It's Just a Bunnypalooza! is a children’s picture book written by Brenda Faatz and Peter Trimarco, and illustrated by Peter Trimarco. Lizzy agonized over the slowness of the clock in her classroom. She was so anxious to get started on her brainstorming for the Spring Jamboree Show, but the day seemed to go on forever. Finally! Finally, the clock hit the magic hour of 3:00 p.m., and Lizzy rushed outside to share her excitement with her animal friends. All the critters had assembled in her backyard, and they were ready and eager to help Lizzy find her talent and prepare her performance. What could she do? She began by imitating her bird friends and whistling a tune, but it just didn’t seem to have enough oomph. Likewise, bugling like an elk was definitely ho hum at best. Lizzy and her animal pals kept trying and turning down each feat of acrobatics, sounds, even hummingbird flights, but then the bunnies helped Lizzy come up with the most fantastic ideas.

It's Just a Bunnypalooza! explores the creative process from a child’s perspective and it’s absolutely marvelous! I loved seeing Lizzie and her animal pals consider all her options and couldn’t help but agree that the bunnies had the best option of all. Peter Trimarco’s illustrations work so well with the story, especially when he translates the bunny dance moves into marvelous choreographed images of Lizzie’s dancing. Kids will find loads of fun things to look at on each page in this creative book that teaches confidence and self-worth. The authors also include a glossary that describes each of the dances the bunnies demonstrate, and there are a lot of them. Don’t forget to check out the alphabet pictures when Lizzie gets back to class for a special treat. It's Just a Bunnypalooza! is humorous, gentle and filled with dancing by a cast of what seems to be thousands of bunnies. It’s most highly recommended.

When a book aimed at 3-7-year-olds can extract not just a smile, but an audible laugh from a 72-year-old who no longer has young grandchildren, you know the book will win youngsters’ hearts. It’s Just a Bunnypalooza by Brenda Faatz and Peter Trimarco will warm little hearts and bring smiles to their faces as they listen to a teacher, parent or grandparent read the bouncy rhyming couplets with alliteration like this: “In Lizzy’s backyard, they all scurried together./She spoke to her friends of fur, fleece and feather.” Or when the little listeners suddenly interrupt the reading because they just have to repeat crazy made-up words like “jigga-wiggalous” again and again. Word inventions are one of the most enjoyed aspects of this series of “It’s just so…” books by this pair of authors who really have their fingers on the pulse of what young children love most in books: stories about animals interacting with children presented through beautifully rendered color illustrations.

In It’s Just a Bunnypalooza, Lizzy has her heart set on participating in the upcoming school talent contest and turns to her animal friends for inspiration. But her effort at chirping like a bird, or blowing a bugle produces a blurt that “shook the moose antlers loose!” Her attempts to twirl like a squirrel or flap her arms with the speed of a hummingbird fail. But when she notices how the bunnies dance, she knows she’s found something she can do…until her classmates giggle at her efforts. That does it. Her confidence gone, she’s ready to ditch the whole idea. What can her furry friends do now to restore her self-esteem and get her to bunny-hop, or be-bop? Read and find out what happens! The authors have included a Bunny Dance Glossary at the end of the book. What fun children could have in the classroom if reading this book was followed by some video showing the various dances. I can just see the children now trying to Bunny hop or Boogaloo, tap dance or soft-shoe. Care to demonstrate, Grandma?