Review by Booklist Review
The aptly named Newbie is a rescue bunny in training. Under the tutelage of her grizzled superiors, she has aced all prerequisites but one: the dreaded Field Test. One day, the alarm blares: a giraffe is in trouble! It's an adorable leap of kid logic (of course bunnies rescue giraffes) that ends with the crew freeing a giraffe from mud before hyenas descend. Menchin's cartoon art is as sharply lined and colorful as they come, and he makes fine use of the infinite African horizon. His bunnies look hilariously grave as they rush around in safety helmets; the most amusing moment comes when the junior member grits her teeth in grim determination: Newbie pulls herself together. Cronin's story feels like an actual story, complete with mini plot arcs, fast parts, slow parts, and character development a nice change from the fast dash of most picture books. At least two bits are confusing (it's initially unclear how the giraffe is stuck, and there's no telling why the hyenas ultimately retreat). But, like Newbie, this off-kilter, unpredictable book emerges victorious.--Kraus, Daniel Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Newbie, the aptly named trainee of the tough-minded Rescue Bunnies, is eager to prove she has what it takes to become a full-fledged member. She gets her chance when a giraffe gets stuck in the mud in the middle of hyena country. There's just one more thing Newbie needs to know: if the hyenas get too close, the bunnies call a Code Red. "Evacuation," explains a crew member. "We leave, giraffe stays." Will Newbie save the day-or just her own skin? Menchin's crisp digital images initially feel too juvenile given the premise (the rabbits seem more mouselike than rabbity), and Cronin (who collaborated with Menchin on Wiggle, Bounce, and Stretch) relies on a surprising number of tired gags and movie quotes (everything from "You can't handle the truth!" to "Here's looking at you, kid") to give the Rescue Bunnies a whiff of hard-boiled irreverence. But once the Rescue Bunnies get on the scene, and Newbie bonds with the stranded giraffe, the comic melodrama kicks into high gear. Ages 4-8. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-In her field-test trial, Newbie joins the rest of her big-booted rescue team in trying to extract a young giraffe from a pool of muck on a savanna. Nothing works. Complicating the rescue and threatening a "Code Red" (abandon rescue and victim) is an incoming band of evil-looking hyenas. When Newbie realizes that the giraffe she is comforting will be at the mercy of the ravening pack, she ties herself onto its neck and the other team members use the rhythm of the "bunny hop" to pull the leggy creature free. The plot meanders lazily and illogically from a behind-the-scenes look at Newbie's training, to the bumbling rescue attempts, to a somewhat longish section of indecision while the hyenas gallop in as the bunnies burble and chat. Scattered throughout the text, apropos of nothing, are quotes from movies that will mostly soar over the heads of young listeners. The full-color art uses minimalist backgrounds and simple shapes to focus readers' eyes on the action. Libraries looking for books on community helpers or rescue teams may enjoy seeing these bunnies in action, but this effort is additional at best.-Marge Loch-Wouters, La Crosse Public Library, WI (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
Newbie, a Rescue Bunny trainee with a heart of gold, has passed tests of endurance and skill; she's even passed the "Blind Taste Test." But until she passes the Field Test, she's stuck alphabetizing the command center's spice rack. When a distress signal comes through -- a giraffe is stuck in mud in hyena country -- Newbie is ready to prove her mettle. Or she will be, once someone helps her down from the spice rack. Cronin and Menchin team up again (Wiggle, rev. 9/05; Bounce; Stretch) to bring slapstick humor, impeccable timing, and cheesy movie quotes ("'Surely you can't be serious.' 'I am serious...and don't call me Shirley'") to this rousing tale of bravery, determination, and knowing when to do the Bunny Hop. The text's bada-bing one-liners are matched by the bada-boom straightforward cartoon illustrations with their clean lines and spare backgrounds, making this book ideal for group sharing. Even if readers don't recognize the movie references, the silly banter gets the message across. As for the imperiled giraffe, the crew tries desperately to save it before the hyenas attack and the bunnies are forced to retreat. But Newbie refuses to abandon hope even after the captain declares a Code Red situation. Her Field Test may be in jeopardy, but after saving the day, Newbie feels like she's "King of the World!" kitty Flynn (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
Stretch, 2009, etc.) team up once again in this humorous tale that oddlyyet quite successfullycombines the message of perseverance, the importance of rescue workers and sly nods to adult readers along the way. Lines from popular movies are slipped into separate speech bubbles, which can be skipped or chuckled over. And what is the step that finally saves the splayed giraffe? The Bunny Hop, of course. An inventive look at an essential profession. (Picture book. 4-8)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
