Fierce Bad Rabbits
The Tales Behind Children's Picture Books
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Penguin Books Ltd
Published:6th Aug '20
Should be back in stock very soon
This book offers a thoughtful exploration of beloved picture books, revealing their deeper meanings and hidden complexities, including Fierce Bad Rabbits.
In Fierce Bad Rabbits, Clare Pollard delves into the enchanting yet often overlooked complexities of beloved picture books. She poses intriguing questions about familiar stories, such as the deeper meanings behind The Tiger Who Came to Tea and the connections between characters like Meg and Mog and the art of Polish embroidery. Through her exploration, Pollard reveals that these seemingly simple tales often harbor darker themes, including the presence of monsters and the consequences of power dynamics.
The narrative is enriched by Pollard's own experiences, reflecting on her childhood reading and the rediscovery of these classic tales as a parent. This personal touch adds depth to her analysis, inviting readers to reconsider the stories that shaped their own lives. The book encourages a dialogue about the hidden messages within children's literature, prompting parents and caregivers to engage more critically with the texts they share with the younger generation.
Fierce Bad Rabbits is not just a nostalgic trip down memory lane; it is an enlightening examination of how picture books influence our understanding of the world. Through Pollard's perceptive insights, readers gain a newfound appreciation for these cherished stories, recognizing their ability to convey profound lessons about life, fear, and the complexities of growing up.
When I read Fierce Bad Rabbits, I thought, why has no one written this book before? But Clare Pollard has done so superbly - it is perceptive, illuminating, scholarly but at the same time entertaining. It should be essential reading for every thinking parent * Penelope Lively *
This book is a happy way to reconnect with old friends * Times *
An enlightening, perceptive analysis of the books that build us * Sunday Telegraph, 5 star review *
A gem . . . hard to put down. The combination of vast scholarly research and witty writing makes for a thoroughly enjoyable book. Pollard has managed to dissect all our favourite stories with her scalpel, while leaving their magic intact * Spectator *
Pollard is a poet, and her prose is stunning . . . she writes with a joy that is luminous. Essential reading for anyone with a child, or who ever was a child * i *
Most people's primal cultural memory is that of being read to by a parent. This is a phenomenon most sensitively and intelligently explored in Fierce Bad Rabbits * Daily Telegraph *
Pollard so delicately enters into the world of [picture books] that the reader feels they are rediscovering once-loved landscapes * New Statesman *
Delightful. As good a guide as you could hope for. It will make you think again about why you loved the children's stories that mean so much to you, and it will lead you to new discoveries too. . . A happy reconnection to the serious joys of childhood * Harper's Bazaar *
Excellent * Daily Mail Book of the Week *
A celebration of picture books and their artists to spark your own childhood memories * Evening Standard *
ISBN: 9780241354797
Dimensions: 198mm x 130mm x 17mm
Weight: 224g
304 pages