Unfunny bunny

In a double picture book debut, veteran SNL funny guys Thompson and Tucker communicate how a casually delivered tight set can require ample effort from the person holding the microphone. After cycling through potential personas, Bunny bounds into his first day of school with visions of comedy stardom, but the character's confidence quickly deflates when his awkward delivery and clunky jokes bomb--his peers even dub the character "UNfunny Bunny." Luckily, classmate Hedgehog sees the potential in Bunny's humor ("Why are socks so good at golf? Because there's always a hole in one!") and offers to be his companion in comedy. A series of vignettes depict the duo engaging with each other and the work as they craft jokes and hone Bunny's timing. Slick digital cartooning from Neal (They're So Flamboyant), pictures the protagonist in a bright red suit and sneakers amid tough-crowd schoolmates until he at last garners a big laugh. Becoming class clown isn't just about natural talent, these seasoned creators hint--it's about dedication and finding simpatico collaborators to help one earn every laugh. Further jokes conclude. Ages 3--6. (Jan.)

Saturday Night Live mainstay Thompson makes his picture-book debut with the tale of a young rabbit who discovers that being the class clown is harder than it looks. To make a splash on his first day of school, Bunny decides to adopt a new persona: Funny Bunny. He performs his act for his classmates, who are a tough audience…or is the material the problem? (Sample joke: "What town does milk come from?Milk-waukee!") Actually, Bunny wins over one classmate: Hedgehog thinks Bunny has comedy chops and just needs practice. This gives Bunny an idea: Why don't they work together? (Thompson's co-author knows something about collaborating on jokes: Tucker has been anSNL writer for two decades.) Bunny and Hedgehog's writing sessions are fruitful, and when Bunny tries out his new material on his classmates, he brings down the house. Clearly, teamwork and persistence pay off in this silly yet heartening tale, although laughs aren't Bunny's only reward. In Hedgehog he has found a friend (and, from the looks of things, perhaps a manager). The book's jokes, including two pages' worth that conclude the story, will be manna for punsters, who presumably aren't supposed to notice that there's no qualitative difference between the jokes that amused Bunny's class and the ones that bombed. Neal's appealing digital art focuses heavily on reaction shots from an all-animal cast living in a world of amusement park colors. No laugh track required: This story should generate genuine giggles.(Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.