Book Review: Bunnicula by James Howe
The Bunnicula Collection (Books 1-3) by James and Deborah Howe
Listening Library, 2004
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Victor Garber
From the Bunnicula (Bunnicula #1) book description on Goodreads:
“BEWARE THE HARE! Is he or isn’t he a vampire?
“Before it’s too late, Harold the dog and Chester the cat must find out the truth about the newest pet in the Monroe household — a suspicious-looking bunny with unusual habits… and fangs!”
From the Howliday Inn (Bunnicula #2) book description on Goodreads
“Not a great place to visit, and you wouldn’t want to live there
“The Monroes have gone on vacation, leaving Harold and Chester at Chateau Bow-Wow — not exactly a four-star hotel. On the animals’ very first night there, the silence is pierced by a peculiar wake-up call — an unearthly howl that makes Chester observe that the place should be called Howliday Inn.
“But the mysterious cries in the night (Chester is convinced there are werewolves afoot) are just the beginning of the frightening goings-on. Soon animals start disappearing, and there are whispers of murder. Is checkout time at Chateau Bow-Wow going to come earlier than Harold and Chester anticipated?”
From The Celery Stalks At Midnight (Bunnicula #3) book description on Goodreads:
“HARE TODAY, GONE TOMORROW
“Bunnicula is missing! Chester is convinced all the world’s vegetables are in danger of being drained of their life juices and turned into zombies. Soon he has Harold and Howie running around sticking toothpicks through hearts of lettuce and any other veggie in sight. Of course, Chester has been known to be wrong before…but you can never be too careful when there’s a vampire bunny at large!”
What I thought
Every time my daughter picks one of these up, she spends the afternoon collapsed in laughter. I really thought it was just a phase, but after three years of witnessing this, I’ve decided her joy in Bunnicula is here to stay. So after hearing her revisit The Celery Stalks at Midnight over the summer (again and again and again), I decided it was high time I learned for myself what all the fuss was about.
Oh my goodness. The Bunnicula books are glorious, pet-driven, pun-ridden narrative messes and I, like my now 12-year-old, adore every single page of them.
I listened to it as an audiobook, and Victor Garber (of Alias fame) makes an absolutely wonderful Harold. He somehow manages to sound snooty and clueless all at once. A truly spectacular performance.
Who would enjoy this book
- People looking for an entertaining and just-silly-enough animal story
CATERPICKLES 
What are you thinking?