Bunnicula: The Graphic Novel
James How and Andrew Donkin
Illustrated by Stephen Gilpin
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Published August 30, 2022
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads
About Bunnicula: The Graphic Novel
Celebrate over forty years of the modern classic BUNNICULA with this graphic novelization!
Beware the hare!
Harold the dog and Chester the cat must find out the truth about the newest pet in the Monroe household—a suspicious-looking bunny with unusual habits…and fangs! Could this innocent-seeming rabbit actually be a vampire?
My Review
I remember my teacher reading the Bunnicula series to us in elementary school. At the time, Chester was my favorite. I’m not sure if that was true of the first book or if it’s because of what happened later. I didn’t feel as connected to Chester’s character in this version of the story.
The fun antics, tension, and humor were all well-represented in the graphic novel version of the book, though. I enjoyed getting to see some of the scenes play out visually. There are definitely moments where the panels perfectly capture the absurdity or fun of the story.
A few of my daughter’s cousins are really into graphic novels, so when I saw that there was going to be a graphic novel version of Bunnicula, I knew I wanted to check it out with them in mind. I bought a paperback copy of the book and will see if it interests them to read. I enjoyed reading it myself. It was really fun to be back in a story centered around pets and peppered with silliness.
All in all, I’m happy that I read this one, and I look forward to sharing it with my nephew and niece.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.
Representation
Main characters are a dog, cat, and bunny owned by a white family with two sons.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.
Romance/Sexual Content
None.
Spiritual Content
Chester the cat is convinced that the family’s new pet bunny is a vampire. He reads about vampires and tries some vampire repellant tricks from famous stories, such as garlic. The family finds vegetables that have been completely drained of their juices and have gone completely white.
Violent Content
None.
Drug Content
None.
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I’ve never actually heard of Bunnicula (not entirely sure how), but it sounds like such a delightful story for young readers, and I love that you read it as a kid too! This sounds like a really strong graphic novel adaptation of the story. Thanks so much for the thoughtful review, Kasey!
Aww, thanks. 🙂 I’m glad it introduced you to a story you hadn’t heard of before, and I’m glad you stopped by!
I’m not a big fan of graphic novels, but I am a huge fan of Bunnicula. Years ago on a road trip, my daughter was laughing so much while reading her book, we made her read it aloud to us. It was Bunnicula, and we all became fans. Thanks for telling me about this book.
That’s so great! I remember loving the books when I was a kid. The whole spoofy vegetarian vampire thing is so much fun. Thanks, Rosi!