Beloved Books & Bunny Coats to Warm Your Heart this Spring

Posted by Molly Goodall on

Bunny Season is a celebration here at Little Goodall, it's our favorite time of year! When we introduced our first bunny coat style in March of 2013 we had no idea of the waves it would make. Now with over six bunny coat styles and five bunny hat styles, rabbits are the warm fuzzy heart of our creative menagerie. 

Why do bunnies hold such a special place in our collective memories? Perhaps because of the tradition of rabbit characters in children's literature that generations have grown up with. We've paired some of our favorite books with coats to match every personality, which one best suits your little bunny?

For the MinimalistLittle Goodall Luxe Bunny Coat and Marshmallow Book by Claire Turlay Newberry

Clare Turlay Newberry Quote

Marshmallow by Clare Turlay Newburry is possibly the most adorable bunny book out there. Newberry illustrates the true story of the friendship that evolved between a fluffy white baby bunny and her cat Oliver. Her spare black and white drawings with a hint of peach are simple and elegant, and the story will delight both bunny and cat lovers. We've paired Marshmallow with with our original bunny design, the Luxe Bunny Coat in Champagne and Pink, which has a fluffy "Marshmallow" faux fur lining and also a hint of peachy-pink on the ears and fold up cuffs.

For the Dreamer

Little Goodall Snowshoe Rabbit Coat and The Velveteen Rabbit Margery Williams

 

When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."

The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams was first published in 1922 and well loved copies continue to be passed down from generation to generation. Williams gently weaved lessons about life, love, and becoming Real into the unforgettable story about a stuffed toy who comforts a boy through both happy times and sad, and is finally rewarded in the most magical of ways. We've paired this original edition with beautiful illustrations by William Nicholson with our heathered Merino wool Snowshow Rabbit Coat, but it goes equally as well with our gender neutral Flopsy Rabbit Coat

 

For the Nautralist

The Easter Egg by Jan Brett and Little Goodall Six Button Bunny Coat

Making a beautiful egg is harder than I imagined, he thought. I guess I don't have to win.   I just want to make an egg I am proud of.

The Easter Egg by Jan Brett spotlights Brett's lush nature illustrations with the story of an industrious little rabbit who redefines Easter in his community with a selfless act for others. Brett has lovingly rendered a variety of rabbits from fluffy Angoras to majestic Flemish Giants as well as all manner of spring flora and fauna. Little ones will delight in lingering on the detailed double page illustrations long after you have finished reading the text. We've paired this new classic with our Six Button Bunny Coat which is perfectly appropriate for the story's hero, Hoppi, and features Robin's egg blue trim to match the Robin's egg he rescues to save the day. 

For the NostalgistLittle Goodall Flopsy Bunny Coat with I Am A Bunny by Richard Scarry and Ole Rissom

I am a bunny. My name is Nicholas. I live in a hollow tree. Ole Rissom Quote

If you were a kid in the 50's, 60's, 70's, or even 80's, you probably grew up on a steady diet of Richard Scarry books and cartoons. The classic Golden Book  I Am A Bunny by Ole Risom and Richard Scarry will satisfy both you and your toddler with it's colorful illustrations that follow Nicholas Bunny through the four seasons and all kinds of weather. The board book format is perfect for little hands learning to turn pages, and the variety of plants and animals Nicholas encounters naturally encourage sight recognition and early language skills. Button your little bunny into our soft brown Flopsy Bunny Coat and head to the park so they can experience their own Nicholas Bunny adventure. 

For the TraditionalistSix Button Bunny Coat and Beatrix Potter Books

Beatrix Potter Quote Believe there is a great power silently working all things for good, behave yourself and never mind the rest.

There are so many beautiful books by Beatrix Potter, from The Tale of Peter Rabbit, The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies and The Tale of Benjamin Bunny to the lesser known The Story of a Fierce Bad Rabbit, and The Tale of Ginger and Pickles  (for a trip down the rabbit hole check out www.peterrabbit.com). While many of the stories may seem twee or dated (just what exactly is a patty-pan?) her watercolor illustrations are as charming as ever, and Potter's confidence in her vision and commitment to preserve the environment are bold lessons that resonate today. We love these original editions by Penguin, hardbound with the imprint of Potter's first publisher F. Warne & Co. and a bookplate for the young owner to pen their name in the front, and at only $6.99 each they make sweet additions to Easter baskets. Here we matched our blush pink lined Six Button Bunny Coat with a mixed batch of Potters; we feel sure Beatrix would approve. 

For the EgalitarianSnowshoe Bunny Coat and The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes

DuBose Heyward Quote from The Country Bunny and The Little Gold Shoes "You are not only wise, and kind, and swift, but you are also the bravest of all the bunnies. And I shall make you my very own Gold Shoe Easter Bunny."

Reading The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes by DuBose Heyward as an adult reveals how truly extraordinary this story is. At first glance the illustrations (by Marjorie Flack) and simple color scheme seem dated, but the book - which has never been out of print since 1939 - has long been regarded as a statement on feminism and equality. The heroine of the story is Cottontail, a little brown country rabbit who has been diligently raising her twenty one baby cottontails when an announcement is made that a new Easter Bunny is to be selected. Though she is mocked by the bunny elite, Cottontail prevails, and with the support of her family becomes one of the most celebrated Easter Bunnies of all time. Honestly, as a mother, it is difficult to read this one without shedding a tear. The story was told to Heyward as a boy by his mother, who then dedicates the book to his daughter - "As told to Jenifer" is printed on the cover. What a beautiful lesson to impress upon our children at an early age - that women can be both mothers and pursue our dreams. There's a big message in those tiny gold shoes! We've paired a classic paperback edition here with our snuggly Snowshoe Bunny Coat, but it also goes with our Mama Bunny Coat, because lady bunnies also need a reminder that we too are as capable as Cottontail.

Did your find a new favorite? Did we miss a bunny book you and your little one love? Please comment and let us know!

For more bunny fun, hop over to our Bunny Season and Easter Pinterest boards. We've curated wonderful ideas, crafts, recipes, and more!

Little Goodall Bunny Pinterest Boards

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