Bunnicula: The Graphic Novel by James Howe & Andrew Donkin

What worked:

It’s been a long, long time since I’ve read the “Bunnicula” novel but this graphic version seems to follow the gist of the plot. The bunny is discovered at a theater when the Monroe family visits to watch the movie “Dracula”. Combine bunny with Dracula and you get Bunnicula. Bunnicula is the topic of the plot but he doesn’t speak and doesn’t do much of anything besides sleep. The lack of a discernable personality adds to the mystique of this character. The less information readers know about a character the more possibilities they can imagine about him. Even at the end of the book, the author never clarifies Bunnicula’s character and it’s left to readers to decide if they agree with the family cat’s point of view.

The story is narrated by the Monroes’ pet dog Harold with additional insight provided by the family cat named Chester. Chester loves to read books and he has a special interest in the supernatural. Combine this with his vivid imagination and all kinds of strange ideas swirl in his mind. Harold’s narration shares eerie events occurring around the house although he’s unable to explain them. Maybe the family is right and the white vegetables are the result of chemicals used by farmers. Buy organic. Harold also includes his doggie thoughts of munching snacks with Toby Monroe or the ideal treat of cupcakes with cream filling. Navigating the life of pets with an investigation into the secrets of the new bunny result in an amusing, entertaining adventure.

The colorful illustrations mostly accompany the text rather than replace it. Boxes and voice bubbles are used to differentiate Harold’s narration from the characters’ dialogue. This technique is a fine example for young readers to learn how an author uses the first-person point of view to tell a story. Young readers can easily connect with dog and cat characters and Chester’s various moods are clearly depicted in the graphics. The scenes with Chester impersonating a vampire and battling a tossed salad are especially humorous.

What didn’t work as well:

The plot is very simple and lacks a major conflict. The whole story tries to uncover the mystery of Bunnicula but the bunny isn’t much of a problem. Unless you believe Chester. However, the book is a cute tale of family pets learning to get along.

The Final Verdict:

This graphic novel can be read before or after the novel with equal enjoyment. Using Harold’s voice to tell the story, having a cat with an over-active imagination, and utilizing descriptive illustrations create a new version of an old children’s favorite. I recommend you give this graphic version of “Bunnicula” a shot.