  | Full Text Reviews: Bulletin for the Center... - 02/01/2014 Betty Bunny (of Betty Bunny Loves Chocolate Cake, BCCB 5/11, etc.) returns, and this time she’s in cleats, because it’s soccer time. She starts with a head of steam, but her first match is a dismal disappointment, and she swears off the game entirely. Her siblings try, with various degrees of enthusiasm, to encourage her to stick to it and to practice until she improves, and finally her first goal restores her to her old bumptious self. Kaplan has created a comfortable and effective pattern in Betty’s outings, with sparky Betty backed by her gaggle of siblings and especially counterpointed by sardonic older brother Bill as she comes to terms with a difficult developmental challenge. The wit and liveliness of the dialogue and the emotional authenticity of Betty’s struggle makes it all enjoyably sympathetic rather than didactic, and many, many youngsters will recognize the frustration of dreams that outstrip their ability. Pencil, ink, watercolor, and gouache is zingy and vivacious, with the anthropomorphized Bunny family airily balloon-like in their earthtoned roundness against creamy white pages; the lively vignette sequences of the young pigs, elephants, and bunnies playing soccer captures the chaotic action of kids throwing themselves at organized sports (and sometimes missing). Betty is both perfectly herself and developmentally everykid, and youngsters will find her an able representative of their own travails. DS - Copyright 2014 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. School Library Journal - 04/01/2014 K-Gr 2—Betty Bunny is a handful to all when she suddenly takes a liking to soccer. She wants to become the star of her team and is positive that she can score 10 goals at her first game. When she predictably fails to meet her own unrealistic expectations, she becomes sad and sulks in the grass for the rest of the game. Betty announces that she is quitting and almost throws away all of her soccer equipment. Her siblings try to reason with her and encourage her, giving her a pep talk about not giving up. At Betty's next game, she still does not score a goal and is upset again. Her older brother Bill tells her, "Maybe you're just not that good." Her father patiently explains the importance of practice and enlists the snarky Bill to work with her. Illustrations are detailed in pencil, ink, watercolor, and gouache. Fans of the series will enjoy this newest addition. —Krista Welz, North Bergen High School, NJ - Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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