My Friend Rabbit
2002 book by Eric Rohmann
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My Friend Rabbit is a children's picture book written and illustrated by Eric Rohmann and first published in 2002. The illustrations in the book earned Rohmann the Caldecott Medal in 2003.[1] My Friend Rabbit was adapted into an animated television series in 2007.
The front cover of the book My Friend Rabbit | |
| Author | Eric Rohmann |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Eric Rohmann |
| Cover artist | Eric Rohmann |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's picture book |
| Publisher | Roaring Brook Press and Millbrook Press |
Publication date | 2002 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Pages | 32 pages |
| ISBN | 978-1-59643-080-8 |
| Preceded by | The Three Pigs |
| Followed by | The Man Who Walked Between the Towers |
Description
My Friend Rabbit is a 32-page children's picture book, which follows the adventures of a mouse and a rabbit.
Rohmann used "thick-lined colored woodcuts" to illustrate his book.[2] The reader needs to turn the book sideways to look at one image properly, making "the climax [...] even more dramatic".[3] According to a reviewer in Booklist, the book's "[t]remendous physical humor delivers a gentle lesson about accepting friends as they are".[4]
Synopsis
A mouse loans his new airplane to his best friend, Rabbit, resulting in a series of troublesome events. When the airplane gets stuck in a tree, Rabbit gathers a group of animals in an attempt to retrieve it. The plan goes awry and the animals fall, causing them to become angry with Rabbit. Despite this, Mouse remains loyal to his friend and demonstrates the true nature of friendship. In the end, Rabbit comes up with a new idea to retrieve the airplane, leading to further adventures.
Television series
| My Friend Rabbit | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Adventure Comedy Educational Children's television series |
| Directed by | Jason Groh |
| Voices of | Peter Oldring Richard Binsley |
| Theme music composer | John Welsman Cherie Camp |
| Opening theme | We Can Do it Together by Cherie Camp |
| Ending theme | We Can Do it Together (Instrumental) |
| Composer | John Welsman |
| Country of origin | Canada |
| No. of series | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Eric Rohmann Paul Robertson Scott Dyer Doug Murphy |
| Producers | Lan Lamon Jamie Piekarz |
| Animator | 9 Story Media Group |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company | Nelvana Limited |
| Original release | |
| Network | Treehouse TV Qubo |
| Release | February 25 – November 2, 2008 |
In the autumn of 2007, Nelvana produced an animated children's television show based on My Friend Rabbit.[5] The program was recognized with several awards, including the Pulcinella Award for Best Preschool TV Series in 2008 and the Alliance of Children's Television Award for Best Preschool Series in 2009. The show was also nominated for three Gemini Awards in categories that included Best Direction, Best Musical Scoring, and Best Screenwriting. The nominees were Jason Groh for Best Direction,[citation needed] John Welsman for Best Musical Scoring, and Steve Westren for Best Screenwriting. Ultimately, Steve Westren won the award.[6]
This show aired on Qubo (first on the programming blocks on NBC and Telemundo on October 4, 2007, and the network on October 6) and continued until July 25, 2020.[7]
Cast and characters
- Rabbit (voiced by Peter Oldring) is a kind and sharing rabbit who gets into all types of situations. He comes up with simple inventions (made out of simple things like leaves and branches) often to help a friend in need. He is fun-loving and enthusiastic.
- Mouse (voiced by Richard Binsley) is a loving and sharing mouse who is Rabbit's sidekick and also gets into situations which fit him and Rabbit. He is also aquaphobic, which means he doesn't like water or swimming. He breaks the fourth wall in every episode.
- Hazel (voiced by Denise Oliver) is an acorn-loving squirrel who tends to be very busy a lot. She is seen spending time dealing with her acorns. Similar to Mouse, she doesn't like swimming, or else she's a squirrel with a wet tail.
- Thunder (voiced by Jeremy Harris) is a shy, quiet and obese rhinoceros who tends to be a bit "slower" than the others, but is cheerful and loves learning new things. His heart is as huge as he is. He is air-headed and clumsy, but he is very kindhearted and is friendly to everyone else.
- Jasper (voiced by Milton Barnes) is a crocodile who loves fishing. When the others need help, they usually go to him. He seems to be the most mature and knows many things the others don't. When the others need to know something, they often go to him for sage advice.
- The Gibble Goose Girls are a quartet of goslings that go and do everything together. Their names are Coral, Amber, Jade and Pearl (voiced by Nissae Isen, Isabel De Carteret, Hanna Endicott-Douglas, and Camden Angelis). They always stick together, and are rarely seen alone. They look, act, and even sound the same. They are inseparable. None of the girls can actually fly because they are too young.
- Edweena (voiced by Stacey Depass) is an elephant who acts like everybody's big sister. Similar to Thunder, she is really nice and has a huge heart. She is a gentle giant who looks out for everyone.
Episodes
All episodes are directed by Jason Groh.
| No. | Title | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Little Dutch Rabbit" | Written by : Karen Moonah Storyboarded by : Dimitrije Kostic | February 25, 2008 | 101 | |||
| "Fishing for the Moon" | Written by : Katherine Sandford Storyboarded by : James Caswell | ||||||
|
Little Dutch Rabbit: When Rabbit gets a bad itch, he removes a stick from a dam to scratch it. Fishing for the Moon: While out at night, Rabbit notices the moon is missing. | |||||||
| 2 | "Follow the Leader" | Written by : Clive Endersby Storyboarded by : Luisito G. Escauriaga | March 2, 2008 | 102 | |||
| "Chasing Rainbows" | Written by : Karen Moonah Storyboarded by : Mike MacDougall | ||||||
|
Follow the Leader: Rabbit asks Mouse to play follow the leader with him. Chasing Rainbows: Rabbit wants Mouse to play with him on a rainy day, but Mouse hates getting wet. | |||||||
| 3 | "Mouse's Moss" | Written by : Katherine Sandford Storyboarded by : Shane Doyle | February 27, 2008 | 103 | |||
| "The Sound of Silence" | Written by : Clive Endersby Storyboarded by : James Caswell | ||||||
|
Mouse's Moss: While Mouse is taking a nap with his favorite cuddle moss, Mossy, Rabbit and Thunder have fun with a flippy device. The Sound of Silence: Mouse and Rabbit notice Jasper standing completely still and silent. | |||||||
| 4 | "Hazel's Big Surprise" | Written by : Katherine Sanford Storyboarded by : Luisito G. Escauriaga | February 28, 2008 | 104 | |||
| "The Last Leaf" | Written by : Karen Moonah Storyboarded by : Mike MacDougall | ||||||
|
Hazel's Big Surprise: Hazel has gathered, polished and stored all the acorns in the area. The Last Leaf: Rabbit creates an exciting new device called a Snow Snapper and he can't wait to try it out. | |||||||
| 5 | "A Gift to Last" | Written by : Clive Endersby Storyboarded by : Shane Doyle | February 26, 2008 | 105 | |||
| "The Big 'To Do" | Written by : Karen Moonah Storyboarded by : James Caswell | ||||||
|
A Gift to Last: When Mouse and Rabbit learn that it's Jasper's birthday, they think hard about what they could get him for a gift. The Big 'To Do: Rabbit, Mouse and the Gibble Goose Girls all want to go swimming. | |||||||
| 6 | "Muddy Puddle" | Written by : Clive Endersby Storyboarded by : Mike MacDougall | March 12, 2008 | 106 | |||
| "Silly Pilly" | Written by : Katherine Sandford Storyboarded by : Luisito G. Escauriaga | ||||||
|
Muddy Puddle: Rabbit and Mouse end up stuck in a mud puddle and after calling for help, their friends get stuck too. Silly Pilly: Rabbit wants to perform a special move he developed called the Triple Bipple Backwards Flipple, but can't because there's a caterpillar on his head. | |||||||
| 7 | "Nest Quest" | Written by : Jeff Sweeney Storyboarded by : Shane Doyle | April 18, 2008 | 107 | |||
| "Bouncy Bog" | Written by : Cathy Moss Storyboarded by : James Caswell | ||||||
|
Nest Quest: The Gibble-Goose Girls' nest is bounced away and so they need a new nest. Bouncy Bog: Mouse and Rabbit find a bouncy bog and are delighted at the idea of sharing with Thunder. | |||||||
| 8 | "Branching Out" | Written by : Steve Westren Storyboarded by : Mike MacDougall | March 3, 2008 | 108 | |||
| "The Willow Pond Wackadoo" | Written by : Jeff Sweeney Storyboarded by : Dimitrije Kostic | ||||||
|
Branching Out: When wind blows a tree in front of the entrance to Rabbit's sleeping hole, his friends invite him to spend the night at their places. The Willow Pond Wackadoo: When Rabbit, Mouse and Thunder are bored and hot, Thunder tells them a story to cool them down. | |||||||
| 9 | "I'm Rabbit! I'm Rabbit!" | Written by : Cathy Moss Storyboarded by : Shane Doyle | March 4, 2008 | 109 | |||
| "Bogged in Fog" | Written by : Steve Westren Storyboarded by : James Caswell | ||||||
|
I'm Rabbit! I'm Rabbit!: Rabbit and the others start to hear their echoes for the first time. Bogged in Fog: Rabbit and Mouse head off to see Jasper, who says that he has a big surprise for them. | |||||||
| 10 | "Strange Bee-haviour" | Written by : Karen Moonah Storyboarded by : Luisito G. Escauriaga | March 5, 2008 | 110 | |||
| "The Flighty Fly" | Written by : Cathy Moss Storyboarded by : Mike MacDougall | ||||||
|
Strange Bee-haviour: Mouse is trying to tell his friends a story about a bat named Batilda. The Flighty Fly: Rabbit invents a new toy called the Flighty Fly. | |||||||
| 11 | "Hazel's Voice" | Written by : Steve Westren Storyboarded by : Shane Doyle | April 5, 2008 | 111 | |||
| "The Perfect Rock" | Written by : Katherine Sandford Storyboarded by : James Caswell | ||||||
|
Hazel's Voice: Hazel has a sore throat. The Perfect Rock: Thunder thinks he has found the perfect rock to add to his collection. | |||||||
| 12 | "Thunder the Poet" | Written by : Karen Moonah Storyboarded by : Luisito G. Escauriaga | April 6, 2008 | 112 | |||
| "The Strawberry Patch" | Written by : Cathy Moss Storyboarded by : Mike MacDougall | ||||||
|
Thunder the Poet: The Strawberry Patch: Thunder forgets a poem he made up. Mouse wants to retrieve strawberries from behind a prickly hedge to surprise Rabbit. | |||||||
| 13 | "A Sticky Situation" | Written by : Karen Moonah Storyboarded by : Shane Doyle | April 12, 2008 | 113 | |||
| "Ladybug Day" | Written by : Jeff Sweeney Storyboarded by : James Caswell | ||||||
|
A Sticky Situation: Ladybug Day: Rabbit and Mouse get their paws stuck to a stick covered with pine sap. The animals try to celebrate Ladybug Day by throwing a party for a bunch of the insects. | |||||||
| 14 | "The Greatest Invention" | Written by : Jeff Sweeney Storyboarded by : Luisito G. Escauriaga | May 23, 2008 | 114 | |||
| "Turtle in a Hurry" | Written by : Steve Westren Storyboarded by : Mike MacDougall | ||||||
|
The Greatest Invention: Jasper claims that his fishing stick is the Greatest Invention. Rabbit has a hard time believing it until the fishing stick helps rescue Amber from a mud puddle, allows Hazel and Edweena to sing together, shields Mouse from the rain, retrieves lost property and serves as a Friend Keeper. Turtle in a Hurry: Rabbit and Mouse enlist the aid of their friends in order to help 'Logan' a young turtle reach the 'Turtle Jolly Jumbo Jamboree' in time to compete in the amazing Turtle Jolly Jumbo Jamboree jiggle-jog race. | |||||||
| 15 | "A Private Place" | Written by : Jeff Sweeney Storyboarded by : James Caswell | July 11, 2008 | 115 | |||
| "My Droopy Friend" | Written by : Ann MacNaughton Storyboarded by : Shane Doyle | ||||||
|
A Private Place: When the friends learn that Edweena has a private place where she goes to be alone, they all decide they want one two. But soon they discover that finding a suitable, enjoyable and comfortable 'private place' is not as easy as it seems. My Droopy Friend: When Mouse plants a sunflower seed, he discovers that Sunflowers need both sun and water to grow. With the help of his friends, Mouse helps the drooping Sunflower to become perky and learns that plants often thrive best in their natural environment. | |||||||
| 16 | "Pearl's Pals" | Written by : Katherine Sandford Storyboarded by : Dimitrije Kostic | July 18, 2008 | 116 | |||
| "For the Birds" | Written by : Steve Westren Storyboarded by : Luisito G. Escauriaga | ||||||
|
Pearl's Pals: When Pearl becomes fascinated by a school of tadpoles, the other Gibble Goose Girls have to adjust their morning walk routine -- luckily they find a new leader, Mouse! Meanwhile, Pearl learns a new move from the GGG's swim-dance from her tadpole friends. For the Birds: When Edweena wants to make friends with a flock of pretty yellow songbirds, she enlists the help of the gang to teach her different friend-making strategies, but finally finds the best way on her own. | |||||||
| 17 | "Hazel's Noise" | Written by : Ann MacNaughton Storyboarded by : Shane Doyle | July 26, 2008 | 117 | |||
| "Don't Touch Mossy" | Written by : Karen Moonah Storyboarded by : James Caswell | ||||||
|
Hazel's Noise: Rabbit, Mouse and Thunder help Hazel find the source of an irritating noise. Don't Touch Mossy: Mouse's mossy becomes muddy and damp. | |||||||
| 18 | "Mouse's Mountain" | Written by : Katherine Sandford Storyboarded by : Lusiito G. Escauriaga | July 27, 2008 | 118 | |||
| "You Be Me" | Written by : Jeff Sweeney Storyboarded by : Mike MacDougall | ||||||
|
Mouse's Mountain: Mouse wants to climb Big Mountain. You Be Me: Mouse and Thunder decide to change places for the day. | |||||||
| 19 | "Gibble Goose Girls Galore" | Written by : Ann MacNaughton Storyboarded by : Shane Doyle | July 29, 2008 | 119 | |||
| "Scaredy Skunk" | Written by : Steve Westren Storyboarded by : James Caswell | ||||||
|
Gibble Goose Girls Galore: The Gibble Goose Girls find it difficult to dance together when they misunderstand Rabbit's complements and think that their step is the best. But by watching Rabbit and Mouse work together to create fantastic 'stump-jumps' they realize that only by practicing, being open to suggestions and working together can they improve on their individual move. Scaredy Skunk: Mouse and Rabbit are playing with Edweena when they meet a little skunk named Fowler. They invite Fowler to join them, but it turns out Edweena's afraid of Fowler, and Fowler's afraid of Edweena. Mouse and Rabbit realize the best way for the two to get over their fear of each other is to learn all about each other. | |||||||
| 20 | "Edweena's New Friend" | Written by : Katherine Sandford Storyboarded by : Luisito G. Escauriaga | August 8, 2008 | 120 | |||
| "The Big Goose" | Written by : Ann McNaughton Storyboarded by : Mike MacDougall | ||||||
|
Edweena's New Friend: When Edweena's new friend Lexi has to hibernate, Mouse, Rabbit and Jasper help her say goodbye. The Big Goose: All the Gibble Goose Girls, especially Jade, are entranced by the new goose in town. | |||||||
| 21 | "The Mysterious Acorn Mystery" | Written by : Ann MacNaughton Storyboarded by : Shane Doyle | October 19, 2008 | 121 | |||
| "Frog on a Log" | Written by : Steve Westren Storyboarded by : James Caswell | ||||||
|
The Mysterious Acorn Mystery: Hazel, Rabbit and Mouse are totally confused when Hazel's acorns disappear from one place and appear in another. Frog on a Log: Emmett, a large Bullfrog has decided to make his home in the pond. | |||||||
| 22 | "The Hoppiest Wish" | Written by : Katherine Sandford Storyboarded by : Dimitrie Kostic | October 25, 2008 | 122 | |||
| "Mouse’s Mysterious Something" | Written by : Jeff Sweeney Storyboarded by : Mike MacDougall | ||||||
|
The Hoppiest Wish: When Mouse wishes to be The Hoppiest Hopper, his friends work together to think of some imaginative hop helpers to aid him in getting his wish. Mouse’s Mysterious Something: Mouse finds a mysterious something on the beach. | |||||||
| 23 | "Catch Me If You Can" | Written by : Steve Westren Storyboarded by : Shane Doyle | October 26, 2008 | 123 | |||
| "The Snow Geese" | Written by : Ann MacNaughton Storyboarded by : James Caswell | ||||||
|
Catch Me If You Can: Thunder is trying to help Hazel catch acorns before they roll into the creek. The Snow Geese: The Gibble Goose Girls are having a tough time adapting to their first winter. | |||||||
| 24 | "Honey and Berries" | Written by : Jeff Sweeney Storyboarded by : Luisito G. Escauriaga | October 26, 2008 | 124 | |||
| "Birthday Mousey" | Written by : Ann MacNaughton Storyboarded by : Mike MacDougall | ||||||
|
Honey and Berries: After Mouse and Rabbit accidentally eat all of Hazel’s blueberries, they realize saying sorry may not be enough. Birthday Mousey: Rabbit makes Mouse an unexpected birthday gift. | |||||||
| 25 | "Sing a Song" | Written by : Clive Endersby Storyboarded by : Shane Doyle | November 1, 2008 | 125 | |||
| "Snowed Under" | Written by : Clive Endersby Storyboarded by : James Caswell | ||||||
|
Sing a Song: An Arctic Tern named Tommy crash lands in a tree in the forest. Snowed Under: When a snow covered branch falls, Hazel’s winter store of acorns are dislodged and bounce everywhere. | |||||||
| 26 | "Jasper's Frozen Smarts" | Written by : Katherine Sandford Storyboarded by : Luisito G. Escauriaga | November 2, 2008 | 126 | |||
| "Thunder's Idea Maker" | Written by : Ann MacNaughton Storyboarded by : Mike MacDougall | ||||||
|
Jasper's Frozen Smarts: Mouse becomes convinced that Jasper’s mind must have frozen in the cold. Thunder's Idea Maker: Thunder figures out a good way to get unstuck from the knothole. | |||||||
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