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"It is the first duty of a flagging spirit to seek renewal in the latitudes of whimsy," wrote Benjamin Franklin to his nephew in 1771. "I, for one, dream on beyond the five planets to a world without wickedness; verdant, mild, and populated by amiable lapins [rabbits]." This quotation appears on the title page of First Tomato, one of three engaging books in Rosemary Wells's fabulous Voyage to the Bunny Planet box set. Perhaps Ben Franklin's whimsical dreamland is the inspiration for these endearing, small, perfectly square books, each about a benevolent bunny who has an abominable day and needs to take solace in the kinder, more peaceful Bunny Planet. In each book--First Tomato, The Island Light, and Moss Pillows--a quirky, adorable, wide-eyed bunny has a terrible day of, say, a meager breakfast, getting sick at school, or snow-filled shoes. When the bunny just can't take it anymore, he or she is transported, Oz-style, to the Bunny Planet to experience "the day that should have been": "Far beyond the moon and stars, / Twenty light-years south of Mars, / Spins the gentle Bunny Planet / And the Bunny Queen is Janet." On this planet only good things happen--the discovery of a large ripe tomato, summer breezes, crackling fires, and making pancakes. Wells, masterful as usual, creates a completely charming universe and perfectly captures the expressions of the despairing-then-joyful bunnies. Youngsters everywhere will take comfort in these small books, perfect for reading aloud at bedtime. Everyone, especially your favorite little bunnies, should know that even on the worst of days, a Bunny Planet is out there somewhere, spinning gently. (Click to see a sample spread. Illustration from The First Tomato by Rosemary Wells. Illustration © 1992 by Rosemary Wells, published by Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers.) (Ages 4 to 8) --Karin Snelson
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