Snow is coming, coming soon, and Rabbit must hurry to his home before it falls. First he must find food, and he happily unearths not one but two turnips! Thinking that Donkey might not have found a meal before the snowfall, Rabbit deposits the extra vegetable as a gift on her doorstep. Donkey, returning home with a potato, decides to pass the turnip on to Goat for the very same reason. The circular fable continues until the turnip returns to Rabbit’s doorstep. Not knowing who to thank, Rabbit brings his friends together to share it. Gorgeous paintings reflect the warmth of each animal’s generous gesture in a winning tale that will delight and satisfy. (Ages 3–7)

Cooperation and generosity are the themes of this Chinese fable. As winter snow approaches, Rabbit searches for food and finds two turnips. He thinks about his neighbor, Donkey, and decides to share one of his turnips. Donkey isn’t home, so Rabbit leaves the turnip by the door. Thus begins a chain reaction as Donkey shares with goat, who in turn shares with Deer. Deer completes the circle of generosity by returning the turnip to Rabbit, who divides the turnip and shares it with his friends to make a “cozy” meal. The author’s note discusses this tale’s origin. CCBC Choices. nlh