Brad the bunny meets his doom by chewing through a power cord. Sometime later, his young owner decides to check whether Brad is still where he was buried. Of course Bradley isn’t looking quite as warm and cuddly as the young boy remembers, so he quickly changes his mind about reconnecting with his beloved pet. Unfortunately, zombie Bradley has a different idea and decides to move back in to the family home.
Undeniably creepy despite the offbeat charm of the green, decaying bunny, My Dead Bunny is definitely a picture book for children who can handle a scary story and are specifically looking for something a little spooky. It’s possibly not the best choice for children who are likely to find that thoughts of zombie bunnies make it difficult to get to sleep, or young children who have recently lost a pet who might be upset by the reminder of their pet, or inspired to try a little backyard excavation in an attempt to discover a zombie pet of their own.
With that disclaimer out of the way, this is a quirky rhyming story that will appeal to slightly older children and parents who enjoy books that fall outside the square and offer something a little bit unexpected. The contrasting endpapers are particularly fun and, as I mentioned above, Brad the Bunny does have a certain offbeat charm.
My Dead Bunny is the perfect book for children looking for spooky stories to share for Halloween. There is a book trailer available, which shares some illustrations from the story so that you can assess whether this book will suit your children.
Author: Sigi Cohen
Illustrator: James Foley
Publisher: Walker Books, $19.95 RRP
Publication Date: 1 October 2015
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781922179593
For ages: 7+
Type: Picture Book
