“Battle Bunny: It’s Doomsday,” by Jon Scieszka and Mac Barnett, illustrated by Matthew Myers.
Simon & Shuster Books for Young Readers, New York, 2013, 32 pages, Grades 3-4.
Reluctant readers have difficult problems as they move from picture books to chapter books. Whereas the illustrations in picture books give the readers background information about the text, early chapter books have to use vocabulary words that are more complicated yet still interesting. Because of this, the books need to have a storyline that interests the students.
Though both boys and girls occasionally struggle with transitional reading, it seems some children in particular have shorter attention spans. If these young youngsters are going to get excited about reading, the stories must be full of action. Jon Scieszka has created a niche in children’s literature with these types of readers. His zany books and colorful descriptions usually hold the attention of reluctant readers. This book, “Battle Bunny: It’s Doomsday” is a hysterical example of this type of writing. He co-authors this novel with the established writer, Mac Barnett.
It is Alex’s birthday. As he looks at the sweet, gentle characters in the book on his bed, he rebels. These creatures are too sappy to be interesting. After all, Alex wants adventure and conquest. So, the boy takes his trusty pencil and begins rewriting the story. He decides that he wants to be another character, one with an evil plan. Calling himself Battle Bunny, Alex now has someone to fight with in the story.
Battle Bunny now puts his evil plan into effect. He will cut down some trees in the forest and fight with the other animals in the woods for ultimate control. But the evil plan soon runs into problems. A crow begins to unravel his attempt to saw down the trees. To fight his evil self, Alex writes himself back into the story and begins to attack the evil plan. He then understands the dangers of the evil plan and Alex knows he must defeat his evil self. But the dangers will require additional help. Spying Air Force One flying above the fray, Alex knows he must call the President to get help. He phones the President and requests assistance. Understanding the dangers, the President says he will send down special agents to attack the evil plan.
But Battle Bunny is not going down without a fight. When a badger encounters Battle Bunny, there is a massive struggle in which Battle Bunny puts the badger down for the count. Triumphant, Battle Bunny feels that he has conquered all. Alex knows the situation is desperate. He needs additional help from president and again calls Air Force One. Realizing the urgency, the President agrees to send help. The crisis is climaxing. What happens?
Does Battle Bunny conquer the forest? Is Alex able to subdue Battle Bunny with the help of the President? Who wins in the end? Why can you sometimes take a dull story and use a pencil to edit it into an exciting tale? Does Air Force One help? How does Alex finally conquer the problem? To find out the answers to these and other questions, go to the library and check out “Battle Bunny: Its Doomsday” by Jon Scieszka and Mac Barnett.
For those looking for elevated storylines, I would suggest you look elsewhere. But if you want a book that fidgety little boys and girls will squeal with laughter when reading, this is the title. It is irreverent, funny and has a compelling dialogue. Reluctant readers will find this book right up their alley. As readers watch Alex rewrite the simple, gentle story in the book, you will see the immense amount of energy and creativity he produces. Younger children with vivid imaginations usually like Jon Scieszka’s books. While this isn’t Hamlet, it is great fun. Enjoy this book with your family.
