Fifteen Rabbits

Felix Salten is best known as the author of Bambi, the princely deer who appeared on the screen in Walt Disney's motion picture. Fifteen Rabbits is a tale of high adventure, a story abou fear, ever present, and courage, hard won; about freedom, about power and its loss, and about cruelty both known and innocent.Teaspoon of Courage for Kids: A Little Book of Encouragement for Whenever You Need It

Hops and Plana play together in the spring when they are just little bunnies,but the next spring they are playing together in a slightly different fashion.Felix Salten has a wonderful sense of nature and tells his animal stories in a truly sincere fashion.The rabbits celebrate life-and there are many rabbits who survive dangers like hunters,captivity and predators-and,as in life,a few who do not survive.Hops is the only survivor, in fact,of a litter of rabbits.(Read the story to learn why this is so.)There are cameos by Bambi and Faline.Gobo is even mentioned.It is easy to see why Salten's animal stories can be loved by children and adults.

Although Fifteen Rabbits is, in short, about a bunch of rabbits hangin around in the forest, it is still one of the best books I have ever read. It isn't just a cutesie bunny-rabbit-frolicking-in-the beautiful forest-type book, either. In fact, a lot of the scenes are too complex or disturbing for young children to read. This ain't the Disney version of Bambi, folks.In Fifteen Rabbits, we learn about all of the adventures that our two good rabbit friends Hops and Plana (think Bambi and Faline) get into. Salten has once again marvelously written a novel that is supposedly for children, but can actually be more well-appreciated by adults. I cried so much over little Epi's death. The scenes are so sorrowful that you actually think that you are losing one of your good friends. :-)PLEASE go out and read Fifteen Rabbits. Although I've never figured out why Salten gave his book that title, it will still be one of the very very best books you will ever read!!

If you loved the story of Bambi, you will also enjoy this book about the lives of a small group of rabbits. This was written in much the same vein as Bambi, so expect some sorrowful scenes as well as wonderful uplifting scenes. Well worth the effort to find! I still have my copy from 1981 if that tells you anything!!