If you were asked to change just one thing in your life, what would it be? And would you be able to make this change? Mr. Rabbit, “a rather handsome stuffed rabbit,” even if he did say so himself, without bragging, of course, was challenged with changing one thing in his life. The thing is, he really doesn’t want to change anything. His cozy life, spent mostly in a charming apartment in New York City, is full of walks and time with his friends, including his best friend, Benny the Bunny. Benny doesn’t think Mr. Rabbit should change anything either, but then the past comes knocking and an acquaintance, Custerd the Cat, and they are all challenged to go on a quest to find a missing friend, halfway around the world in the Australian outback. Now there’s an adventure to follow.

Colin Krainin’s early chapter book, Hop-About: The Adventures of Benny the Bunny and Mr. Rabbit, is a classic story to be enjoyed by the entire family. It’s one of those stories where you want to just sit back, cozy up to a loved one, and enjoy the plot as it unfolds with the ease and gentle nature of the great classics of the past. It’s like Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Thornton Burgess’s The Adventures of Peter Cottontail, only in this case the rabbit and friends tale begins in New York City and then ventures far afield to Australia. The author tells the story with compassion and care, leading the reader into the lives of these lovable stuffed animals. Each chapter begins with a cute drawing, suggestive of the plot to follow and inviting the reader to read further. Beautifully told. Loved it!

The Hop-About tells the story of three wawa (stuffed toy) friends living in New York City. Mr. Rabbit, Benny the Bunny, and Dr. Ursa. They enjoy the small pleasures of life and spend a quiet time each day with creative activities. Mr. Rabbit loves painting, Benny writes mysteries, and Dr. Ursa - well, he looks after his patients. One day the arrival of an old friend, Custerd the cat, disrupts their ordinary life. He convinces Benny to help him search for an old friend, Rogo the lion, who went missing twenty-five years ago. Soon the friends and found themselves on the long flight to Australia. Their search took them from the University to Sydney where Rogo disappeared, through the outback of Australia, to Wolf's fortress, and back to their childhood home.

Author Colin Krainin uses this journey to show us the importance of love and friendship. Love lets us come alive the way a stuffed toy only becomes a wawa (awake) after a human child has loved them for many years. Mr. Rabbit and Benny the Bunny enjoy the simple pleasure of living their lives together, and their love and friendship give them the courage to face and overcome danger. I adore the simple line sketches by Joan Platek Krainin at the beginning of each story, illustrating the highlight of that chapter. You can't fail to love the characters, each with unique personalities. We can all learn from the wawas about mindfulness, getting joy from focusing without distraction on everything we do. The adventures of the wawas is an intriguing story for readers from nine to twelve.