Superbuns- file under: impossibly cute, illustrated book

Like pizza, a cat video or peeking under the wrapping paper, Superbuns is impossible to resist. Superbuns is by author/illustrator Diane Kredensor and if you’ve read Buck’s Tooth you’ll recognize her style. The feel of the book is as at home with the classic vibe of a comic strip. Its size compliments the cuteness and takes a rabbit named Buns across the city with a hot pie of a happy time.

Buns is a rabbit. Actually, she could be a bunny as the other main character is Superbuns is her know-it-all sister, Blossom. Blossom means well, but is insistent that being kind is not a super power. Sure Buns may hold open doors for old people, take out garbage and pay compliments to lots of people, but being kind is not a super power.

On this particular day the two rabbits are being quite kind. They’re taking a pie that they baked to their grandmother’s house. Halfway through their journey they notice that a stranger is following them. This is the city and stranger danger is a real thing, but it’s also a city populated with impossibly cute anthropomorphic animals. However, things are further complicated by the fact that this stranger is a fox.

A fox who has been following two rabbits can’t be a good thing, can it? In this case Blossom freaks out when Buns starts innocently talking to the young fox. Foxes eat rabbits, you silly rabbit. As this is a children’s illustrated book, Superbuns turns the animal world on its head and this particular fox is just trying to get home. Thankfully Blossom knows all about directions and getting lost, all of which she’s eager to share with their new pointy eared friend.

Superbuns is cute. It’s disarmingly cute and will suck readers in who are 4-8 years old. Those on the upper end of that scale will be unwittingly charmed by the illustrations. The text in the book is such that those ages should be able to read all of it effortlessly. There are some sight words for the emerging readers that are on the younger spectrum of that scale.

Ultimately what makes Superbuns work is its illustrations and the simple, home-spun nature of the story. It feels like the book equivalent of a pillow with two cold sides. Kredensor is an Emmy Award-winning director and producer for lots of animated shows that you and your kids have seen before. Have you ever seen Pinky and the Brain (!!), Clifford the Big Red Dog, Curious George or a couple others? Her resume is a cartoon lover’s watch list and Superbuns rides into your child’s library as effortless as using Superbuns power.