Bunnicula
by Deborah Howe
7.8 / 10 72K ratings
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2004
- Publisher
- Atheneum Books for Young Readers
- Pages
- 92
- ISBN
- 9780689867750
When the Monroe family brings home a small, mysterious rabbit found at a screening of *Dracula*, their lives are turned upside down in ways they never anticipated. Named Bunnicula for his peculiar origins and striking appearance, the new pet quickly becomes the subject of intense scrutiny, particularly from Chester, the family's highly imaginative cat. Harold, the canine narrator and a loyal observer, finds himself caught between Chester's growing conviction that Bunnicula is a vampire - a creature that drains vegetables of their color and juice - and the blissful unawareness of their human owners. This humorous tale of suspicion and unusual appetites invites readers into a world where everyday pets become unlikely detectives, grappling with a mystery that is both strange and undeniably charming.
Original edition
BunniculaOriginally published in 1979 English Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Other editions (54)
Listen to the summary Narrated summary
The Monroe household, a haven of comforting routine, was irrevocably altered the night the family returned from a movie theater, clutching a small, fluffy bundle. They had been watching *Dracula*, and in a curious twist of fate, discovered a tiny rabbit abandoned in a shoe box. With a whimsical nod to its origin, they christened the new pet Bunnicula. I, Harold, the family dog and a creature of simple pleasures, found the little bunny quite endearing, though my feline companion, Chester, saw something far more sinister in its innocent, dark-eared visage.
Chester, a cat of refined literary tastes and a penchant for the macabre, immediately began to harbor suspicions. He pointed out Bunnicula's unusual markings, resembling a tiny cape, and the peculiar fact that the rabbit seemed to possess fangs instead of typical buckteeth. More alarmingly, vegetables around the kitchen began to turn up mysteriously white, drained of all their vibrant color and juice, as if some unseen force had siphoned the very life from them. To Chester's highly active imagination, there could only be one explanation: Bunnicula was a vampire, a bunny-vampire, feasting on the innocent produce of the refrigerator.
My friend Chester, ever the dramatic intellectual, embarked on a frantic campaign to expose Bunnicula's true, blood-sucking (or rather, juice-sucking) nature. He devoured every book on vampires he could get his paws on, filling his head with lore and increasingly outlandish theories. He tried to warn the oblivious Monroe family, but humans, bless their hearts, rarely understand the subtle communications of their animal companions. They simply thought Chester was acting strangely.
The cat's attempts to thwart the perceived vegetable-vampire grew increasingly desperate and, frankly, dangerous. He scattered garlic around Bunnicula's cage, a pungent barrier against the supposed undead menace. He even attempted a rather ill-advised stake-through-the-heart maneuver, thankfully with a steak of the edible variety and not a wooden one, which only resulted in a messy kitchen and further confusion for the Monroes. I, Harold, tried to be the voice of reason, a calming presence amidst Chester's growing paranoia, often finding myself caught between my loyalties to my frantic feline friend and the sweet, silent new bunny.
The situation escalated to a comical, yet concerning, climax when Chester, convinced Bunnicula was starving because he'd been hoarding all the vegetables, decided to force-feed the rabbit garlic and water, believing it would purify the little creature. This misguided attempt at an exorcism nearly did the poor bunny in, leaving him weak and unresponsive. The Monroe family, noticing Bunnicula's sudden decline, rushed him to the veterinarian, who, quite sensibly, prescribed carrot juice.
In the end, Bunnicula recovered, none the wiser about the dramatic ordeal he had endured. The mystery of the pale vegetables remained largely unsolved in the human world, but for Chester, the evidence was clear, even if his methods were flawed. The truth, as I, Harold, understood it, was perhaps not as terrifying as Chester imagined, but the events certainly proved that life in the Monroe household, with its peculiar mix of animals and their even more peculiar interpretations of reality, was anything but dull.
Chester, a cat of refined literary tastes and a penchant for the macabre, immediately began to harbor suspicions. He pointed out Bunnicula's unusual markings, resembling a tiny cape, and the peculiar fact that the rabbit seemed to possess fangs instead of typical buckteeth. More alarmingly, vegetables around the kitchen began to turn up mysteriously white, drained of all their vibrant color and juice, as if some unseen force had siphoned the very life from them. To Chester's highly active imagination, there could only be one explanation: Bunnicula was a vampire, a bunny-vampire, feasting on the innocent produce of the refrigerator.
My friend Chester, ever the dramatic intellectual, embarked on a frantic campaign to expose Bunnicula's true, blood-sucking (or rather, juice-sucking) nature. He devoured every book on vampires he could get his paws on, filling his head with lore and increasingly outlandish theories. He tried to warn the oblivious Monroe family, but humans, bless their hearts, rarely understand the subtle communications of their animal companions. They simply thought Chester was acting strangely.
The cat's attempts to thwart the perceived vegetable-vampire grew increasingly desperate and, frankly, dangerous. He scattered garlic around Bunnicula's cage, a pungent barrier against the supposed undead menace. He even attempted a rather ill-advised stake-through-the-heart maneuver, thankfully with a steak of the edible variety and not a wooden one, which only resulted in a messy kitchen and further confusion for the Monroes. I, Harold, tried to be the voice of reason, a calming presence amidst Chester's growing paranoia, often finding myself caught between my loyalties to my frantic feline friend and the sweet, silent new bunny.
The situation escalated to a comical, yet concerning, climax when Chester, convinced Bunnicula was starving because he'd been hoarding all the vegetables, decided to force-feed the rabbit garlic and water, believing it would purify the little creature. This misguided attempt at an exorcism nearly did the poor bunny in, leaving him weak and unresponsive. The Monroe family, noticing Bunnicula's sudden decline, rushed him to the veterinarian, who, quite sensibly, prescribed carrot juice.
In the end, Bunnicula recovered, none the wiser about the dramatic ordeal he had endured. The mystery of the pale vegetables remained largely unsolved in the human world, but for Chester, the evidence was clear, even if his methods were flawed. The truth, as I, Harold, understood it, was perhaps not as terrifying as Chester imagined, but the events certainly proved that life in the Monroe household, with its peculiar mix of animals and their even more peculiar interpretations of reality, was anything but dull.
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