A Taste for Rabbit

by Linda Zuckerman

Book Overview

Imagine a world in which foxes are civilized. They wear clothes, they fight, they elect corrupt officials. They eat only lower orders with limited brainpower. Like mice. Or rabbits. Now imagine that... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0439869773
• ISBN13: 9780439869775
• Release Date: October 2007
• Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
• Length: 310 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.7" x 9.2"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

As a world is wreaked with havoc, two unlikely heroes emerge in order to find peace and unity before the problem goes too far. The story takes place in the woods where both rabbits and foxes are civilized creatures, with their own government, attire, and entertainment. In the beginning, both species lived together. However, the rabbits had gone off since the foxes were more like predators and they were the prey. Years later, a winter storm comes to destroy most of the food supply in the woods. What's the answer in replenishing what was lost? For the fox's government, which is led by a corrupt politician, it would be rabbit. Of course, the foxes haven't preyed on the rabbits for a while now, and doing so would only lead to an all-out war. Harry, a fox, is elected by his government official brother, Issac, to go survey an area supposedly filled with rabbits. Naïve to what is truly going on in his government, Harry is about to embark on a path full of betrayal, deceit, and corruption. Quentin, a rabbit, is aware of the problems the rabbit colony is currently facing - mainly, the vanishing of rabbit families. But Quentin is not too fond of the new laws and limits that the rabbit government is starting to apply, and to him the strict army is just pushing it. Wanting to run away from his colony, little does Quentin know that the government was only trying to protect them. Two characters from two different worlds, set on a path with two different agendas only to discover that there is only one way to finding peace in their colonies. Told in alternating points of view, A TASTE FOR RABBIT gives us an inside look at corrupt governments, rebels, and a world so imaginative and yet so real that it makes us think it could possibly happen. Fast-paced and action-packed, the story is wonderfully written and easy to read. The novel aids in showing us that not everything is as it seems and that sometimes we need to take a step back and fully understand the situation in order to assess it. Reviewed by: Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen

We don't eat sentient creatures.

Sentient: responsive to or conscious of sense impressions. Do you know that foxes do not eat sentient creatures (unless those foxes are corrupt and immoral)? Linda Zuckerman's "A Taste for Rabbit" takes the human reader into the world of sentient animals, a world much like our own with the ongoing battle between good and evil. The big difference is a multicultural society vs a multi-species one. And this difference creates an interesting story. Foxes once ate rabbit--when they were plentiful. One day the rabbits left the woods to start their own separate society. They, too, began wearing clothes, reading, organizing into a government (which soon became corrupt--go figure). And miracle of miracles, their sentience eliminated their prey odor. If an animal does not smell like prey, then he isn't, according to fox thought. "A Taste for Rabbit" is an age-old story: a corrupt government official in the fox world wants rabbit for himself and his friends. He meets two corrupt rabbits willing to sell their own kind as game for gold coins. Then he sets up his brother to take the fall in an eventual public outcry. Two main characters--one rabbit, one fox--alternate the story narrative and show that sentient animals are not much different from humans with their affinity for love, courage, honor, corruption, greed, and evil. In face of danger fearful beings can stand up to great terror and characters who once just coasted through life can find the honorable and heroic in themselves. Almost as much as themes, "A Taste for Rabbit" introduces wonderful animal characters. Elton the Badger acts just like, well, a badger, pushing Harry the Fox into action. Badger checkers? Oh yes, everyone will want to learn badger checkers! Changing the rules in the middle of the game is just the way to play! Who can keep an inn better than a raccoon? Allison provides clean quarters and plentiful vegetarian fare. Although this novel did not receive great fanfare, it should have. It would make a great novel for class reading in middle school. It truly demonstrates dynamic and static characters, moral choices that lead to great themes, and is a rousing story.

Gripping

I picked up this children's book because it was written by a friend of my mother's, and I couldn't put it down because it's simply superb. Fascinating, inventive (badger checkers, anyone?), beautifully-written, moving, and memorable.

Simply put, READ IT!

I might as well make this short. I picked this up about 3 months ago from a Building 19 and 3/4 and didn't expect much. I was dead wrong. In a nutshell, its a creative and twistful tale that will keep you hooked.

Not what I expected

I picked up this book to read because I am a middle school librarian and I like to keep up with the books I have in my library. I was very suprised at how good this books was! I could not put it down! It is a story about civilized animals living in the forest. The book begins with two stories (one from a fox, the other from a rabbit) which ultimately leads to crossed paths. The story deals with friendship, family, betrayal, commitment, loyalty, and is a definate page turner. I would recommend this story to anyone!