A Fluffle of Bunnies

A narrative of nature’s rhythms twines with terms of venery and a seek-and-find vibe in this sprightly appreciation of spring. When a gray rabbit stops visiting a field to play, a concerned scurry of squirrels begin a search. They query all the neighbors, from a charm of goldfinches to a sleuth of bears, but none of the other critters seems to know the rabbit’s whereabouts. In pale, light-filled watercolors, round animalian figures are shown interacting in and around flower-dotted green hillsides, a smooth blue pond, and a tall old-growth tree all quietly teeming with life. Steadily building a seasonal freshness throughout, spare, often amusingly observational text from Matheson (“A banditry of chickadees sang/ a sweet song, but the squirrels/ thought they looked shifty”) provides a happy and appropriately seasonal solution to a mystery that may well inspire young naturalists to get outdoors and explore. A glossary of collective nouns concludes. Ages 4–8. (Feb.)