Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

A spunky bunny girl, whimsical watercolor illustrations and a laugh-out-loud plot are the key ingredients for this sweet and satisfying treat of a story. "Betty Bunny was a handful." That's what her mother always tells her, and the author and illustrator show readers just how much of a handful she is, capturing her irrepressible personality (which includes a streak of creative naughtiness). Little Betty, the youngest child of four, becomes enraptured with chocolate cake, announcing she loves it so much, she wants to marry it. Her brothers jump right in to tease her, her sister tries to help and her mom offers calm solutions, all with minimal text set in an attractive type with key phrases in larger, bold font. Kaplan, a television writer and producer, has an exquisite sense of dramatic pacing and comedic timing, as well as a deep understanding of a 5-year-old bunny girl's emotions. Betty has intense feelings: She truly loves her chocolate cake, and she is truly furious at her siblings when they tease her. The author captures the flavor of sibling interactions as well, with each of the three older rabbit children interacting with Betty in characteristic ways, including some hilarious smart-aleck comments from the bunny brothers. Betty not only wants to marry her chocolate cake, she wants to keep it close to her too, finding out the hard way that cake doesn't belong in your pocket...or your sock. Delicious. (Picture book. 3-6)

ALA Booklist (Wed Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

Oh, the perils of obsession. After her first taste of chocolate cake, little Betty not only wants no other food but she literally thinks and speaks of nothing else for the rest of the day. A dinnertime tantrum amid flying veggies and mashed potatoes gets her sent to her room with no dessert at all, though her mother leaves her a piece of cake in the fridge. Next morning, Betty sneaks it into her pocket, carries it all day, and is shocked when it turns into a gooey mess. Does she learn patience or anything else from the experience? Well, no, as it turns out. Depicting a multisibling family of flop-eared bunnies in casual modern dress and settings, Jorisch's freely brushed watercolors capture Betty's fixation as well as her outsize personality. Rather than force a lesson or even try for a resolution, TV writer Kaplan simply invites readers to share, or at least enjoy, her rapture in this exuberant debut.

Horn Book (Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

Betty Bunny doesn't like new foods as a rule. When she tastes chocolate cake, though, it's love at first bite: "I am going to marry chocolate cake!" She ferrets away a slice and winds up with a chocolate mess in her pocket. Jorisch renders the bunny's reaction perfectly with a delicate line, colorful palette, and enough detail to match Kaplan's clever text.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

A spunky bunny girl, whimsical watercolor illustrations and a laugh-out-loud plot are the key ingredients for this sweet and satisfying treat of a story. "Betty Bunny was a handful." That's what her mother always tells her, and the author and illustrator show readers just how much of a handful she is, capturing her irrepressible personality (which includes a streak of creative naughtiness). Little Betty, the youngest child of four, becomes enraptured with chocolate cake, announcing she loves it so much, she wants to marry it. Her brothers jump right in to tease her, her sister tries to help and her mom offers calm solutions, all with minimal text set in an attractive type with key phrases in larger, bold font. Kaplan, a television writer and producer, has an exquisite sense of dramatic pacing and comedic timing, as well as a deep understanding of a 5-year-old bunny girl's emotions. Betty has intense feelings: She truly loves her chocolate cake, and she is truly furious at her siblings when they tease her. The author captures the flavor of sibling interactions as well, with each of the three older rabbit children interacting with Betty in characteristic ways, including some hilarious smart-aleck comments from the bunny brothers. Betty not only wants to marry her chocolate cake, she wants to keep it close to her too, finding out the hard way that cake doesn't belong in your pocket...or your sock. Delicious. (Picture book. 3-6)

School Library Journal (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

PreS-Gr 2 Betty Bunny declares that chocolate cake is "yucky," until she tries it. Then she loves it so much she wants to marry it. Thus begins Kaplan's luscious lark (Dial, 2011) into the world of little Betty Bunny's mischievous interplay with cake, tantrums, and the struggle to be patient. Stephane Jorisch's delectably detailed illustrations perfectly depict the interaction of the four Bunny siblings and their requisite teasing. The eyes and expressions of all the characters are lively and adorable. Youngsters' eyes will go wide when Betty calls her family and her school "yucky" and they will anticipate the goopy results when Betty sneaks cake into her pocket! The narrative performance of British-educated Katherine Kellgren enhances the story. Her voice varies with the characters but retains a sweetness that fits the light-hearted frolic. She places appropriate emphasis on the bold words in the text and her crisp enunciation and pacing allow listeners to grasp the details. Subtle and amusing sound effects such as cute kissy sounds when Betty's mother says she loves her and the "boing" of chair springs when Betty bounces are a nice touch. The story could be useful in lessons on patience and consequences. Page-turn signals are optional. Children will appreciate the silliness and laugh-out-loud antics of the adorably real Betty Bunny. Jane Newschwander, Fluvanna County Public Schools, VA