Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson (1945)

Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson (1945 Newberry Medal Winner)

It's hard to believe that this is the book that started off the Newberry Medal. It is much shorted and less complicated than modern winners, but more importantly, it follows a very strange format and story. This story is similar to the ending of The Big Snow because it seems to be about people being responsible for providing for the needs of animals.

All the animals of Rabbit Hill are excited because there are New Folk comin' to the old house. Lots of other human characters get names, but even after we learn the couple's names, they are still called New Folk. The main conflict seems to be whether the New Folk are also Nice Folk and Planting Folk but not Trap-Setting Folk or Hunting Folk.

The 'adventures' are weak and the characters are shallow. Mother is always afraid, and Father is obsessed with Kentucky Blue Grass. In one moment, the animals act like they can't do anything without humans and the next they are decrying humans for trying to take care of what the humans have worked to produce.

The New Folk are just confusing. How do they hear a field mouse fall into a rain barrel and call for help? What is their motivation for doing nice things for animals besides following the model of Francis of Assisi?

The best comparison I can find is think about the Redwall books. What if there were humans, and the animals of the Abbey decided not to do any work and let the humans take care of everything instead? Redwallers get stuff done, and even when times are hard, they work to find a way through the problems. The animals in Rabbit Hill do not.

I do want to make on quick comment on Little Georgie's song. Why is everyone singing it? How do the humans pick up on it? What is the point aside from adding a chapter to the book? It's just "New Folks comin', oh my!" over and over again. Is this where pop songs came from?

Look, Rabbit Hill is an important book since it was the first book to win the Newberry Medal, but that doesn't mean it has continued to be a good book after all this time. Animals can fend for themselves most of the time, and it's a shame to see them brought so low.

Although this blog is called Excellent Children's books, I wouldn't recommend that you check this one out of the library, and certainly don't spend money on it.