A great bedtime story sure to keep children fascinated, Who’s in Rabbit’s House is a Masai tale told from the perspective of a play within a play. A monster has invaded Rabbit’s house, and the other animals must gather to help investigate . . . and scare the monster away. This story teaches children it is important to help each other in times of need.

Rabbit tries to return to her home only to be told she can't, by a big scary voice. Although frog offers to help she rudely rebuffs him, which sets her up for more damage to her home. ( )

A rabbit is not allowed back into her house by a big bad voice it roared "I am the Long one. I eat trees and trample elephants. She sits in sadness thinking of what to do as she is approached by different animals. She is first approached by a frog who is willing to help. But she is very mean to him and tells him to leave since he is as small as her and would be useless. The frog stayed and a Jackal came along trying to help. They gathered a big pile of sticks due to the Jackals suggestion and placed them in the entrance of the house, The rabbit stopped this idea because it would only keep the big, bad voice inside. A leopard then came along and tried helping by scratching the house and bits of the roof began to fly off. The rabbit told the leopard to leave because it was only destroying the house. An elephant approached her and began to smash the house, but the rabbit told him to leave because he was smashing her home. A rhinoceros came by, but only made things worse. Finally the frog who had witnessed everything asked rabbit once again if she could just let him try to help. Finally she gives in and the frog scares away the big, bad voice by pretending to be a cobra. Out of the house comes a very scared caterpillar and all of the animals begin to laugh. This book teaches children a very meaningful lesson. The frog was the very first one to approach the rabbit willing to help, but she was very rude and did not even care to listen to what he had to say. Had she listened she would have went into her home much faster and would not have had to repair all the damage that was done by the other animals. This teaches children that it is important to hear everyone out. ( )

This Masia village based folktale teaches children that the size of a person does not determine if a task can be done by them. When an intruder is in Rabbit’s house, she calls on all her big animal friends to help scare the animal out. Frog is the smallest, and Rabbit’s last hope. Can frog scare the intruder away? Find out in the personification filled story that connects kids to the sounds, words and moral. ( )

I think as educators we should have books in the classroom that have a lesson at the end of the book. That is why I really enjoy folktales. I like this book for a couple reasons. First of all, it is a folk tale so it teaches kids a lesson. In this story the lesson is that we should not associate size with the ability to complete a task. In the book rabbit returns home to find there is an animal in his house with a big bad voice. Frog offers to help rabbit but, rabbit assumes frog is too small to help him. After all of the big animals fail to help him and get the creature out of his house frog comes to rabbits rescue and gets him out. I also enjoy the fact it introduces children to another culture, in this book it is Masai villagers. Another reason why I liked this book is because of the literary devices used. I think really effective children’s books utilize literary devices because they are well received by children. There is obvious personification. The characters in the book are animals and animals cannot talk but, they do in the book. I also like the sound words in the book like “gdung”. I also really love when there is repetition in a book. The book kept repeating “I am the long one, I eat trees and trample on elephants.” I love the vivid illustrations. I really believe that Diane and Leo specialize in folktale. I really like the mystery element in the book. It is a real page turner. I really love this book. ( )