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    Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale of Mystery
    Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale of Mystery
    Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale of Mystery
    Ebook140 pages1 hour

    Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale of Mystery

    By Deborah Howe, James Howe and Alan Daniel

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    About this ebook

    This book is written by Harold. His fulltime occupation is dog. He lives with Mr. and Mrs. Monroe and their sons Toby and Pete. Also sharing the home are a cat named Chester and a rabbit named Bunnicula. It is because of Bunnicula that Harold turned to writing. Someone had to tell the full story of what happened in the Monroe household after the rabbit arrived.

    Was Bunnicula really a vampire? Only Bunnicula knows for sure. But the story of Chester's suspicions and their consequences makes uproarious reading.

    Since its first appearance in 1979, Bunnicula has been a hit with kids and their parents everywhere, selling over 8 million copies and winning numerous awards.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAtheneum Books for Young Readers
    Release dateDec 20, 2011
    ISBN9781439132050
    Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale of Mystery

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    Reviews for Bunnicula

    4/5

    1,135 ratings64 reviews

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    • 4/5
      It has been a very long time since I have read this book, and last week I just read it for the first time in 20 years with my children. I honestly forgot the book entirely. I like that the story is written by the dog, though at the beginning he sounds very intelligent, but later with Chester he doesn't seem very smart at all. I was surprised at how little story/events there are in the book. Some of the words were a little obscure for my 6 and 7 year old, but I like that because that is how you learn them! It wasn't quite as exciting for the girls as say, Junie B. Jones, but they did like that it was about animals. And they like the character Bunnicula himself.
    • 4/5
      A fun book.
    • 3/5
      It’s an adorable children’s book! Definitely a little dated but still very enjoyable.
    • 5/5
      It's awesome, says the 9-year-old.
    • 5/5
      I remember reading these as a child in elementary school - ordered the books through the Scholasatic Book Program. I LOVED the Bunnicula series!!! Sooo cute. Wonderful children's books. Haven't thought of them in years, but seeing the book on Goodreads reminds me of their joy. I have a young son now as well, so this is going to be the next book I read to him!
    • 4/5
      A family dog narrates this story of the new pet rabbit, its peculiar eating habits, and the zealous cat who is determined to rid them of the threat it may or may not pose.Cute, but nothing extraordinary. I think this one definitely needs to be read as a young 'un.
    • 2/5
      Entertaining if you are 8 but just minorly charming for the rest of us.
    • 3/5
      Seriously, why would you want to read about a vampire stalker when you can read about a vampire bunny? Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe is a fantastic children's book which would be a perfect read for today, Halloween, especially if you have children who frighten easily (there are no real scary moments). The book begins with an authors note, about recieving a manuscript from a dog, from then on it is told in first person from Harold's point of view. Harold being the dog, of course. Harold's narration reminded me a bit of Sherlock Holmes, but for children of course.Aside from Harold, I felt the secondary character of Chester the cat to be the type of cat I would someday want. Maybe this is because Chester can read and has excellent taste in books. Chester, however, does not warm up very quickly to vampires. Yet, Chester's the most perceptive of all of the characters, and perhaps this is why I love Chester. I like that he isn't oblivious, if it was a horror movie, I wouldn't be yelling at him.Actually, the majority of characters in this book were likable, however the family was a bit flat. Then again, this is a short book, my portion was 98 pages long, so how much can you really develop characterization. Also it is a book for children, and a super-quick read!
    • 3/5
      Fun little book about a bunny who sucks the juice out of vegetables. He was found in a cinema and the story is told from the point of view of the nice loveable and friendly dog Harold and the typical arrogant intellectual cat Chester. Quick read, it is good fun :)
    • 4/5
      I think I may have read this as a child as it was familiar but I picked it up this time to read it when my daughter read it for AR points at school. It is a cute story with just enough mystery and spookiness to keep a child reading along. Harold the dog and Chester the cat are at home when their family arrives back at the house with a small rabbit they'd found at the Dracula movie they went to see. Christening him Bunnicula, the family decides to keep our bunny and that is when things around the house start getting a bit strange. Chester the cat becomes convinced that the new bunny is in fact a vampire rabbit and goes to great lengths to try and convince the more skeptical Harold. But when vegetables in the family's refrigerator start turning up limp and white and drained of their juices speculation turns to a certainty of sorts. What Chester and Harold do about this strange new member of the family and how they each react to the mysterious little bunny forms the bulk of this short children's chapter book. While the book is a children's book, it does a good job of being engaging enough to not have any adult readers (or perhaps it would be better to say adults reading aloud to children) avoiding the nightly reading. Harold is a loveable doofus while Chester is a more intelligent character and their interactions (Bunnicula never speaks) drive the story along. This really is a great book for the middle grades, never being too scary but having a slight element of suspense that should keep the most jaded 8-10 year old reading along.
    • 5/5
      I probably haven't read this book since second grade, but my initial reaction to this book is still spot on. It's fabulous. Even as an adult I still laughed out loud. The scene where the cat, Chester, is trying to get rid of the vampire rabbit, Bunnicula, by "staking" him with a thawing steak is hilarious. I can just imagine that orange tabby covering the bunny with the steak and then hitting it repeatedly. Too funny. They don't make kid's classics like this anymore.For those of you unfortunate few who have never read this timeless tale... you're missing out. The story follows Harold and Chester, the pets of the Monroe family as they encounter a third pet to their household, a bunny named Bunnicula. The cat Chester is convinced that Bunnicula is a vampire because he sleeps all day, can't stand garlic, has fangs, and turns vegetable white by draining them. Harold the dog doesn't really care one way or another, but Chester is convinced they have to act... before it's too late.It's a funny and classic story. I will have to re-read the rest of these in the series.
    • 5/5
      I came across this book while I was actually looking for another book at my local bookstore. I picked it up because the title Bunnicula made me smile. I read the blurb on the back to my kids and they immediately agreed we need to read this book. Bunnicula was first published in 1979 but I was not familiar with it. This book was a total win in all areas. The book is told from Harold, the family dog's, perspective. Harold is a friendly, well behaved, sensible pet. He's taken aback when his family brings home a new pet rabbit they found under mysterious circumstances. Together with the help of the Monroe family's other pet, Chester, he tries to unlock the mystery of their new house guest. Chester is hilarious. He is your average witty, suspicious, know it all cat. The story line in this book was great. It kept us all interested. The kids wanted to read chapter after chapter non stop. Several times we laughed out loud at the shenanigans that Harold and Chester found themselves in. I'm so glad we found this book. It was a pure joy to read. Lucky for us this book is the first in a series so we will have many more adventures with Harold, Chester and Bunnicula.
    • 4/5
      Who can resist a vampiric bunny? This is a fine read for the whole family, about the baby rabbit discovered one night at a vampire movie, who enters the family home and sucks the life out of the refridgerator's vegetables. Only the family dog recognizes Bunnicula's true nature. An excellent choice for reluctant readers, as it's humor, brevity, and atypical protagonists are all attractive.
    • 5/5
      I was feeling frazzled and tired one day and decided to read something totally undemanding and short --- BUNNICULA. A RABBIT TALE OF MYSTERY by Deborah and James Howe. This little book is so silly and so clever, it is just delightful. The story is about a dog and a cat who have to get used to a new family pet, a bunny. The book is narrated by the dog and everything that happens is seen through his eyes. If you can imagine your dog or cat thinking like these two, what they do can actually make sense. I laughed my way through this in somewhere around an hour, and i felt much better than I had before.. It was an excellent tonic for me. I would suggest it as a great, little, escape and also it should be very entertaining for young readers. Several other books are sequential to it, so the fun can go on and on.
    • 4/5
      If you like freaky chills and funny thoughts, then this is the book for you.
    • 5/5
      Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery was written by James and Debra Howe about a vampire rabbit that comes to live with a family. When we read and love books as children, I suppose it's only natural for us to want to pass along that love to a new generation, so when I realized that my godson was coming upon the age and reading ability where Bunnicula might suit, I immediately bought it for him. It was only after the purchase that a friend asked, "So wait... he's a vampire rabbit? But he only drains vegetables? Where's the danger?"It took a moment to admit that I couldn't exactly remember, and so I re-read Bunnicula to find that no matter what Chester the cat might suggest, there isn't really any danger (well, at least from Bunnicula), but the book remains delightful.Bunnicula is written from the perspective of Harold, the Monroe family dog, but in his manuscript, he maintains that he has changed the names of the innocent for their protection. Harold has a peaceable companion in Chester, the family cat, named after G.K. Chesterton. (Which must have triggered some subconscious memory, given that I just read a book by G.K. Chesterton, but I'm not sure which book led to the other.) Chester reads quite a lot and when the family brings home a new pet after finding him at the movie theater (a showing of Dracula), Chester suspects that Bunnicula is more than he appears. He sleeps all day and the markings on his fur form a curious widow's peak that gives him the look of wearing a cape. And Chester could swear that he saw two pointy fangs on the bunny by the light of the moon. Chester becomes obsessed with watching Bunnicula and discovers white vegetables in the house, which he believes Bunnicula has drained.Having now read this as an adult, I actually found Bunnicula to be relatively simple in terms of plotline, but rather packed with some more complicated ideas if one chooses to think about them. For instance, Chester is convinced that Bunnicula's eating habits somehow endanger them all -- a very "today vegetables, tomorrow the world" kind of approach. Harold, on the other hand, is rather torn between supporting his friend Chester and simply leaving Bunnicula be, as he sees no harm in it -- aside from a rather startled family when they believe themselves subjected to some kind of vegetable blight after finding the white veggies. This manages to provide a rather fantastic set-up for teaching children about trusting their own opinions, not simply going along with the crowd, respecting others despite things that make them unique/different, and so forth. Chester appears to be a much less enjoyable character now that I'm older and the simple fact of him being a kitty counts for less than it did when I was eight. I mean, one could argue that Chester is instigating hate crimes (thank goodness that for all his literacy, he doesn't know the difference between a steak and a stake). His antics with spreading garlic everywhere are amusing (particularly in the time-honored tradition of humans being completely oblivious to anything in the animal world when your characters are animals), and there's a nice little jab at the concept of therapy being able to help him at the end of the book, but I found Chester to be much less of a funny kitty this time around. Our trustworthy narrator, Harold, does not let his fondness for chocolate cupcakes (though really, one shouldn't given chocolate to dogs) distract him from helping a potential new friend.So if you're looking for a good (not too scary) Halloween book for that 8-12 year-old, then your search should be at an end. Of course, if memory serves, some more threatening things (like a potential zombie/vampire vegetable army?) seem to loom in the series. And speaking of series, I think I might have stopped after book number four, but the entire series for young readers (aka not counting spin-off books and for even younger readers) includes Howliday Inn, The Celery Stalks at Midnight, Nighty Nightmare, Return to Howliday Inn, Bunnicula Meets Edgar Allan Crow, and Bunnicula Strikes again.Whenever I re-read books like this, I inevitably research them online and come up with some interesting facts. Evidently, James and Deborah Howe wrote Bunnicula together, but Deborah Howe died of cancer at the age of 31, before Bunnicula's publication. It seems that Deborah Howe was already an established children's author, having published a number of works and won several awards in her short life, and it was this first foray into children's literature that inspired James Howe. He continued writing the Bunnicula series, in addition to other books, after remarrying, fathering a daughter, eventually divorcing, and coming out of the closet. While Bunnicula Strikes Again appears to be the last in that series, he continues to write today.
    • 4/5
      Howe, D., & Howe, J. (1979). Bunnicula: A rabbit-tale of mystery. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks.141692817098 Pages.Appetizer: Howard the dog and Chester the cat are surprised when their family brings home an unexpected creature from the Dracula movie they had attended: A rabbit. The family quickly names their new member Bunnicula, and as the humans--eight-year-old Toby and ten-year-old Pete among them, favor the rabbit, Chester begins to suspect there's more to the small bunny than anyone imagines. Chester sets about convincing Harold that Bunnicula, who sleeps through the day and escapes his cage at night to suck the juice from vegetables, may be a VAMPIRE!!!!!!!!So, months and months and months ago, my friend Catherine said, "You should review Bunnicula."And I was all. "Good idea! I will do that!"And the months passed.The only reason I got off my bum-bum to review Bunnicula now is because my students chose to read it as their final group read for the quarter.Let me tell you, it was strange picking this book up. I remembered that I absolutely loved it when I read it in the fourth or fifth grade. And I remembered the general idea of a bunny joining the Monroe family and Chester the cat working tirelessly to prove Bunnicula was a vampire bunny.But when I picked the book up as an adult, I was surprised by the voice of Harold, the family dog and narrator. He's so....academic?...high-brow?...Smart? Chester as well. It surprised me and entertained me. In this book, it's the humans who are the slow ones.And Bunnicula? He's silent. I mean, really? Why doesn't that bunny speak?I once took a folklore class in which the teacher shared a tale about a woman who did not speak and so the objects and people around her starting creating stories about her. That's very much what happens to Bunnicula.Bunnicula creates a lot of excellent humorous images. I particularly like when Chester attempts to "steak" Bunnicula by using his paws to pound a slab of meat against the sleeping bunny. But the best part is, with all the humor, I have yet to meet a child who thinks this book is scary. Is there anyone out there who will admit to at some point finding the thought of a vampy bunny scary?Since the book is referenced, a teacher could also try to create some interest in Treasure Island. Another direction would be to introduce the students to the rest of the Bunnicula series or other vampire stories.Dinner Conversation:"I shall never forget the first time I laid these now tired old eyes on our visitor. I had been left home by the family with the admonition to take care of the house until they returned. That's something they always say to me when they go out: "Take care of the house, Harold. You're the watchdog." I think it's their way of making up for not taking me with them" (p. 3)."I joined the family and serious thinking began. We all peered into the box. It was the first time I had really seen him. So, this is a rabbit, I thought. He sort of looks like Chester, only he's got longer ears and a shorter tail. And a motor in his nose" (p. 14)."Let's not have any more arguments. We'll compromise. He's a bunny and we found him at a Dracula movie, so we'll call him Bunny-cula. Bunnicula! That should make everybody happy, including me" (p. 15)."There in the moonlight, as the music filtered through the air, sat the bunny, his eyes intense and staring, an unearthly aura about them."Now this is the part you won't believe," Chester said to me, "but as I watched, his lips parted in a hideous smile, and where a rabbit's buck teeth should have been, two little pointed fangs glistened" (p. 23)."Now tell me, Harold, have you noticed anything funny about that rabbit?""No," I said, "but I've certainly noticed a lot of funny things about you recently.""Think about it. That rabbit sleeps all day.""So do I. So do you.""Furthermore, he's got funny little sharp teeth.""So do I. So do you.""Furthermore, he gets in and out of his cage by himself. What kind of rabbit can do that?""A smart one," I said" (p.45).To Go with the Meal:At heart this is a story about sibling rivalry (and vampire bunnies! AND remembering to eat your veggies!). A teacher could use this book to discuss the animosities that can emerge when new children are introduced to a class, a group of friends or a family. Topics under this heading would include not to jump to conclusions, keeping in mind that although a new sibling often gets an unfair amount of attention, that doesn't mean the parents love the rest of the children any less, etc.Having said that though, this book is probably best as a fun read. But if a teacher is desperate for activities to go with the book, he or she could discuss (age appropriate) folklore about vampires, the behaviors of various types of pets and how to care for them. A creative route would be to have students imagine the conversations their own pets or favorite animal might have.Tasty Rating: !!!!
    • 5/5
      Started reading on 09/06/11 with the girl as her bedtime book. So far, she loves it! My mom read it to me when I was in elementary school.

      ***Finished on 09/14 - now on to The Howliday Inn!***
    • 1/5
      A book from my childhood that I was required to read again for Battle of the Books. About a dog, cat and a "vampire" rabbit, I liked this book as a kid, but this time around I found it extremely stupid.
    • 5/5
      This book has to be, one of the best book i have read in a longe time!! its both funny, creepy and msterys. the reading age has to be around 10-14. The main charicter are both hiscarical and clever, wich make this cute vampire bunny tale the edge it needs.my vote has be 8/10. For both saspence and clever story lines.
    • 5/5
      The Monroe family is just a typical American family - and still is in many respects. However, little does this normal family realize how much their situation will change by the end of a particularly dark and stormy night. The family pets - Harold the dog and Chester the cat are both spending a quiet night at home, while Mom and Dad Monroe and their two sons - eight-year-old Toby and ten-year-old Pete - are at the movies.By the time that the Monroes return, they seem to have acquired an unexpected guest - a tiny cute-looking black and white bunny, that the boys found bundled up in the very last row of the movie theater. Obviously, such an innocent, harmless creature only needs a good home and a loving family to care for him. So, the Monroe family decides to take this homeless little waif back with them, and name him Bunnicula, in honor of the movie that they saw: Dracula.Immediately, Harold and Chester's suspicions are raised. Apparently, all the diabolical signs are there - a seemingly heart-broken mother's message is pinned to the baby rabbit's blanket: "Take good care of my baby" is scrawled in an obscure foreign dialect; strains of exotic violin music echo hauntingly through the night; the desiccated husks of defenseless vegetables litter the Monroes' kitchen floor, although the peculiar bunny shows an obvious aversion to garlic. As Bunnicula slowly settles into his new home and family, Harold and Chester's ultimate mission soon becomes abundantly clear: Beware of the Hare!The furry duo know that they must do everything within their power to protect the unsuspecting Monroe family from the frightening repercussions of their kindly actions. This well-meaning family has absolutely no inkling of the immense danger in which they have placed themselves. After all, Bunnicula's master plan of domestic domination is stunningly devious for all its quiet simplicity: "Today vegetables...tomorrow the world!" Before it gets too late, Harold and Chester must discover the truth about the newest addition to their household - the suspicious-looking bunny with the mesmerizing eyes and unusual behavior...and fangs!I've actually read this book once before - when I was approximately ten years old. I had received this book from the Scholastic Book Club during one of the several times a year that the book club sent their newsletter around to all the school districts. The kids in my class were allowed to choose whichever books they wanted to buy, and I was usually the one kid who ended up having the most books stacked up on her desk. I have since lost my copy of this book but wanted to get another copy to keep in my collection.I found this book to be easy-reading and to be extremely funny, although it seemed to be slightly dated for being written in 1979. I would still give this book an A! I think that I have some of Mr. Howe's books from this series somewhere on my bookshelf.
    • 4/5
      I love this book -- it's truly funny and hugely enjoyable.
    • 4/5
      I remember reading this book when I was younger, and it was nice to connect with it again. There is so much evidence that Bunnicula is a vampire, but I agree with Harold--the extremities to which Chester just makes him out to be crazy because after all, Bunnicula never did harm anyone...just vegetables. That prompts the question then--was it all in Chester's head? Was Bunnicula just a cute little bunny that no one needed to worry about, or not? The ending doesn't support either answer, which I think is cool. I like that this book leaves you wondering, making the reader make up his own idea of how the story ends. After reading tons of simpler children's books, it's nice to see one that makes the reader think.
    • 4/5
      I thoroughly loved this book as a child. Bunnicula was my dream pet! This story is very well-written, well-suited to its intended demographic, and flat-out adorable.
    • 4/5
      When the Monroe family brings home a new rabbit as a pet, but with its suspicious sleep and eating habits, is this rabbit perhaps more than he seems?I bought this today as a gift for a young family member. She's into RL Stine books and I remembered reading this as a kid. I loved it at the time, so I couldn't resist buying it for her (I just hope she likes it, even though it's not as scary as Stine). After bringing the book home, I also couldn't resist rereading it while it was in front of me. Being a middle grade book, it took no time at all to read. I remember it being creepier when I read it and the story definitely stuck with me over the years. It wasn't overly scary and tends more toward the humorous, as it's told by a good hearted dog. Very cute and funny. It stood up surprisingly well after all these years.
    • 5/5
      I've been trying to read some of the same books that my 7 year old is reading, so I recently pulled this one off her shelf. I know that I read it when I was in elementary school, but couldn't remember much about it other than I had liked it. The amazing thing is, that even though the book was originally published nearly 30 years ago, and I've grown up, gotten married, and started a family, I still really like this book. If my daughter likes this when she reads it, I'll have no problem shelling out the money to buy the rest of the series because I know that they will get read again and again by me, my daughter, and my 2yr old when she gets a little older.
    • 5/5
      Great fun, especially when read out loud. The authors do an excellent job of portraying the two main characters. Those are two people who know the truth about cats and dogs!
    • 3/5
      Talking dogs, reading cats, and one mysterious vampire bunny! Meet the Monroe family as they adopt a new pet into their lives.
    • 5/5
      Since I've been on a relived childhood kick, I figured I'd pick up Bunnicula again. This was one of my favorite books growing up, and it holds up surprisingly well. While some books from childhood seem flat when you read them as an adult, this one does not. It's a testament to the writing of Deborah and James Howe.I love that the book is written from the perspective of Harold, the family dog, as he tells the tale of the new family pet, Bunnicula (a bunny found in a Dracula movie, hence the name) and the efforts of Chester, the cat, to reveal the potential sinister threat his family faces from this strange new house guest.It's a fun, quick read, with some wonderful illustrations by Alan Daniel.
    • 4/5
      Genre: This book is a good example of fantasy. All of the pets in the story were given human characteristics in solving the mystery of the vegetables turning white. Also, I don't think it would be possible for a bunny to suck all the juice out of fruits and vegetables.Characterization: 4 starsAge: Intermediate

    Book preview

    Bunnicula - Deborah Howe

    To Mildred and Lester Smith

    —with love

    Bunnicula 40th Anniversary Edition is in memory of Deborah Howe.

    Contents

    Introduction to the 40th Anniversary Edition of Bunnicula

    Editor's Note

    Bunnicula through the Ages

    A Message from Max Brallier

    A Message from Holly Black

    A Message from Dav Pilkey

    Photographs

    Author's Note

    INTRODUCTION TO THE 40th ANNIVERSARY EDITION OF BUNNICULA

    by James Howe

    Bunnicula began not from words but from pictures. Moving pictures. To be exact, Bunnicula got its start from watching too many vampire movies late at night. I guess I should say too many bad vampire movies.

    Back in 1977, television had five channels, and movies were shown on and off throughout the day and into the night. Night was when the vampire movies came on. My wife, Debbie, and I, both underemployed actors with lots of time on our hands, stayed up many a night watching movies because (a) we didn’t have anywhere we needed to be in the morning, (b) we loved movies, and (c) we loved vampires. Not that vampires are especially lovable.

    After watching one too many bad–which is to say, silly–vampire movies, I turned to Debbie and asked, What if I wanted to make the worst vampire movie ever? Or at least the silliest? What’s the least likely vampire you can imagine?

    Before she could answer, I burst out: A bunny!

    And there it was.

    But I didn’t make a movie. And although I loved to write, I did so only for pleasure and not ever with the thought that I could actually write an entire book. No, at first, Bunnicula was just a character who lived in my head. I was an actor, remember. I was used to having characters living in my head. One day, I made a birthday card and drew my idea of what Bunnicula looked like.

    (Which explains why, when Bunnicula did become a book, someone else drew the pictures!)

    It was Debbie’s mother’s idea that we write a book about him. So we sat down one night after dinner, notebook in hand, and gave it a try.

    Debbie and I spent close to a year writing Bunnicula. About midway through the writing we learned that Debbie had cancer and that she had only months to live. We let the writing go for a time, then returned to it because we needed to laugh. After her death in June 1978, I didn’t think about getting the book published or writing another book. I was just trying to get through the days.

    I was working as an assistant to a literary agent (something had to pay the rent, and acting wasn’t doing it), and it was my boss who suggested an editor who might be interested in publishing the children’s book Debbie and I had written just for our own amusement. That editor didn’t think it was right for her publishing company and suggested an editor at Atheneum Publishers.

    I sent the book off and nervously waited for two weeks to hear back.

    Jean Karl called me on a Monday morning and said, I just got back from a two–week vacation. I found your manuscript on my desk this morning. I sat down immediately and read it. I love it. I want to publish it.

    Three days later, a four–page contract arrived in the mail, which I signed and returned.

    If only getting published were always that easy!

    A week later, I met Jean–who I would later learn was a legend among children’s book editors–at Atheneum’s headquarters on 42nd Street in New York City. When I was shown into her office, I found her seated at her desk, which was clean of everything but a phone, a manuscript she was in the middle of reading, and the pencil in her hand. She greeted me warmly, replaced the manuscript in front of her with mine, and said two things I will never forget:

    (1) "We are delighted to be publishing your book. Now I want you to know that this is your book, and we want you to be happy with it. So you don’t have to make any of the changes I’m going to suggest."

    She then went through the manuscript with me and suggested a handful of small changes. I made every one.

    And (2) What do you have in mind for the illustrations?

    Well, Debbie and I had never given any thought to the illustrations. We were word people. And honestly, I hadn’t expected to be consulted. But I always loved the drawings that illustrated my favorite book in the whole world. And that’s what I said: "How about something like Garth Williams’s illustrations in Charlotte’s Web?"

    I don’t know if Alan Daniel’s illustrations are like Garth Williams’s or not,

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