotte's Web. There is a complexity to the characters even if it's a children's book. Get it and read it now!!

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Butternut and her siblings live in a warren beside a house and a forest. Their grandmother created the warren after escaping from humans years earlier, and she has created numerous rules for her family to follow to ensure their safety. She also instituted a storytelling period each day, designed to both instruct and entertain.

Butternut suffers from anxiety, or "the brambles" as she calls them, and is scared of many things. This begins to change when she makes friends with a juvenile robin called Piper. Piper is enthusiastic, optimistic, and open to befriending everyone in Milkweed Meadow. Not everyone is open to this, as most of the birds and other creatures don't typically associate with one another. In fact, Butternut and her family are dissuaded strongly by their grandmother from even conversing with other creatures. And there is a loudmouth Blue Jay who actively cultivates dissension and bullies everyone.

Butternut's life opens up when she and Piper begin hanging out on the sly from her family, and their lives open up even more when they meet a fawn. Butternut's assumptions and fears are mightily challenged over the course of this book, as she begins to realize that enforced, unchanging rules soon no longer reflect reality of the changing situations that the rules are meant to protect. Also, not everyone who is different from the rabbits is dangerous, or inimical.

The book really takes off when Butternut and Piper decide to perform a rescue of creatures none of the residents of the meadow would normally consider rescue-worrthy. It forces Butternut to look deep within herself, and rally the meadow's residents to the endeavour, pushing her far out of her comfort zone. It's wonderful character development of an already wonderful main character.

This is a sweet, gentle, and generous story, and quietly reminds readers that one is stronger with a community and with friendship.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Charlesbridge for this ARC in exchange for my review.

[Andrea Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a WONDERFUL book. Grabbed our attention at the first chapter, and had impeccable story telling all the way through. We are buying a copy for ourselves, and are excited to lend it out to our friends!

[Keeley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much better than I expected. The plot is very well paced and one is asked to suspend disbelief only in the animals' communication skills (they do not also, say, use tools and wear clothing). If it were written in an earlier century it could be interpreted as a Christian allegory of loving one's neighbors and enemies without fear.

[DaNae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a satisfying story centering on generosity, courage, storytelling.

Popsugar23: #24 - A book with a rabbit on the cover

[Julia Harkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolute treasure this was! We read it aloud and it was the perfect way to start summer. Butternut but the rabbit comes from a family of storytellers. She makes friends unexpectedly and conquers fears. There are some takeaways but nothing about this book is preachy. Story is at the heart of it and it’s told in the 2nd person so the reader/listener has a role in the storyteller’s journey.

[Chad Pennell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect amount of charm, sadness, and hope. This book is a delight.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely story about friendship and being brave. I loved the characters, the storytelling, and 'I'm sure this story will be loved by adults and children.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Talyr Lerwill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this to see if it would be a fun read a loud for my littles. It was a cute story that would give a lot to talk with kids about moral and ethical values. I think it was a little advanced for my toddlers for a read a loud but definitely will add it to the list to read to them in a few years 😊

[Madeleine Cromer · Rating 5 out of 5]

such a fun read aloud for the boys

[Nichole Thornton · Rating 5 out of 5]

So lovely and sweet.

[Anastasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The actual rescue chapters were so sweet and I got a little emotional - it just took way too long to get there.

[Jackie "the Librarian" · Rating 4 out of 5]

Butternut the young rabbit finds her courage and a new friend, Piper the robin. Together they befriend a young injured deer, and later lead a great rescue effort to save some coyote pups.
Butternut learns that courage is doing things despite her fears, and that her compassion is something to be proud of.
Charming and inspiring, recommended for ages nine and up.

[Sharry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A middle grade book that really had me bawling at a certain point in the book. Charmingly told through a rabbit who lives in Milkweed Meadow - this is a book about standing up for what you believe in, standing up to family and their beliefs when they don’t align with yours, and accepting those that are different from you. Overall, it’s a story about breaking out of the norms that tells you “no” and changing history, whether it’s for you, your family, or a larger group.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Netgalley

A good choice for readers who want an updated book similar to Lawson's Rabbit Hill or Avi's Poppy and Rye series. Has a classic animal tale feel to it.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, I'll tell you the things I liked about this book.
1. I liked Butternut as a character, and the way she described having anxiety as her "worst fears manifesting as brambles growing in her brain." As someone with anxiety, I can confirm that it does feel like that.
2. I wish I had a friend like Piper the robin. Sure he encouraged Butternut to break the rules, but in doing so he also encouraged her to step out of her comfort zone. It's because of Piper's help that Butternut overcomes her anxiety. (Even though, the first scary thing she did was before she met him. The first scary thing she did was what lead her to meet him. Hahaha.)
3. One of the main themes of the story was finding courage/overcoming fears, and (spoiler alert) having rabbits and songbirds drag scary predators (the orphan coyotes) to the human home (an animal the rabbits, at least, are afraid of) makes a good climax for that particular theme. I do, however, have mixed feelings on the climax, which I will go into more details about.

Next let's talk about the things I didn't like. (I'm going to say I disliked these aspects of story; I just have mixed feelings.)
1. The story was ... predictable. (Spoilers ahead, I guess.) Oh, the matriarch of the rabbit colony (Grandmother Sage) has strict rules; something will happen at the end of the story to make her realize she's wrong. (Correct!) Oh, Piper the robin might be dead, but we don't have full confirmation; that means he's alive. (Correct!) Granted, it's a children's book, so maybe I should give it a pass on the predictability (you decide).
2. Although, I think it's reasonable that Grandmother Sage forbid Butternut and Goosegrass from taking the first road test after the indent with the comb, they didn't need to watch their siblings take it. Did they? It was only Nettle's litter taking the road test at that time. There is no reason Butternut and Goosegrass couldn't stayed in the borrow with their Grandma or one of their Aunts during the road test. Maybe this is just a personal problem. I wouldn't want to be forced to watch an activity I wasn't allowed to participate in. (Especially if merely watching said activity made me as nervous as the road test made Butternut.) I guess, the coyote showing up during the first road test was a major plot point, but Butternut would would have heard about that second-hand...or paw from one of her siblings anyway. No reason to make her watch the road test! Nettle and Sage could have at least given her and Goosegrass a choice.
3. Is this a racism allegory? Even if it's not the intention some people might read it this way. Don't get me wrong; there's nothing wrong with using animals for this topic. Until you introduce the predator-prey dynamic, that is! It's perfectly fine for a rabbit, a robin, and a deer to be friends, and maybe saving the coyote pups was the right thing to do. (They were babies who hadn't even opened their eyes yet.) However, Winsome the deer and Grandmother Sage, matriarch of the rabbit colony, were right in saying when these coyote pups grow up they will eat rabbits, robins, and deer. That being said, Butternut and Piper were also right in saying it would be wrong to let a bunch of babies starve to death when there's chance to save them. I guess with point number three, it really depends on what you take away. As I said before, it's a perfect climax for the courage aspect of the story. Even as way to say sometimes you need to decide what the right thing is on your own instead of blindly following the rules, it works! However, if you see it as a racism allegory, adding carnivores into the story doesn't work.

Overall good story. If you're looking for a story about rabbits, cute animals, or overcoming fears, you will probably like it.

[Thistle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Remarkable Rescue at Milkweed Meadow by Elaine Dimopoulos.

Quick synopsis : A young rabbit quietly struggles against her family's rules to make friends and to help others.

Plot : Butternut is born to a family of storytelling rabbits. Her "grandmother" had been a pet of humans, and so learned about the worth of storytelling. Once she got free, she taught her children and then their children the value of telling stories.

Butternut is a scared young rabbit. Her head is full of "brambles" (fears) instead of "milkweed" (smarts). But once she makes friends with a newly fledged robin chick (Piper), the two do more than anyone would expect.

The climax of the story comes when the pair has to save a litter of orphaned newborn coyote puppies. They rally all the animals of the meadow to succeed.

Writing/editing : This is an "early middle grade" book, and the writing showed. Very simple, very short chapters. Very short book overall. That's not to say it was bad, but the short length of the chapters was noticeable.

For as simple as the writing was, there was some interesting worldbuilding going on as well (like how robins get their names).

What I Liked/What I Didn’t Like : Because the story was so simple and uneventful, I almost DNFed it early on. The whole book was only a couple hours of reading time though, so I stuck it out, and by the end I was glad I had.

The animal characters were completely realistically animals. Though they did talk, everything else about them was perfectly animal. In other words, this is the exact kind of "talking animal" book I like.

It was really a quiet story though. What conflict and tension there was was more on a personal level than any world-changing stuff (which makes sense, since the main character is "just" a rabbit).

The only thing I disliked was the art style. Every couple chapters there was picture, but the style didn't work for me at all (it was even less good than the cover art). Since this book was published by Random House, this really surprised me.

Rating: 1-Hated / 2-Disliked / 3-Okay / 4-Liked / 5-Loved : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. 4 stars.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rather cute story and one that will be more attractive to young readers who haven't had a chance to enjoy such classics as Watership Down, Bambi and Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH as the story contains elements of each. As a result I couldn't help myself in trying to compare this book with those beloved titles while it wasn't good enough to rank up there with those Classics but nor is it bad enough to shelve away in the hopes of forgetting it.

Basically the narrator of the story is a young bunny who is part of a warren of bunnies that was made in part due to the events that happened to her grandmother in the past. As a result they take their cues to be educated, to be led by restrictive rules for their own good and to learn how to tell stories so that their truths can be told. But what is a truth when the fact that one species very much overlooks every other due to how they perceive them? And what is a truth when you are not willing to step out of your comfort zone to try the beliefs being passed down to you without knowing the full story?

The illustrations were far-and-few in this book while basic sketch illustrations that were cute at times. As a result some creative children may want to illustrate their book according to their own perceptions of the characters.

But in the end my biggest issue was the same mentioned fact that it did hold favorite elements from other stories but not in a strong enough way that it made the story as its own. As a result I kept finding myself wanting to compare the book with all those other ones that had already been cracked open thus not allowing myself to be able to immerse myself in Milkweed Meadow... (And why did we have to make "speciesism" so prominent in this modern book anyway?)

In the end this book will most likely be most attractive to younger readers who favor animal stories with charming yet relatable characters and to those seeking a partially quick adventure tale.

**I received a free copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**

[Shana OkieCozyReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, at 181 pages, is such a great middle grade read. I thought it was cute and funny, and tells the story of a rabbit Butternut, who kind of reminded me of Peter Rabbit. She is a little over adventurous and often goes beyond the area that is safe. Not for carrots, like Peter rabbit, but because she is curious and begins to care about other animals. There is adventure, with a sassy blue jay and a coyote, but it is a story of how animals come together. I loved the illustrations, by Caldecott winner Doug Salati!

“Our greatest fears can indeed come to life. And when we face them, they’re scary—but sometimes in a completely different way than we expected.” Ch 2

Remember this about milkwood:
“Most animals can’t eat milkweed, because its sap contains a poison—but monarch caterpillars can. When these caterpillars turn into butterflies, birds and other animals that would ordinarily love to chomp on insects avoid monarchs because the milkweed in their systems makes them toxic to eat.” Ch 3

“This was why Mother and Grandmother told us to use our milkweed, keep our heads down, and concern ourselves with rabbit affairs.” Ch 4

“Sometimes it is a little gift to discover that a listener already knows a story you intend to share.” Ch 10

“But I knew what it felt like to have sisters and brothers, who stood by me even if they didn’t always understand me. And now I had two good friends. I’d never really thought about how every day of his life, Blue…had no one.” Ch 16

“Even if he has a tiny treasure box of goodness, the rest of him has been filled with mold and grime for years.” Ch 16

Loved this so much:
“I wish things had turned out differently.
There’s a twist here. It changes the climax of my story.
Maybe you saw it coming, and maybe you didn’t. It depends on how many stories you’ve read. And whether you like to make predictions, or to hand control over to the storyteller and let her float you along the river of her tale.
Narrative twists are fun because they surprise and unsettle you.” Ch 20

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

First sentence: Everyone in Milkweed Meadow still talks about the rescue, and if you stop hopping around like a kit that's found a banana slice, I'll tell you the story. Mother encourages strong beginnings. "Snare them!" she says. It's a joke--we rabbits are terrified of snares, me more than most. But I suppose that's what a good story does. It digs into your skin like a silver wire and holds you in its grasp.

Premise/plot: Butternut, a timid, anxious rabbit, befriends Piper, a robin, and Winsome, a fawn. These three unlikely friends enjoy life to the fullest...but when they come across abandoned coyote pups, this friendship is threatened. Can these three friends help the little ones knowing that when they grow up, they will be prey?

My thoughts: My summary was unfair. Butternut is a WONDERFUL, AMAZING storyteller. She has a way with words. She knows how to HOOK or snare readers. She kept me turning pages. I, well, I went straight to the point. Something Butternut wouldn't approve. I loved this one so much. The writing was incredible. I loved each character's voice. I really felt there was substance and depth to this story. It was a compelling read. It has its intense moments. But it was lovely and delightful.

Quote:

Now that this tale is well underway, you’re probably thinking that it’s going to be about my friendship with Piper. We meet on the lawn. He reports on his morning aerial excursions, I tell dinner stories, and around and around we go.
Mother would call that a boring second act.
Fortunately that’s not what’s coming next. Yes, the story is about Piper and the part we both played in the rescue. But our friendship includes someone else too. This means there’s another character for you to meet. And characters are like bananas: if they’re good, you can never have too many. I like to think that new characters represent new perspectives—and that their flaws remind us of our own.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed how it focuses on storytelling and elements of what makes a good story! A bully is also won over by kindness and friendship. The story is engaging and the animal characters are likable, but I think there were missteps in the morals communicated.

Butternut the bunny lives in a burrow with her cautious family - they have many rules to keep them safe (and alive). Butternut struggles with anxiety, but she makes friends with a robin and a fawn. The animals generally keep to their own kind, but the younger ones start to see that they could help each other and be friends.

This setup could lead to themes like teamwork, friendship, bravery, and overcoming prejudice. However, the author instead displays a skewed version of bravery for a cause that is… foolish, or at least illogical. While pushing against old traditions is sometimes understandable or even the right course of action, this book executes the concept poorly.

The robin tells Butternut that rules can’t keep her safe (which is sort of true in some ways, but also very much not in others). They choose to break rules, sneak about at night, and eventually involve other animals in a mission to rescue coyote pups.

It doesn’t make sense for bunnies to put themselves in danger to save coyotes who will grow up to hunt them. It would have made for a much stronger story to have the bunnies fear an animal that isn’t actually dangerous, and then overcome various misunderstandings and prejudices / attempt to save them. But to have young animals decide the old traditions and rules are wrong and can’t keep them safe, while working toward a foolhardy mission, is not compelling.

In terms of content, there are a few sad or scary situations.
-A blue jay bully eats a robin’s egg and this horrifies the other creatures.
-A coyote is killed by a car on the road. There are descriptions of blood and fur, and an animal has scary nightmares afterward.
-There are a couple of night scenes where owls are nearby or try to attack.

[Jasen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely ending. Not as good as “Cress Watercress” but a nice little summer read aloud.

“When he discovered is on freedom, Twain begin sprinting around the long, running up and down tree trunks, and shaking his patchy tail.
Breathing hard, he returned to the holly bush in suprised, Goosegrass and me by kissing her cheeks. Being touched by a creature other than a rabbit felt mostly nice, and only a tiny bit dangerous. He was a sweet thing.” P.24

“I don’t know if there was some residue of righteous indignation in my head, but in that moment it didn’t seem quite fair that there were certain truths we couldn’t tell. I knew Grandmother wanted to protect us, but with silencing my story, the way to go about it? Truth is truth, wasn’t it ?” P.39

“I wish things had turned out differently.
There’s a twist here. It changes the climax of my story.
Maybe you saw it coming, and maybe you didn’t. It depends on how many stories you’ve read. And whether you like to make predictions, or to hand control over to a storyteller, and let her float you along the river off her tale.
Narrative twists are fun, because they surprise and unsettled you. And believe me, the climax – the rescue had sent all of Milkweed Meadow, abuzz, is still excited. Perhaps even more exciting than it would have been.” P.135

“Not a fan of owls. Sneaky beasts,” said Blue. He scratched the ground with his foot. “Plus, if the silly one got eaten, the storytelling one would tell only boo-boo sad stories in the meadow. Boring, is my opinion.” P.154

[Diana Renn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my heart. This book! It has all the makings of a classic, and reminded me of my very favorite animal books that I read as a child. Elaine Dimopoulos tells a fast-moving yet layered story about Butternut the rabbit, who works through his anxieties (the "brambles") and his family's admonitions about keeping to themselves, and gradually connects with other creatures in Milkweed Meadow. With the help of new friends, he eventually executes a rescue operation that is truly, well, remarkable. (Butternut, a storyteller in a warren of storytelling rabbits, would approve of my decision to not give away the details!) I love how this story doesn't shy away from hard realities and peril -- there is a road nearby, and predators exist in the forest. Even sad things can happen in the meadow. But ultimately this story celebrates the interconnectedness of every living creature in and around the meadow, including the humans in the house and the "little female human" who writes her own stories in the window. It's truly an ecosystem. I can't think of a better book to gently get readers into a conservation mindset while telling a page-turning tale. The voice is pitch perfect, and I collected advice about storytelling along the way from the little seeds of writing craft advice that Dimopoulos tucks in for us to find. A celebration of curiosity and compassion, and an absolute must-read for any animal lover.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Remarkable Rescue at Milkweed Meadow
By Elaine Dimopoulos

Overall, I enjoyed this book but I found it hard to get into in the beginning. The story follows a rabbit named Butternut who loves to tell stories to her family but is afraid of adventure. This all changes when she has to climb a trellis to get her grandmother's prized possession that was stolen by a mean bluejay. There she meets a robin named Piper and they become friends against her mother’s and grandmother’s warnings to stick to her own kind, meaning only rabbits. As Piper and Butternut go on more adventures, including meeting an injured deer who literally crashed through the roof of the burrow, Butternut begins to realize life is better when you expand your circle around you.

The second half of the book focuses on Butternut and Piper performing a daring rescue plan with the help of all the other animals in Milkweed Meadow for creatures they never thought they would want to help save. This is the part of the book that I enjoyed the most. It really picked up the pace and was more action packed.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Elaine Dimopoulous, and Charlesbridge Publishing for allowing me to read this advanced copy of The Remarkable Rescue at Milkweed Meadow! Also, the illustrations by Doug Salati are absolutely adorable and very detailed!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elaine Dimopoulos gives readers this wonder of a tale of a young rabbit, Butternut, and her siblings who are protected by Grandmother Sage's experiences from her own life when she made her escape from being caged. It's Butternut's strong voice that tells this heartfelt story of her own "brambles" of worry. She knows that the family's power, termed "milkweed" like butterflies eat, is their brainpower. They must follow certain rules to stay safe. But when the bully Bluejay eats one of the robin's eggs, Butternut becomes a true friend to Piper, a later baby that hatched, and they find ways to overcome fear and the old rules to both help a baby fawn who broke its leg and eventually realize that all the forest animals working together makes their world a better place to live. Butternut is one who tells stories to her family and her voice telling of this specific adventure is strong and delightful, especially with energetic Piper adding in her own opinion of how the world could (should) be. Other characters enter into the plot, too, which deepens the story of a rescue that Butternut would previously never imagined possible, including a human girl. It's a book that will be special to read aloud, to talk of connections to our own human experiences. A map and a few other illustrations by Doug Salati enhance the story!
Thanks to Charlesbridge for this copy!

[Julie Failla Earhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll admit it; I’m a sucker for books about animals. Especially rabbits. That love has nothing to do with that five pounds of fluff I have at home (And she’ll never forgive me if I don’t mention that her name is Gracie.).

Butternut is the main protagonist of this little tale of friendship and bravery---and storytelling. She lives in a burrow with her mother, grandmother and nine siblings. Every day Mother gives lessons to her babies and every night one of the bunnies takes a turn telling a story. But the most important lessons Mother teaches are the ones that will keep them alive.

The rabbit family seldom ventures too far from its burrow on the edge of the meadow, where the bunnies fill their stomachs with the variety of grasses growing there. One day, Butternut witnesses Blue, a bully of blue jay, steal an egg from Mother and Father FirstFledge Robin’s nest.

After the remainder of the eggs hatch, Butternut becomes fast friends with a spunky little guy named Piper. Piper encourages Butternut to become braver, to not worry so much about keeping to herself as Mother taught her, and the two of them begin to help other forest animals.

The story is fast-paced and fun. Doug Salati’s illustration help bring the story to life. I cannot wait to get copies for the granddaughters! The Remarkable Rescue at Milkweed Meadow receives 5 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can imagine The remarkable Rescue at Milkweed Meadow growing into a Children's classic. The book does not contain a lot of flash. In fact the illustrations were simple, but effective in telling the story. The main reason I like to review children’s literature is the lesson taught within the story. This story teaches humanity and exception to all creatures, including humans. Milkweed Meadow was a community of a warren of bunnies, grandma was the leader of the group and her stories were entertaining and educational, one of her most important lessons Grandma taught,most animals cannot eat Milkweed, and Milkweed was brainpower.
The conclusion was sweet and wrapping and the story and a beautiful study of kindness and community.
The book would be attractive to young readers and a wonderful book to read aloud. I could easily have compared to such classics as Mrs. Frisby and the rats of NIMH, and Bambi.
Thank you Elain Dimopoulos, Doug Salati illustration, and Published by Charlesbridbe for the privilege of reading the novel in exchange I have written an honest review.

[Emily Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book about courage, compassion, and storytelling. "Sometimes we have to rethink the villains and heroes in our stories". This was absolutely amazing. Proof that good books exist across age levels. A well paced, beautiful tale and incredible writing that is a perfect middle-grade read while also encouraging new vocabulary.

The book is about Butternut, an anxious rabbit who lives in a burrow with her large rabbit family. We learn about her family’s tradition of storytelling and how they believe in the power of stories, and we also learn about Butternut's family tradition of "sticking to your own kind" versus her growing desire to help other creatures in need.

This is a novel that has adventure and blends a cozy story about animals with the realistic challenges that they face. This is the book I will be doing next for the 4th Grade Book Club I lead for work, and I am so excited to get started with them because this was just so good.

[Victoria Whipple · Rating 4 out of 5]

Butternut is a young rabbit and a storyteller. She comes from a long tradition of storytelling, and possesses a real gift. (Dimopoulos also gives the reader some explicit tips and tricks for story writing/telling throughout the novel). She also has a sense of adventure, despite her fears, and loves her home on the edge of the meadow. She's friends with most of the small creatures of air and land who live there and has a sympathetic heart. Her creativity and bravery initiate the remarkable rescue that unites the meadow inhabitants in ways they might not have imagined without her. The story is told much in the way Buttercup and her family tell stories in the root room of their warren, making it an excellent choice for a read aloud. Ocaissional sketches by Salati are welcome embellishments to Butternut's story. Recommended gr. 2-6

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was a cute story reminding me of Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. A family of rabbits learning and knowing the dangers of the outside world. Told from the pov of Butternut, he tells of his life. When he befriends of robin and then a wounded deer he sets in motion things that puts his family and others in danger.

This wasn’t a long story, 192 pages. There were a smattering of sketched illustrations (I would have loved to see more) and vivid descriptions . Geared for the middle grade reader it’s a story of friendship, adventure and family. There are lessons to be learned and some interesting nature facts to gleen.

My thanks to Charlesbridge for a digitial arc (via Netgalley) in exchange for a honest review.