Grumblebunny

Author: Bob Hartman

First line: Once upon a time, in a Happy Hidey Hole, there lived the three sweetest rabbits on Misty Mountain Meadow--Cuddlemop, Sweetsnuffle, and Pretty--and their cousin Grumblebunny.

Why you should read this book: With tongue firmly in cheek, Grumblebunny recounts the adventures of three rabbits who are sweet and adorable to the point of idiocy, and their realistic, pessimistic cousin, who uses his terrible personality to save them, against their will, from being made into rabbit stew just when they were really enjoying their nice, hot, steamy bath. With over-the-top caricatures that exaggerate the internal qualities of the players and great read-aloud dialog, this is a picture book that defies the conventions of the genre and will entertain both curmudgeons and optimists. A real crowd-pleaser, and an antidote to saccharine children's literature.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You'd just stay in bed and let your cousins be eaten.