Publishers Weekly
The devil's food cake is in the details of this blithe yet emotionally honest book about the eponymous rabbit, a "handful" of a child who becomes deeply enamored of chocolate cake after her first bite. Much of the book's humor depends upon Betty's misunderstandings—especially the meanings of "handful" ("Betty Bunny knew that her mother and father loved her, and so being a handful must be very, very good") and patience. When Betty's mother insists she eat her healthy dinner before her cake, Betty throws a tantrum before agreeing to be more patient tomorrow. (She quickly reveals she doesn't quite have the concept down when she stealthily slips a piece of cake into her pocket, where it turns into a "brown goopy mess.") Readers will delight in feeling older and wiser than Betty, and both Jorisch (New Year at the Pier) and debut talent Kaplan demonstrate a sure handle on feisty modern family dynamics, whether in Betty's dreamy gaze as she declares, "I am going to marry chocolate cake," or her older brother's surly retort: "Whatever.... But you're going to have really weird-looking kids." Ages 3–5. (May)
School Library Journal - Audio
PreS-Gr 2—Betty Bunny declares that chocolate cake is "yucky," until she tries it. Then she loves it so much she wants to marry it. Thus begins Kaplan's luscious lark (Dial, 2011) into the world of little Betty Bunny's mischievous interplay with cake, tantrums, and the struggle to be patient. Stephane Jorisch's delectably detailed illustrations perfectly depict the interaction of the four Bunny siblings and their requisite teasing. The eyes and expressions of all the characters are lively and adorable. Youngsters' eyes will go wide when Betty calls her family and her school "yucky" and they will anticipate the goopy results when Betty sneaks cake into her pocket! The narrative performance of British-educated Katherine Kellgren enhances the story. Her voice varies with the characters but retains a sweetness that fits the light-hearted frolic. She places appropriate emphasis on the bold words in the text and her crisp enunciation and pacing allow listeners to grasp the details. Subtle and amusing sound effects such as cute kissy sounds when Betty's mother says she loves her and the "boing" of chair springs when Betty bounces are a nice touch. The story could be useful in lessons on patience and consequences. Page-turn signals are optional. Children will appreciate the silliness and laugh-out-loud antics of the adorably real Betty Bunny.—Jane Newschwander, Fluvanna County Public Schools, VA
School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 1—Betty Bunny is, according to her parents, a handful. This includes being a picky eater. Still, the first time she's coaxed into trying chocolate cake, it's love at first bite. She loves it so much, she wants to marry it. She can't wait for her next piece, which leads to a host of very funny misadventures. This is the tale of a child who needs to learn patience but can't quite get the hang of it. Kaplan fills the book with exuberance and laugh-out-loud dialogue. The text tends to be wordy and repetitive, though, and the net result is a book that may be too long for its intended audience. This problem is largely alleviated by Jorisch's adorable watercolor-gouache illustrations, which add loads of kid appeal. Postures, facial expressions, and situations are depicted with skill and humor—and the chocolate cake looks pretty good, too. A fun, surprise ending will leave readers smiling.—Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY
Kirkus Reviews
A spunky bunny girl, whimsical watercolor illustrations and a laugh-out-loud plot are the key ingredients for this sweet and satisfying treat of a story.
"Betty Bunny was a handful." That's what her mother always tells her, and the author and illustrator show readers just how much of a handful she is, capturing her irrepressible personality (which includes a streak of creative naughtiness). Little Betty, the youngest child of four, becomes enraptured with chocolate cake, announcing she loves it so much, she wants to marry it. Her brothers jump right in to tease her, her sister tries to help and her mom offers calm solutions, all with minimal text set in an attractive type with key phrases in larger, bold font. Kaplan, a television writer and producer, has an exquisite sense of dramatic pacing and comedic timing, as well as a deep understanding of a 5-year-old bunny girl's emotions. Betty has intense feelings: She truly loves her chocolate cake, and she is truly furious at her siblings when they tease her. The author captures the flavor of sibling interactions as well, with each of the three older rabbit children interacting with Betty in characteristic ways, including some hilarious smart-aleck comments from the bunny brothers. Betty not only wants to marry her chocolate cake, she wants to keep it close to her too, finding out the hard way that cake doesn't belong in your pocket...or your sock.
Delicious. (Picture book. 3-6)
