Stuart the rabbit escapes from his outdoor hutch.

He "tries on" different color coats to fit in with the

wild rabbits, who blend with the landscape. Standing

out is dangerous when the hungry fox hunts...

 

I wrote this story in 1988. At about that time, my artist wife, Betsy, discovered a love for making watercolors. She was mostly painting flowers and frogs, and I loved her loose style – so different from my own. I asked her if she’d be interested in illustrating The Blueberry Bunny. She was. She did. And I absolutely loved it!

 

For reasons unknown, I had only sent it out to one publisher, who rejected it. It’s possible that I may have been hesitant to send out her original color paintings. I’ve had illustrations lost in the mail before. Back then, color copies were expensive, and a full dummy might have been a strain on our budget.

 

So, the story and paintings sat in a box. For 37 years. I found it amongst some old book dummies stored in the attic. And I fell in love with her illustrations again, so have brought it back to life! 

 

Betsy’s still cranking out art – has an art studio called Promethea Arts in Deep River, CT. And I’m still making books for kids. I hope you enjoyed this one.