This timeless middle-grade adventure about friendship and community will charm animal-loving fans of The Tale of Despereaux. Illustrated by Caldecott winner Doug Salati, and now in paperback!

Butternut lives in the burrows of Milkweed Meadow with her nine rabbit brothers and sisters. Together they practice strategies for survival and tell stories. With disastrous scenarios blooming in her mind, Butternut embraces the lesson of her families’ stories: stick to your own rabbit-kind. But after befriending an incorrigible robin and a wounded deer, Butternut begins to question what she has been taught. 

When the three friends discover other animals in crisis, Butternut must decide whether she can help, rally her friends and family, and be as brave as the heroes in the stories she tells.

Beautiful and arresting black-and-white illustrations bring the animals to life in this heartwarming story about friendship, community, and doing what is right.
 
Contributor Bio(s)
 
Elaine Dimopoulos is the author of Turn the Tide, a middle-grade novel-in-verse inspired by real-world environmental activism, and Material Girls, a young adult dystopian novel. She served as the Associates of the Boston Public Library Writer-in-Residence and has taught writing at Simmons University and GrubStreet. Elaine lives in Massachusetts with her family—and the robins that tend to build their nests above her trellis each spring.

Author Residence: Belmont, MA

Author Hometown: Peabody, MA

Caldecott medalist Doug Salati is the the author and illustrator of Hot Dog. He is also the illustrator of several books for children, including Pip and Zip and Lawrence in the Fall. www.dougsalati.com

Illustrator Residence:New York, NY

Illustrator Hometown:Oneida, NY