Tales of Bunjitsu Bunny
by John Himmelman
Published by Henry Holt and Company (October 28, 2014)
Ages 6-8

My Rating: 5 Stars

Review:
A couple of the children in my life are starting to grow into the stage of reading beginning level chapter books, so I was on the lookout for something funny enough to keep a young reader’s attention and smart enough to provide value beyond entertainment. That’s when I saw Tales of Bunjitsu Bunny.

Isabel, the best bunjitsu artist in school, is like a fluffy, long-eared Zen master. She can hit, kick and flip her opponents like no one else, but more often than not she uses her most powerful weapon – her brain – to outsmart pirates, giant waves, enormous rocks and more.

Each chapter is a short, separate tale in the life of Bunjitsu Bunny. The stories each have a particular moral that will be evident to an adult reader, but the lessons are delivered with humor and authenticity. The stories carry the weight of their lessons with ease, so the reader isn’t beaten over the head.

The first tale, after we’re introduced to Isabel, shows her using her smarts instead of her fists. When the students are confronted by a locked door, they try to kick it down and punch it down. They are about to head butt it down when Isabel unlocks the door from the other side. She had climbed through an open window. Most of the stories after this one are a little more complex, but it is a good taste of the types of lessons to come.

Tales of Bunjitsu Bunny is just the first installment of adventures. The follow-up, Bunjitsu Bunny’s Best Move, was released this past October.

Giveaway! [Update: This giveaway has ended. Look for more giveaways in future posts!]
Some books are too good not to be shared, so I’m giving away 2 copies of Tales of Bunjitsu Bunny through an Amazon giveaway. All you have to do for your chance to win is click here and follow me on Twitter. Good luck everyone!

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