Review by Booklist Review
An apple falling from a tree gets a fresh, Newton-free context in this rhyming picture book. A group of bunnies are lounging about when an apple snaps off a branch and plunges into a lake. They skitter off in fear of the Terrible PLOP, warning the rest of the forest animals in their path. When they come upon an unflappable bear and warn him of the dire circumstances, he demands to see what the fuss is all about. He snatches up the ittiest bunny and marches back to the lake, where another apple sends him off like a frightened rab uh, bear. Basic, fun rhymes and repetitive, excitable text lend themselves to reading aloud, and the recurring appearance of the word PLOP provides an explosive entree for children to chime in while soaking up Joyner's bouyant mixed-media artwork. In addition, kids will appreciate the easy absurdity of the situation, enjoy the role-reversal in the end, and maybe even come away knowing that most things aren't so scary once you look a little closer.--Chipman, Ian Copyright 2009 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
When they hear a terrifying "PLOP!" six little rabbits that have been peacefully munching chocolate cake and carrots by the lake end up initiating animal mass hysteria a la Henny Penny. Newcomer Joyner's cartoonish illustrations are full of melodramatic action as the entire forest of panicked animals runs from a foe they've never seen. Dubosarsky's (Rex) reworking of a Tibetan story is full of sure-footed rhythm and rhymes that repeat words without becoming stale ("They do not stay./ They do not stop./ They run run run/ From the Terrible PLOP"). Even the biggest bear in the forest is eventually fooled-only the reader and "the littlest rabbit/ with the littlest hop" discover that the ominous sound is nothing but an apple falling from an overhanging tree into the lake. This talented Australian duo builds the suspense to just the right pitch, skillfully focusing the story on the smallest rabbit. Despite its fears, the rabbit ends up enjoying some more cake by the shore as it concludes that "All this running/ Should really stop.../ Who's afraid/ Of a silly old PLOP?" Ages 3-6. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-In this Australian import, some things aren't as scary as they seem. The story is told in rhyme, with mixed-media cartoon illustrations. "Six little rabbits/Down by the lake/Munching on carrots/And chocolate cake" hear a mysterious, frightening "Plop" in the water. Five of them flee the forest, and are soon followed by an illogical assortment of animals, including a goose, antelope, leopard, moose, and pig. A big brown bear, infuriated at the thought of a creature more fearsome than he, bullies the littlest, stay-behind rabbit into showing him where this Terrible PLOP is. It proves to be only an apple falling into the lake from a nearby tree, yet the bear, too, unaccountably runs off in terror, and the rabbit happily returns to munching cake, carrots, and apples. Children would love the repetition of the word "PLOP," but the pedestrian story line, bland rhyming text, and mediocre artwork add up to a less-than-satisfying offering.-Kathleen Finn, St. Francis Xavier School, Winooski, VT (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
(Preschool) A toe-tapping rhyming text and cartoon illustrations of personality-rich but uncute animals combine in this Chicken Little variant from Australia. An apple falling into a lake sparks mass hysteria as forest animals, big and small, join the rabbits as they flee from the mysterious Plop. A big brown bear appears as the voice of reason, but he too is infected with the craziness, and it remains for the littlest rabbit to calm down and finally identify the Plop. This is classic picture book fare with a circular plot (beginning and ending with chocolate cake), rhythms that do not falter, dynamic type design, perfectly choreographed page turns, the triumph of the under-rabbit, pictures full of details to notice and discuss, and the great satisfaction of being smarter than the characters themselves. Simple rhyming words -- plop, stop, hop -- invite the emerging reader to jump in. Jaunty drawings with a touch of collage demonstrate that even a cloud of dust can have the presence of a character. Make room on the preschool storytime shelf. From HORN BOOK, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
"Six little rabbits / Down by the lake / Munching on carrots / And chocolate cake"until they hear a dreadful plop! And with that, the bunnies are off and running, and so is Dubosarsky's humorous tale. A cavalcade of creaturesfrom forest and jungle to grassland and farmjoin the fear-mongering rabbits in trying to escape the plop. All flee, except the big brown bear. With his grizzly attitude, he coerces the littlest rabbit into taking him to see the monstrous thing. But when the plop reappears, the macho bear hightails it away, leaving the bunnywho discovers the plop's sourcewith the last laugh. Joyner, whose illustrations are reminiscent of '50s-style American animation, turns the story from playful to downright hilarious. Delectable pictures of cake are collaged into large swaths of color; mixed-media use of fur lends texture to the artwork, with all held together by crisp, fluid line work. Based on a cumulative folktale, this lively story reassures readers that things are not always as scary as they may seemand is guaranteed to see many multiple readings. "Again!" (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
