The Last Rabbit

by Shelley Moore Thomas

A modern fairytale about sisterhood, forgiveness, and redemption in the vein of The Girl Who Drank the Moon and The One and Only Ivan.Off the coast of Ireland, on the island of Hybrasil, lives a Magician and four enchanted rabbit sisters. One by one, the rabbits have been leaving the island, accompanied by a Boy and his boat. When the rabbits leave, they can turn back into girls. The last rabbit, Albie, remains. She doesn't want to leave, but the island is sinking. Before deciding where she wants to go, Albie visits each of her sisters. Caragh has joined a circus. Isolde is the captain of a pirate ship. And Rory wants to go home to the family's house in Cork. Through many furry twists and hoppity turns, we learn how one mistake can lead to many consequences, and that forgiveness and family are always within reach.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Fiction, Animals, Magic, Audiobook, Ireland

278 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 9, 2021

Reviews

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a spell goes wrong, young Albie changes herself and her three older sisters into rabbits. They're all living on a magical island with a magician, after their mother and father were killed during WWII. The island is sinking into the ocean, and there's no way to prevent it, but Albie is desperate to find a way. Albie also wants to reunite with her sisters, who have all since chosen to leave the island.
When she finally leaves the island with a boy who is the son of a ferryman, she has numerous adventures, including an experiencing an explosive time at a circus, travelling underwater, and coming across air pirates.
This is a sweet story about family, learning to let go and forgiveness. And the illustrations are pretty cute, too.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens when you try to bring your mother back to life, and instead turn your sisters and you into rabbits.

That is the story of the last rabbit, on a magical island that rises and falls with the centuries. It sometimes appears on maps, and sometimes it doesn't, and that is where the magician lives with his rabbits, until there is only one left.

This is the story of family, and how to stay together withs family, if you can. In between there is a circus and air pirates, and the sun of the ferry man to death. All good clean fun.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[A.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know those books that just have a classic, timeless feel? THE LAST RABBIT is one of them, and I already see it enchanting kids for generations. It's completely wonderful.

The narrative follows eleven-year-old Albie, the youngest of four sisters-turned-rabbits, and the only one left of them on a sinking enchanted island that Albie doesn't want to leave (for reasons I won't name to avoid getting spoilery). But leave Albie must if she wants to fulfill her destiny, find her sisters, and bring what's left of their family together. Albie travels with the Boy, who has ferried each one of her sisters off the island in turn. They retrace the Boy's steps through time and different dimensions.

Moore Thomas's writing style is effortless and accessible. And Albie will leave a rabbit-shaped imprint on readers' hearts long after they get to the end of her story.

[Erica Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review: The Last Rabbit

I love this cover❤🐇📚

I really enjoyed this book.

The Last Rabbit is a #juniorfiction about four sisters who were transformed into rabbits on a magical, sinking island. 🏝

It is an artsy, whimsical story with unexpected turns. 🎨🔮

Favorite quote from the book: "When you hear the truth and feel it and know it's real, everything else falls into place."❤

[Paul Sheckarski · Rating 2 out of 5]

Scattered, unfocused, merely sentimental.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. First off, while this fantasy allegory - rife with imagination and whimsy, is not nearly so heavy-handed, nor as long as either The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland or The Girl Who Drank the Moon. (The books it is compared to in the blurbs.) Those comparisons had scared me off as I found both books interminable and far more concerned with conveying adult wisdom than with telling a story a child would want to read. I can actually imagine reading The Last Rabbit aloud to to a second or third grader or offering it as a self-read to 3rd-5th.
During an alternate-reality WW2, four orphaned Irish sisters are placed on a magical, sinking island, where the youngest sister inadvertently turns them all into rabbits. Each must be separately conveyed by a boy and a boat from the island to find her destiny, where upon rabbit transforms back into a girl. The last rabbit is Albie, who doesn't want any more changes and is deeply invested in reuniting what is left of her family and making a life together in their old cottage in Cork. There are mysteries and threats and lots of odd encounters with magical beings and other talking animals that offer plenty of opportunities for bravery and humor. The themes of family and independence are explored but don't overwhelm the adventure, which walks just on the edge of becoming distractingly fey. What grounds it is the clear voice and solid presence of Albie.
Adding relatable resonance to the magical adventure are Albie's frustrations with her sisters, herself and the unkind vagaries of fortune. The theme of guilt and self-recrimination are happily expressed more subtly and magically than the ubiquitous mid-grade refrain of 'it's all my fault.' I wish the subtlety had continued through the end without the bald explication of exactly what the howl was, but at least the language was clear and brief and there were no cringe-worthy ruminations on girl power or following your passion.
What I didn't love were the illustrations. Too often the rabbits looked more like mice or baby kangaroos or some saccharinized bush baby. The twig bridge, which sounded quite cool, was the dullest drawn structure I can remember. The image where Albie is caught in a whirlpool has a entirely unconvincing arm that makes no anatomical sense as part of Albie's body. For quite a while I expected the text to explain it as belonging to the boy or the grandfather. I also did not love the rabbit-Albie declaiming early on that she loved all vegetables: radishes, peas... except of course broccoli, "Everyone knows broccoli is stupid. Why it even exists, I don't know." Now if a reader, like I, has ever grown vegetables in the presence of rabbits, they will be pulled right out of the story and shout 'Poppycock!' It is almost impossible to grow broccoli precisely because EVERYTHING wants to eat it. It is the first thing rabbits go for when they find their way through the fence. Radishes, on the other hand, they leave alone. This anti-broccoli sentiment smacked of currying favor with children, rather than adding realistic details to develop the character of a girl turned rabbit.

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the deaths of their magician mother and pilot father in WWII London, Albie and her three sisters are sent to an enchanted sinking island, to live with the Magician. Soon after, Albie’s magical attempt to bring her mother back turns the girls into rabbits, an occurrence that can only be reversed by each leaving the island. One by one, they must willingly head out to discover their destinies.

[Hazel (and Nutsy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book! I love how at the beginning we have one view about some of the side characters like the Boy, and by the end we have a totally different opinion on them. It is a touching story with a wonderful ending and just the right amount of good and bad things that happen. The characters are very well written, and there was lots of suspense in this creative story!

[Michelle Nakagawa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A magical story of family and the search for your true destiny. My daughter and I really enjoyed reading this together.

[A.J. Irving · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am wild about books that surprise me. This one is filled with so many unexpected turns. And magic. So much magic! Albie and her three sisters are sent to the mysterious island Hybrasil after their parents die in WWII. When the girls are transformed into rabbits, a Boy is tasked with ferrying them across the sea one-by-one to their chosen destinies so they can turn back into girls. Children will adore the fascinating characters. A magician. A sluagh. Kelpies. And my favorite, the sea (she is a beautiful poet!) The breathtaking language, charming illustrations, and intriguing storyline will delight middle grade readers as they go on a fantastic adventure in THE LAST RABBIT by Shelley Moore Thomas. Highly recommend!

[Luci Arbon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful story of four sisters who have to make a new home in the world, and Albie has to learn to forgive herself or else all will be lost!

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had so much potential. It was still fairly good, don’t get me wrong, but I feel like it had the potential to be phenomenal. There were just too pieces that didn’t quite make sense.

[Caroline Mickey · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good story told poorly. I had trouble finishing it, and I was listening to it.

[Susan Chaltain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute story about 4 girl rabbits finding their destiny.

[Kenya Starflight · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like stories based on mythology, but I had no idea this book was based on Irish folklore until I got to the afterword. I mostly picked it up because it looked like it had a charming premise. And for the most part, that's what it is -- charming, warm, and cute, even if not all of its elements gel together in a cohesive whole.

On a magical island lives a magician and four rabbits -- but these aren't ordinary rabbits, but four human sisters transformed by magic! One by one the rabbits have left the island, to find their destinies and be transformed back into human girls... but Albie is now the only rabbit left. And she knows the awful truth -- that the island is sinking, and the magician's life is in danger. So instead of seeking her destiny, she sets out to find her sisters and reunite them once again to stop the island from falling into the sea, and save the magician who took care of them.

There's a lot of charm to this story, in the rabbit sisters and the magical elements. Albie is a feisty character, and the world she travels is magical and full of wonder. The themes throughout the story of family, forgiveness, and how small actions can have big consequences. I also appreciated seeing many bits of Irish folklore woven into the story, even if some of them weren't obvious until I got to the afterword.

Not all the elements gel together terribly well, though. The bit about alternate worlds and a reverse-London with flying airships feels like it was ripped out of another book entirely, and some elements get introduced only to be dropped without being resolved. Also, despite Albie insisting that each sister has her own personality, all the sisters seem to be pretty interchangeable. And the Boy, an important character, doesn't get much development despite having a story arc to himself.

The illustrations of this story are also cute... but sometimes it feels like the illustrator didn't read the final draft of the book, because characters in said illustrations don't always match their descriptions in the book.

Despite its flaws, The Last Rabbit is a cute read, and will probably appeal to kids. And kudos for shining a light on Irish mythology and Ireland's contributions to WWII as well.

[Zoe Kaylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Rabbit is a heartwarming and magical middle grade novel steeped in Celtic folklore about the importance of family, sisterhood, and forgiveness. After their parents died, Albie and her sisters ended up on the lost, magical island of Hybrasil as rabbits in the care of an old magician. But the island is sinking and Albie's sisters have all sailed away one by one of the Boy's boat and left Albie on the island to find their destinies. The Boy is back and offers to help Albie find her destiny and become a human girl again, but Albie just wants to stay on the island with her vegetables and the magician. In order to save the island Albie must leave and search out her sisters, but this may take more courage than she thinks.

I loved this book so much. It was a perfect mix of heartwarming lessons and humor in a magical, atmospheric setting. The illustrations are mimalistic, so beautiful, and I think they capture the spirit of the story so well! For me The Last Rabbit transcends age and has something for everyone at every age, and the "lessons" are without judgement, handled softly, and honestly really applicable to everyone, not just middle graders. I will definitely be buying this book to have on my shelf and for my sister. 5 stars, highly recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley and to Random House and Wendy Lamb Books for a free review copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and ratings are my own.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Magician and four enchanted rabbit siblings, sisters of various ages, once lived on an island called Hybrasil, which is slowly but steadily sinking into the sea. But one by one, the older sisters disappeared, caught by a boy who puts them in his boat and takes them somewhere. The youngest rabbit, Albie, is the only one rabbit left on the island, and she is wily enough to escape the clutches of her captor. But as it turns out, she might want to join him because that is surely the only way for her to transform into a girl again. But Albie has a couple of tasks she must accomplish before she can even consider leaving the island, and she's carrying great guilt for something she did long ago which resulted in the predicament she and her sisters are in. The author's use of simple language lulls readers into a sense of peacefulness as they read the story and hope that Albie will be able to put things right. Although the ending seemed a bit rushed for my taste and the mysteries behind the girls' becoming rabbits explained too quickly, it's easy to empathize with Albie. For anyone with a sister, it won't come as a surprise that sisters stick together even when their destinies are different and that they are able to forgive one another for some of the worst actions. This book won't be for every reader, but for those who are charmed by magic, it will fit the bill.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

When is a rabbit not a rabbit? When she's one of four sisters turned into rabbits when the youngest tries to bring their deceased mother back to life. "The Last Rabbit," by Shelley Moore Thomas, is set on the mythical island of Hybrasil during World War II. Albie and her sisters were sent there after the deaths of their RAF pilot father and their mother. The four rabbits are cared for by The Magician, but one-by-one, the girls leave the island in the company of the mysterious Boy, until only Albie is left. She will need to leave soon, because the island is sinking, but can she trust the Boy?

Albie explores the island, including going over a forbidden bridge where she finds something she thought lost forever. She also hears The Howler, and worries that it somehow is causing the island to sink. Somehow, she must find the courage to reunite her family and save the island.

The story is lyrical and the illustrations by Julie Mellan are wonderful. The personality of the characters shines through in both word and picture. Albie is an engaging heroine, and has a strong and authentic voice. Middle-schoolers will enjoy Albie's wit and strength and admire her determination to make her own future.

Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Random House Children's in exchange for my honest review.

[Myarn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Last Rabbit by Shelly Moore Thomas 4 stars

The Last Rabbit is the title and literally the title character of this book. The Last Rabbit on the island of Hybrasil (a secret island near Ireland) is the narrator of the this book. Four girls are sent to this island after being orphaned by the war (World War II). None of them are happy at being sent to the middle of nowhere and cared for by a man they have never met. Something happens and the four girls are transformed into rabbits by a magic spell. In order to circumvent the spell, the Boy must ferry one rabbit at a time, to a place of their choosing. Upon arrival, the rabbit will be transformed back into a girl. Albie, the last rabbit and the youngest needs to leave because the island of Hybrasil is sinking into the sea.

This is a wonderful book, filled with adventure and scary events. The illustrations by Julie Mellan are whimsical and engaging - every rabbit has an expression. Albie is a stubborn, brave and persistent little rabbit. This is a story of mistakes made, redemption found and getting on with the journey that is life. I look forward to seeing what this author will do next.

[Nancy Villalobos · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I wasn’t always a rabbit—that much I can tell you.” With that intriguing first line, Shelley Moore Thomas draws her middle-grade readers into an Irish fantasy set on the enchanted sinking island of Hybrasil. We meet Albie, the last of the three sisters who turned into rabbits to save the island. The enigmatic Boy and his magical boat have ferried her sisters to their chosen destinations in the human world. Now it’s her turn. The Boy reveals the fate of her sisters in three fantasy-filled chapters. In between stories, Albie discovers the surprising identity of The Magician, who holds the secret to her past. She seeks counsel from The Sea, who speaks to her in verse, and discovers that family is always near. Albie’s quest to determine her destiny before the island sinks forever will appeal to young readers who enjoy make-believe with strong female characters. The physical book is beautifully crafted, with charming illustrations of the rabbit sisters in each chapter.
I am a huge fan of Shelley Moore Thomas, and this latest addition to her middle-grade list is decidedly her best.

[Angela Kidd Shinozaki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more than I did. It seemed so charming and had so much potential to become an instant classic, but it just falls short of other iconic rabbit stories. It felt too scattered and like a lot of random subplots and little mini stories were thrown together that didn’t really go together. There are also some disturbing parts near the end with the witch lady and the birds that I don’t think are appropriate for the age range that is probably targeted. The illustrations were also a bit too realistic for me. I enjoyed the main character’s dedication, resilience, and quest. The whole setup just seemed a bit odd. The parts with the ocean mother and poetry were lovely. But I’m not sure who I would recommend this to. It does allude to Narnia in terms of children being sent away during war to keep them safe. In that sense, you can identify with this need for magic and finding your own place in a world that is sometimes nonsensical. But I’m a little surprised the kids each took off instead of staying together.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from Random House Children's through NetGalley.
A tale that transports readers to a mystical island off of Ireland's coast. As any good legend should, the book opens with a poem sharing the seeds of mystery and magic. A young rabbit tells about her life and how she came to be on Hybrasil Island. She and her sisters arrived during the war to be protected and cared for by the sole resident - the Magician. Each of the sisters leaves the island to seek her destiny and return to being a human girl. Albie is the last one and resists leaving. Readers see this world through her eyes and come to understand the magic and adventure involved as she reveals more about herself and how the four came to be rabbits and how magic has intertwined with their lives.
A fantasy with enough adventure and sadness to appeal to a broad spectrum of middle grade readers. They will join the voyage and see themselves somewhere in one of the characters.

[Amy Sutton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Four rabbits (who used to be girls) and a magician live on the sinking island of Hybrasil. The first three sisters were ferried away to safety one by one by a boy on a magical boat who took them to the destination of their dreams. The fourth rabbit, Albie, is not as easily convinced to leave.

This book is about family, hope, magic, and the significance of allowing yourself to feel complex emotions. It has the feel of a whimsical classic and modern fairy tales like The Girl Who Drank the Moon.

I was confused for the first quarter of this book, though. This is a fantasy that throws you into the middle of the story and reveals how you got there slowly. Even then, some of the magical elements and solutions are presented as "just because"... this book would be good for those 3rd-5th grade readers who want whimsical fairy tale fantasy but may not be ready for the complexity of a whole series.

[Jester · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this years ago and dropped it a few chapters in, but I’ve decided to give it a second chance.

The premise of the book is still nonsensical when the story is not trying to be that way. Only when the boy sails the rabbits off the island and accompanies them to their destinies do they turn back into girls. It sounds silly, but it’s not a humorous book. That was my only fuss about it.

I did like the characters. Throughout the book, I kept picturing Albie as a cute bunny, hopping along the adventure as if she were human. The sisters were interesting and unique. The others went their own ways and had their own goals, but they still loved one another.

This was a fantasy adventure, but along the journey, despite the conflicts the characters faced, there was a warmth to the tale.

Note: Using new rating system starting 2025.

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this story on audiobook and was unexpectedly captivated.

It is the whimisical tale of four sisters, magically transformed into rabbits and sent to live on the mysterious island of Hybrasil, with an even more mysterious magician.

One at a time the rabbits are removed from the island by a boy and his boat. They can choose wherever they want to go in space or time, whereupon they can turn back into girls.

Albie is the last rabbit left and she is resisting leaving... but when she finds out some previously unknown truths she heads off in search of her three sisters, Caragh, Isolde and Rory, each of whom have chosen very different lives.

The plot moves at pace and there are some dark twists and turns along the way that kept me hooked in.
This is going to appeal to lovers of both fantasies and adventures and it would make a good readaloud as well.

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is divided into 3 parts. The first part was so charming! Orphaned sisters who have been turned into rabbits, a mysterious island with a boat ferrying away the rabbits one by one to an unknown location, and a kind, old magician who can cast spells but seems unable to change the rabbits back into girls. The second part was...not so great. The story splinters into several tales, there are new characters and new magic, and the stories felt very meandering. I just wasn't interested anymore. The book picks back up in part 3, but at that point I just wanted to finish. The best parts of the book were the details about what it's like to be a rabbit, and the reflections on longing and loss and hope. But the plot was too unfocused and trying to do too much for me to give it more than 3 stars. (11-yr-old daughter more or less agreed).

[Jessica Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've adored the work of Shelley Moore Thomas for years, from her picture books to her middle grade novels. I was so excited when I heard about her newest book, and it did not disappoint! I've never read anything quite like it, and I'm still wrapping my head around how exactly SMT crafted this tale. I was captivated by the lovely writing, the setting, the realistic sister interactions, and the main character, Albie. Her longing to keep what's left of her family together is admirable, palpable, heartwarming, and heartbreaking. Though I don't share any of Albie's personal history, I felt a familiar ache while reading the story, remembering a time in my life when everyone was growing up and I very much wanted things to stay just as they were.

[Victoria Whipple · Rating 5 out of 5]

Albie and her three sisters came to live on the magical island of Hybrasil after war time tragedies claimed both of their parents. But why were they brought there? How did they turn into rabbits in the first place, and can they turn back into human girls? Shelley Moore Thomas takes inspiration from Irish lore about the magical island to create an enchanting story of four girls who were turned into rabbits and their journeys to try to become girls again, and to reunite what is left of their family. The main action is interspersed with tales of the individual's adventures apart from the group, giving depth to each character. Especially enchanting is the sea, and the poems she shares and inspires. Highly recommended gr. 2-6

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hybrasil is a magical island. On it live 4 sisters and a magician. Now the sisters have been enchanted and turned into rabbits - one by one they leave the island to find their destiny, and then they will be able to turn back into girls. The last rabbit - Albie, wishes to visit each of her sisters before she decides, and must face real enemies who threaten her sisters, and internal struggles as she tries to right some wrongs along the way.

The time period is WWII, not necessarily relevant in the magical world, but helps tie a lot of the story together. Engaging and exciting - practically an epic adventure as Albie finds her sisters in a circus, their family home, and there's even pirates! Julie Mellan's illustrations are so cute.

Cross posted to http://kissthebook.blogspot.com

[Ashley Dang · Rating 4 out of 5]

A girl who turned herself and her sisters into rabbits and lives on a sinking island must go on an adventure to not only save her island but to find her destiny. The story follows Albie, and she is the last of her sisters who is on the magivcal island of Hybrasil. The island is sinking and the Magician who lives there can’t save it. Albie must leave the island and find her destiny, and hopefully reunite with her sisters and find forgiveness. It’s a truly magical and sweet story. I had a lot of fun reading it and there were even illustrations along the chapters!

*Thank you Netgalley and Random House Children's for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*