Bunnicula: The Graphic Novel

Gr 3-5–The graphic novel adaptation of Deborah and James Howe’s 1979 classic has all the humor and charm of the original. Harold and Chester are a dog and cat living comfortably in a home whose dynamic is thrown off when their family returns one day with a rabbit they discovered while seeing Dracula at the movies. When the household’s produce starts turning white, Chester immediately believes that the rabbit—Bunnicula—is a vampire who will ultimately destroy the family. Chester’s repeated attempts to rid the family of Bunnicula, paired with Harold’s common sense thinking, provide for laugh-out-loud moments. Donkin’s adaptation of Howe’s original story breaks the fourth wall between reader and characters through Harold’s epistolary narration as well as communication with the reader via written signs that provide additional commentary. Chester’s growing mania and conspiracy theories on Bunnicula, brought to life with Gilpin’s colorful and expressive illustrations, will have readers giggling and waiting to see just what the cat will try next.