Last week before all this icy weather locked us in, my buddy Walker had an opportunity to go do some painting with Mrs K’s 2nd graders. Every year they read a story about an elephant that paints and invite Walker to come demonstrate how dogs can paint too! This is the 3rd year that Walker has visited them and he sure has a fun time!
We also went to the library last week and came home with the perfect go-along book.
Rabbityness is written and illustrated by Jo Empson. It was published in 2012 by Child’s Play. (Please click on Ms Empson’s name and visit her lovely website!)
The artwork in this book is extraordinary! The story is reminiscent of the Heart and the Bottle. It begins “Rabbit liked doing rabbity things.” Like hopping and jumping and washing his ears. Each of these pages shows a black rabbit on a white page in sparse green grass doing rabbity things. Then we see “Rabbit also liked doing unrabbity things.” “He liked painting …”
And there suddenly is a BURST of color like fireworks. Painting and music made Rabbit very happy and he filled the woods with both. This made all the other rabbits happy too. But one day Rabbit disappeared. Now the book is back to black and gray. The other rabbits were very sad and didn’t know what to do. They bottled up their hearts. Then they found that Rabbit had left a deep, dark hole and in the hole were some gifts — paints and musical instruments. The rabbits unbottled their hearts and started filling the woods with color and music and discovered that this let them remember Rabbit and they were all happy again.
Rabbityness is about individuality and knowing your own heart. Like the Heart and the Bottle, Rabbityness is also about loss and finding your heart again. The two books are so alike and yet so different. This one is very “Walker” with his splashes of color everywhere. He likes doing undoggy things like painting. And eating bark off of trees. But he sure spreads JOY along with paint splatters with his happy tail.
I wish you a Doggyness day full of laughter and color and music. Dance and be creative and Joyful!
Tis the season!
Your friend
Rhythm
Reading With Rhythm 
Walker is a brilliant artist. You are a brilliant partner! What fun visitors you are!
Love and licks,
Cupcake
Thanks Cupcake! From me and from Walker! I don’t want him to get a big head or anything though.
I saw Doggyness and loved this post immediately!
hahaha! Thanks! Hope you enjoyed it all! 😀
I love this! Love the rabbit ears and the painting and the book! Thanks for spreading the JOY! You are, all of you are, great at bringing joy and love and smiles everywhere!
Your most welcome! That’s my job – spreading JOY! I love my job!! And Walker does his fair share as well. Thanks for all the lovely words!
Doggyness is the best word ever….that and kerfuffle.
the best word EVER?! I don’t know. I kind of like river and ball and treat. Those are music to my ears. And I guess that’s a doggyness thing.
Wonderful! Great book! 😀
Thanks Erik!
Love the happy tail painting! And thanks for the book recommendation – definitely going to check it out.
This is one that you certainly need in your library!
A fantastic post and a lovely review – Rabbityness sounds like a beautiful book xxx
So delighted to have discovered your super site. xx
Thanks Nellie! Rabbityness is brilliant! Will you be celebrating a big Christmas? What do y’all do to celebrate?
Walker is a fantastic artist. The book looks right up our alley. Have a paw-riffic Holiday Season!
Walker has more patience than me. He does do a fine job of tail wagging. I hope you have a bountiful Christmas!
Thank you for this wonderful work and your exceptional website. Is there a way I can send you an email to make a request? Thank you.