Mini Rabbit’s blind enthusiasm for completing the cake takes him right past obvious solutions. I love that the berries are right below, but he’s off and the quest to find berries is on. You could copy the illustrator’s style, repeat the words exactly, or you could make it your own by changing the pictures and words. How often have we seen kids (or even us as adults) say “no thank you” to someone who has offered to help? Well, John Bond again captures this in how he reveals that others often see our plight before we do. This book seems to be about how sometimes we have to take that journey to figure it out for ourselves – as difficult as it may be.

In his haste, he doesn’t notice all the berries he passes along the way and is oblivious to the dangers lurking in the shadows. Finally admitting he is lost, the little rabbit wonders how he will ever find his way home. But wait… rewind. Where does this story begin? In the cosy kitchen of the Rabbit family treehouse, Mini Rabbit is baking with her mother. On discovering an empty berry jar and faced with the prospect of no cake, Mini Rabbit sets out to find some berries, heedless of Mother Rabbit’s advice. What follows is an epic journey during which the single-minded, cake-loving Rabbit traverses land and sea, mountains and ravines until reaching the mouth of a very dark cave. Young children will enjoy spying the eyes along the way. Older children will notice the signposts that Mini Rabbit misses in her determination to keep moving forward. Books are absolutely crucial in getting us to think about new worlds': we speak to the award-winning author, Onjali Q RaufHop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop, Hop little bunnies hop hop hop, Hop little bunnies hop hop hop hop hop hop now stop

For me it’s a rollercoaster of emotions that I’m trying to manipulate the reader into’ - Alex Wheatle on fictional world building, creating new language and seeing yourself in a book But they have run out of berries and can't make the cake without them. Before Mother Rabbit can say there are berries growing under their tree house, Mini Rabbit has already rushed off on an adventure to find more berries. Mini Rabbit walks and walks and walks, further and further from berry woods. He doesn't notice any of the berries along the way and he won't take anyone's help. Finally he finds a big berry at the entrance to a cave, very far from his home. Mini Rabbit was not lost but now, definitely was. Suddenly he smelled something... cake! He followed the smell all the way home and gave the berry to Mother Rabbit. Now the cake was finished with a big berry on top. Does Mini Rabbit eat cake? No! He wants ice-cream. ActivitiesAnd John Bond makes sure that we know exactly how much Mini Rabbit likes cake or making the cake with his mother. Again, this helps us relate or understand Mini Rabbit’s desire to complete this cake when confronted with the fact of missing a key ingredient: Berries. And there’s a smashing story here as Mini Rabbit heads off to gather the items needed for his camping. The fact he loses half of them on the way home or, like the marshmallows, they curiously vanish adds humour that children will love. The events add all manner of opportunities to discuss with children what has actually happened and the lovely illustrations help less secure young readers interpret the text. The message about the joys of home and safety comes through brilliantly as does the exploration of disappointment and overcoming adversity. This really is a lovely story. Mini Rabbit is extremely excited as he is helping Mother Rabbit bake a cake. Realising they have run out of berries, Mini Rabbit leaps into action, embarking on an enthusiastic search for the missing ingredient. It could have exciting ingredients like your favourite food or dragon scales. How would it be decorated? The story actually starts off with Mini Rabbit and Mother Rabbit making a cake. Many of us can relate to our children or seeing children helping out an adult with baking (or building) something that normally adults do. You see their independence and confidence grow incredibly fast no matter how well they are actually doing.