Bunny and Bird: How to make a snowman by Nick Bland

The third in the series of Bunny and Bird books will be well received by young fans and eagerly borrowed by newbies. The stories all revolve around two friends, Bunny and Bird.

Bunny asks Bird to guess what he has found, holding up a black circle. Bird’s guess of a giant dot is scoffed at by Bunny, who announces that he has found a magic hole. They look at the hole, Bunny testing it with one foot, and Bird carefully peering in.  Questioned about its magic properties, Bunny tells Bird that there is a tiger in the hole, so they both move a little further away, and watch as tiger paws push a snowball from the hole. Questioned further, Bunny tells bird about the bear which also fell in after the tiger. Then a bull charged and also fell in the hole.

Each time an animal is mentioned, it appears with something to add to the first large snowball. The basics of a snowman begin to appear and readers will begin to predict what else the snowman needs and where it might come from.

All the while, Bird and Bunny discuss the hole and the animals which came out of it. Bird asks Bunny what he was doing in the forest. It transpires he was waiting for Wombat to help him make a snowman. Wombat is asked what he needs to make one. Wombat replies they need snow for the body, rocks for the eyes, sticks for arms and a carrot for its nose.

Children will call out to the two friends to look behind them as the snowman develops. Suddenly it begins to snow, and Bird suggests they go home, but as they turn, they see the almost completed snowman. But it still needs a few more touches, and Bunny magics the carrot for its nose.

A charming story of friendship, of believing, of building something together, this latest story from whimsical author illustrator Nick Bland will have young readers talking about the building of the snowman and how it got to be there. Believing in magic at this time of the year will appeal to every reader, as for some, snow is part of this time of the year, but for most Australian readers it is redolent of Christmas and seen in lots of books, cards, Christmas trees and decorations. The idea of the black hole is wonderful, asking readers to think about what it is, and how it has so many things in it, and why it is there.

Lots to mull over, think about and laugh along with Bunny and Bird as they nut out their complication.

Themes: Friendship, Humour, Bunny and Bird series, Snowman, Christmas.

Fran Knight